Lpg?

I was reading in the local paper a blurb about the woodward dream cruise. It was highlighting some crybabies saying hot rods are dead because of the current clunker program. Boo Hoo. My first thought was to re-visit my natural gas conversion research and then check out the HAMB. As always, you guys are awesome! I still have it in the back of my mind to convert my 440 chrysler to natural gas. So Scottybaccus, any updates? How about some supplier links and or pricing etc. Thanks to all contributors to this thread. Here is my contribution, LPG Weedwacker at Home Depot.
The LEHR Eco Trimmer is the first hand-held 4-cycle trimmer that uses a standard 16.4 ounce propane canister as its fuel source. It is safer, healthier and easier to use than a gasoline powered grass trimmer, weed whacker or weed eater. The Eco Trimmer starts faster, runs cleaner and requires very little maintenance over the course of a full season of use. With the Twist 'n Go! Fueling system, users simply twist in the propane canister and start the engine - no messy mixing or gasoline storage required. The LEHR Eco Trimmer delivers all of the power and the performance of a competitively priced gas trimmer without the gasoline creating a new standard of excellence for lawn and garden tools.

• Easy to use Twist 'n Go Fueling system
• 2 Hours run time on a single canister
• No messy mixing of gas and oil
• EPA clean air excellence award winner
• MFG Brand Name : LEHR
• MFG Model # : ST025SS
• MFG Part # : ST025SS

http://www.hortmag.com/article/propane/

 

I had a GMC van that ran a 350 on Propane using an IMPCO system. We used this to tow the race car. I had two tanks in that carried s total of 57 gallons. I put well over 200,000 miles on it so I think I am qualified to comment.
Power - with no other changes other that the Propane, we lost about 10% as propane displaces more air than gasoline. When we upped the compression we gained back the power and then some.
Mileage - again we lost about 10%. Never did gain that back.
Oil changes - Oil would still look new after 7500 miles, and that's when we changed it
Spark Plugs - would change at 50,000 miles and they still looked good.

Down Side - finding Propane stations was very tough. Legally (at least in California) you cannot use standard "BBQ" propane for a motor vehicle. They say it isn't as clean and isn't rated for motor vehicle use, but an insider told me it was because it didn't have the appropriate road taxes! More than once we got in a jam and went to a KOA and told them we needed it to run the fridge and stove. They looked at us funny when we took 50 gallons.

The tanks have to be cylindrical and are very heavy. Packaging the tanks in a hot rod, especially over 10 gallons could be tough.

Overall, if I could easily get it I would gladly do it again

One last thing, back in High School a neighbor worked at Impco and had an early Polara that had a very nasty Hemi in it on Propane with dual mixers - Hauled Ass!

 

Been running my '53 Studebaker truck on LPG for about 2 years now and runs great.

The only thing that sucks around here is that the price of LPG is actually now higher than gas because of the limited availability and the control of the market by the gas companies. I think the gas companies in the US do what they can to make sure LPG isn't much of a bargain compared to gasoline.

I realize the original post is quite old, but to answer the original question, older vintage motors are actually ideal to convert over to propane because propane in fact prefers a much more simple motor. It doesn't need or want to be complex. But, like others have said, to get the best performance, it is best to up the compression and optimize the advance and ignition curve to work vest with the propane. Trying to run both gasoline and LPG works, but it usually means the LPG part has to be compromised and sucks because the gasoline can't tolerate the higher compression and ignition advance.

The newer motors with electronic crap all over the place to try to make the gas run better and more efficiently are the hard ones to deal with. It takes a lot to make a gas motor run as good as an LPG motor. But, just get rid of all that crap and run it on LPG and you have a very clean burning and well running motor.

Any old vintage car/truck could be converted to run on LPG pretty easily and cheaply. It really isn't that hard, complicated or expensive to do.

 

now that is said and done,is it possible to add lpg to a blower motor with the proper lpg carbs,or injection?

 

Hotroddon thanks for the very specific answers! Stude_Trucks, really awesome conversion and thanks for the pics! My earlier research I found a home refueling station that could be purchased that compressed the natural gas your furnace runs on and you could then fill your car's CNG tank. Most of those were in California and the owners had late model Honda Civic factory CNG cars. At the time I was interested I found a few listings for Impco stuff on Ebay, but it was used and not that cheap. I think I would rather purchase new rather than have the additional tuning problems used components might have.