datsunfreak Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 If only there were some sort of, oh I don't know, electronic repository of information, where people could look stuff like that up. Where's Al Gore when you need him to invent something like that? Well, curiosity got the best of me, so... :rofl: In Texas, state law requires both an EPA-certified kit be used, and the kit be installed by a state-certified installer. If you bypass this, no approved filling station will fill up the tank. Quote Link to comment
nl320what Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Yea, in california we dont have any inspections or testing on classic cars 1975 and older. You pretty much can do whatever you please as long as its driveability is safe on the road. They would have a fit about the Forklift tank cause its not DOT Approved, but there are smaller RV tanks you could use. Same applied to our diesel trucks running Waste Veggie Oil systems, they can be homeade and installed no problem. CHP just makes sure you have basic safety on the road, clean windshield, wipers, working lights, front and back license plates, current registration sticker, and no exhaust smoking. Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Yea, in california we dont have any inspections or testing on classic cars 1975 and older. You pretty much can do whatever you please as long as its driveability is safe on the road. Same here except it's vehicles 1991 and older. And next year it will be 1992, etc. :P They would have a fit about the Forklift tank cause its not DOT Approved But if you take them out to be filled, they'd never know. ;) Again, the issue is not getting it installed. You can do all the homebrew installs you want. The filling stations are heavily regulated and they won't fill one that isn't certified. If you can find a filling station that doesn't care, then... 1 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted June 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Well, here's a wacky idea... I seen't a rack of "Blue Rhino" trade-in BBQ grille tanks out front of a Seven Eleven this very morning. Other than range, why wouldn't one (or more likely several) of those work? Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 I seen't a rack of "Blue Rhino" trade-in BBQ grille tanks out front of a Seven Eleven this very morning. Other than range, why wouldn't one (or more likely several) of those work? Cost is usually the prohibition. Those are typically $21.60 each (refill cost only, not purchase cost) for only 5 gallons. But it would be more convenient since they are outside every Walgreens and Lowe's. Most refill stations in the area are around $3.00-3.25 a gallon. Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 FYI, a forklift tank is usually around 8 gallons. Two of those would provide a fairly substantial range. 1 Quote Link to comment
nl320what Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 For autos you would need a liquid-draw tank like a forklift type (which can be mounted in any position, popular with off-roaders too), or there are auto tanks and RV tanks. The BBQ tanks are vapor draw, and could work as a backup with a special connector to get you home at a slower speed. Otherwise the lines freeze up from the tank. We have tons of propane fillers around here, they dont care what its for, just that its a proper container with no leaks. Propane is just simple, easy to tune, and higher octane for more tuning capability. Quote Link to comment
goes2fast Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 E85 gives you the same thing, and all you need is a E85 carb. Sounds like E85 is cheaper than propane, and about the same fuel economy too. Quote Link to comment
q-tip Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 E85 gives you the same thing, and all you need is a E85 carb. Sounds like E85 is cheaper than propane, and about the same fuel economy too. Propane is a lot easier to find, and easier to tune. Quote Link to comment
goes2fast Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Propane is a lot easier to find, and easier to tune. E85 tunes just like gas, just different ratio, and here it is easier to find than propane, lot's of stations selling it for around $2.75 a gallon. Quote Link to comment
nl320what Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 E85 is another alternate fuel, but for older non-EFI cars it is not easy to tune. With a carb you have to dump lots of fuel in it to run right and air jets need to be change alot to get it to run. In cooler weather under 60deg, it does not vaporize well and becomes difficult. We tune E85 race cars and I run 50% in all my regular cars, passes smog easier. The gas tune on our race car gets 26mpg, but on the E85 tune it gets 16mpg, but makes more power due to the higher octane. Lets not highjack the thread though. Propane require no carb to tune, super simple system to upgrade an old single bbl. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 E85 tunes just like gas... lot's of stations selling it for around $2.75 a gallon. Last I checked, there were 3 in our entire county. Propane, there are 25+ places in our city alone. Probably around 50+ countywide. Quote Link to comment
goes2fast Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Last I checked, there were 3 in our entire county. Propane, there are 25+ places in our city alone. Probably around 50+ countywide. Bummer, there are at least 3 within a mile of my house. Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted June 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Lets not highjack the thread though. Too late! Just kidding. While I am interested in the prophane conversion, I think I'm just going to fall back to an L-28 with that Skyline single downdraft carb we have on the 260Z out back... mainly at this point just to annoy Datzenmike! 2 Quote Link to comment
KiloTango1200 Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Last I checked, there were 3 in our entire county. Propane, there are 25+ places in our city alone. Probably around 50+ countywide. We live in Oil Country, not Corn Country. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 We live in Oil Country, not Corn Country. Then there's this... :rofl: And natural gas country... 1 Quote Link to comment
