A Model A that Runs on Wood?

[ed thibodeau]

I do not know what heating oil cost now days but in 1958 when I started college on the
GI bill and didnt have much money I ran my A with an extra 1 gal tank under the hood
and the oil was 13cents a gal. Warm it up on regular gas and then switch to oil. It
smoked a lot. But it worked.

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by ed thibodeau

I do not know what heating oil cost now days but in 1958 when I started college on the
GI bill and didnt have much money I ran my A with an extra 1 gal tank under the hood
and the oil was 13cents a gal. Warm it up on regular gas and then switch to oil. It
smoked a lot. But it worked.

My uncle was pleased to see my Model A as it brought back memories of his wartime "dating years" on Cape Cod. Cape Cod was rural then with many still lighting their houses by use of kerosene lamps.

He described in some detail "starting out on gasoline" and once the engine was warm doing the "switch over" to kerosene - which unlike wartime rationed gasoline - kerosene was half the price and unrationed.

He thought it knocked more on kerosene. Driving was mostly done with the spark "retarded."

I myself was "fooled" once and refilled my Briggs & Stratton lawnmower from the "diesel" fuel can (in those days the cans were not color coded.) The mower if warm would even start well, had lots of power and I mowed until I took a break for lunch.

Coming back with the engine now cold I discovered the mower would not start. Adding more fuel did not solve a mis-perceived problem. THEN I remembered refilling...

Joe K