“Powered by 100% Vegetable Oil” thanks to Lovecraft Biofuels
As I mentioned a bit over a month ago, I recently bought a 1985 diesel Mercedes with the plan to convert it to run on vegetable oil.
Today, I made the final leap and took my new pet down the block to Lovecraft Biofuels. About 3 hours and $737 later, she was fully converted. They officially hacked my car! Here’s a peek under the hood:
After a quick trip to Smart & Final (Costco was closed for Memorial Day), I was in possession of seven 35 lb containers of corn oil. I couldn’t contain my excitement and filled up right at Smart & Final. I received a few strange looks in the parking lot as I screwed a bottomless gatorade bottle into the fuel tank, lifted up a giant vat of oil, and started pouring. I had let the gas get down to about 1/8 of a tank just so that I could start smelling that sweet, popcorn-y smell of a vegetable oil powered car as soon as possible, so I was able to put in two full 35 pound containers with room to spare.
I loaded the unused oil containers into the trunk and hit the road, noticing nothing different at all in terms of my car’s performance but feeling much better about my personal effect on the environment.
I’ll keep you posted as I get more used to the new routine of filling up and maintaining my new car. In the meantime, here are a few pictures of her with her Lovecraft stickers on (which they give to you after your conversion).
Consequently, my 2003 Mazda is now for sale. Leave a comment below or send an email to me at jcodysimms [swirly at symbol] yahoo [period] com if you are interested…
UPDATE: Lovecraft has added me and my car to their “Conversion Gallery“.
18. June 2007 at 22:39
Good for you, Cody! (been delayed in writing this comment, was excited to see your article a few weeks ago on this)
There are many roads to sustainability, and the biofuels road is definitely one.
I actually purchased an 85′ SD300 Benz a number of years ago (2004?) and built a bio-diesel processor…the whole 9 yards. Was fun finally having a sunroof, too! I was living at an eco-village outside of my town of Eugene (www.lostvalley.org — great permaculture programs, and much more), so it was a blast giving people rides into and back from town in my Golden Bio-Benz.
The down side of it was that I was living way outside of Eugene — by about 18 miles…the commute was nice, but, ironically, not very sustainable.
I took the plunge, moved into town with the family, sold the car, gave the biodiesel processor to the community at the eco-village…and started riding my bike. Suddenly, an 8-15 minute commute–by pedal power no less! And I bought a new laptop with the proceeds.
Going straight veggie, obviously, makes more sense than doing biodiesel. My twin brother is still aiming to buy a Benz and do the same thing you’re doing. Anyone can change the bulbs in their house from incandescent to CF. Your step is a little more gutsier.
May you inspire others with it…
-Vince “the green v”
16. July 2007 at 20:49
Great post! It seems as though this just should not work, but it does.
BTW…what kind of cigar is that on MyBlogLog???
SpeedyCat