goes2fast Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 Then there's this... :rofl: And natural gas country... Well I don't live in Nebraska or Iowa, and there are wells all around here, my grandfather had a natural gas well on his farm even! 1 Quote Link to comment
KiloTango1200 Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 Well I don't live in Nebraska or Iowa, and there are wells all around here, my grandfather had a natural gas well on his farm even! Well I don't live in Nebraska or Iowa, and there are wells all around here, my grandfather had a natural gas well on his farm even! But you live next to Nebraska. Quote Link to comment
goes2fast Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 But you live next to Nebraska. Wyoming is closer. :rofl: 1 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted June 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 Ok, so I crawled und... almost under the van today to grok the suspension, brakes, shift linkage, clutch linkage, throttle linkage, and whatever else I could see from the front bumper area. Suspension: Yep, there's some of that going on. The front leaves look ok, rusty but usable I think. The rears... yeah, one is borked pretty bad. So, I might just gopher some new springs all around! We'll see. Brakes: Again, there's something like brakes going on under there. I think I'm just going to drop the $800.00 on the "soup to nuts" disc brake kit and leave the rears drum. Rear brakes don't really do all that much anyway. Shift linkage: You. Are. Outta there! Well, I mean the three-on-the-tree linkage is outta there... well, will be outta... know what? I'm moving on. I found a spot to maybe mount the front end of my remote shifter for the L-series swap. I still need to look at the transmission end a little closer, but I ain't skeert. Clutch linkage: Ok, I think I can cobble together a system of bell-cranks, levers, rods, and perhaps a Continuum Transfunctioner to convert it to hydraulic pretty... easily? Is that the word I want? Throttle Linkage: Is interesting... and I'm not sure how I'm going to make it into a cable setup. Stay tuned. Whatever else: There appears to be room for two GINORMOUS fuel tanks twixt the front and rear wheels, under the floor, outside the "frame rails." We "need" to move the stock tank so's I can do a receiver hitch... and/or dual center-exit zorst! I also removed the frames from the tear drop windows and I think I can resurrect them. They won't be bubbles, but they'll be there. Well, that's all I can remember off the top of my head. Hopefully I'll look at it some more this Saturday with John and we can come up with more stuff to say. 3 Quote Link to comment
nl320what Posted June 7, 2015 Report Share Posted June 7, 2015 I used this site to upgrade my Eco van: http://dddiscbrakes.com/kits.html DIY disc brake kits, very easy to install. Rear leafs may want to research replacements from a truck and here are those specs: Size (in.) - No. of Leaves.....................................48.625 x 2.25 - 6 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted June 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2015 I used this site to upgrade my Eco van: http://dddiscbrakes.com/kits.html DIY disc brake kits, very easy to install. Rear leafs may want to research replacements from a truck and here are those specs: Size (in.) - No. of Leaves.....................................48.625 x 2.25 - 6 Yup, that stuttering website is the one I have been consulting for brakes. John suggested rather than drop $850.00 on "soup to nuts," I just buy the basic kit and source the rotors, calipers, and whatnot elsewhere. I was certain that would be more expensive and poo-pooed the idea... until it came time to put $850.00 on the credit card. I did some searching and found that he was more correct than I was and placed the order for the basic brake and the loaded master cylinder kit from dddddddddddddddddddddddiscbrakes. I then went to the Orally's website and ordered the rest of the gubbins. Half the Orally order was ready for in-store pickup yesterday but the rest, and all of the dddddd stuff, will arrive later this week. As for the leaves... those dimensions ought to come in handy. Thank you. I'll start shopping. 1 Quote Link to comment
nl320what Posted June 8, 2015 Report Share Posted June 8, 2015 Haha, yea they should probably think of redoing the name of the home-page. Whilst I had my Eco, I got into a few chats about swapping the 200ci out and finding a 250ci block and Cross-Flow Aussie head and intake which are rare. The built in intake/head is perfect for boosting with a turbo charger so there wont be any boost leaks. Also could swap the rear end out to a Mustang 8.8 to open up gear choices and lsd drop ins, would have to cut off the trailing arm crap and weld on a pair of leaf perches, maybe a couple brake line adaptors. Never did the rear swap but I wanted to. 1 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted July 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 I think I'm just going to fall back to an L-28 with that Skyline single downdraft carb we have on the 260Z out back... mainly at this point just to annoy Datzenmike! Ok, so John has slapped some sense into me, again, and I am now thinking the right thing to do is gopher the 200ci donk on the engine stand. I have a header for it, it will "bolt right in" (Other famous last words: Hold my beer and watch this!), it has the same horsepower but more torque than an L-28, and it is a "three on the tree." I'm off to buy a Weber carb adapter right now... and maybe some freeze plugs... ooh! and an aluminum valve cover! 2 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted July 4, 2015 Report Share Posted July 4, 2015 Hammering in freeze plugs... All in... Fuel pump block-off... Scrubbing off all the dirt and grease (and half the paint)... Fresh coat of satin black... Didn't bother repainting the oil pan since we're still waffling on whether to change the gasket or not... Didn't bother repainting the valve cover because I know Tim will buy that ribbed aluminum one... :rofl: 3 Quote Link to comment
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