GMC returns to the UK but now a Gasogen

[Great War truck]

This very interesting GMC recently returned to the UK after nearly 70 years working in a forest. It has the original invasion star visible under the horrible green paint, also what looks to be gas paint on the star. The name "ADA" is visible on each door and markings on the front fender suggest an early Normandy truck.

Have a look at the photos and let me know any observations please:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has had a hard life in the forest and the chassis has been strengthened to deal with that. The roof had a machine gun originally but that hole has been plated over.

 

All the original gasogen equipment is there. Does anybody have a manual or good explanation on how it works.

 

I am having a problem with my photo bucket so if some of the photos dont work first time i will reload them.

Tim

[N.O.S.]

Fascinating find - is the intention to leave it as a wood fuel burner?

[Richard Farrant]

 

 

 

All the original gasogen equipment is there. Does anybody have a manual or good explanation on how it works.

 

Hi Tim,

 

Many years ago, a 1937 Chevrolet lorry from Sweden was on the HCVS London to Brighton run and I had a leaflet from the driver, explaining the workings along with a diagram. As soon as I get my other PC fired up I will scan it.

It was converted during WW2 with a Hesselman gas generator using wood for fuel.

[N.O.S.]

Just been having a mooch about the ethernet and this seems to be the best overview:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasogen

[Great War truck]

Thanks guys. That is and will be very helpful.

The plan is to leave the GMC much as it is but to return it to Gasogen operation. It would be too much effort to restore it back to wartime spec and not really worth it. Anyway, there are loads of WW2 GMC's in the UK, but not many examples of post war civilian use and no Gasogens that i know about. Nice that its original markings are still visible though.

 

The owner was explaining to me how the Gasogen works (i think he needs about 1/2 ton of wood to fill it up), but there seem to be pipes and tanks all over the place. Didnt really have long enough there to work it all out. Some bits were scattered on the floor which made it a little difficult to follow. Steve would no doubt have it clear in his mind the full operation of the thing. I am a little worried about either gassing myself or blowing myself up, but that is part of the fun of old vehicle ownership. On the plus side, he wont have to worry about the price of petrol anymore. With a bit of luck it might make its debut at GDSF next year (or maybe year after). We will see.

 

Tim

[c101 comando]

i find the post war life every bit as fascinating as the the wartime life its a bit of a shame more are not restored to there peace time role

 

 

 

runs and hides

[Richard Farrant]

Hi Tim,

Here are the scans relating to the 1937 Chevrolet from Sweden.

gas producer 001.pdf

gas producer 002.pdf

[Tony B]

Now that will be a stupendous vehicle to see in action. Wonder what the London Emission Zone would make of it?

 

I have descriptions of riding on a Gasogen bus in Jersey during the Occupation, apparently you had to get out and walk at hills (And the Island has a lot of them!) Given the shortage of wood there at the time, I'd suggest a bit orf research into the best type of timber used. One episode of the recent Wartime Farm on BBC covered converting an old Bedford to producer gas. I belive there are two ways one is to directly burn the wood, the other is to heat the wood in a sealed chamber to drive off the gas.

[N.O.S.]

Now that will be a stupendous vehicle to see in action. Wonder what the London Emission Zone would make of it?

....

 

Never mind the latest LEZ legislation - I think ADA would fall foul of the 1956 CLEAN AIR ACT!!!!

[Tony B]

Never mind the latest LEZ legislation - I think ADA would fall foul of the 1956 CLEAN AIR ACT!!!!

 

So stick a Naval Cap on and give the order 'Make Smoke!! Actually the system should run on Smokeless fuel!

 

Just had an odd thought, a friend who worked in Jamica on a sugar plantation many moons ago told me the steam locos used to bring cane in to the factory ran on the trash from sugar cane. Not completly stupid the French, Why pay fuel bills when you have a load of left overs?

Edited November 4, 2012 by Tony B

[N.O.S.]

..Just had an odd thought, a friend who worked in Jamica on a sugar plantation many moons ago told me the steam locos used to bring cane in to the factory ran on the trash from sugar cane. ...

 

The cane trash was called Bagasse, the fibrous residue left once the cane had been crushed and sugar extracted - and I'm sure this was used in gas producer vehicles too.

[Great War truck]

Hi Tim,

Here are the scans relating to the 1937 Chevrolet from Sweden.

 

That is really helpful Richard and the diagrams generally match up with what i can see. Now, all we need is some replacements for the rotten pipework, a ton of tennis "ball sized" lumps of wood, some matches, a lot of nerve and away we go. No more expensive fuel bills! I am a little concerned however when it says the gasses are very poisnous and that we would be lucky to acheive 30% of power. Anyway, it is worth experimenting with (just perhaps outside and not in the shed).

 

Tim

[N.O.S.]

If you want to see one in action, check out The longest Hundred Miles - a 1967 film starring Doug Mclure and Katherine Ross. He plays a marine washed ashore on a Philippine island,who is persuaded to get running an old bus with a gas producer to convey a group of orphans on a long drive away from the grasp of the Japs.

Edited November 4, 2012 by N.O.S.
appalling spelling!

[Richard Farrant]

and that we would be lucky to acheive 30% of power.

 

Tim,

if you had a truck running on gas, what with the wood supply on board, you would never be able to load goods up to the normal payload, so 70% reduction of power is bearable, especially if the wood is free!

 

I have just remembered how some years ago, a local military parts dealer had bought a Dodge D60 from France still with the gas producer fitted. Do not know where that one ended up.

[Tony B]

The cane trash was called Bagasse, the fibrous residue left once the cane had been crushed and sugar extracted - and I'm sure this was used in gas producer vehicles too.

 

Start ploughing up the Club House lawn for planting then? Tim you do relaise you have now talked your self into a corner! There has to be at least one vidio to prove it runs on wood.

[Great War truck]

Yes, i remember that movie now. Quite entertaining. Doesnt he pick up a US Nurse along the way?

 

The GMC spent its civilian life working in lumber haulage, pulling trees back to a yard for sawing up i understand. It was therefore never really that far from home and a supply of dried wood chunks. Long distance haulage would have been problematic.

 

As trees are quite slow growing perhaps we could put up a sign outside the clubhouse "Pallets wanted" and then store them in the car park? As i mentioned i have got no idea how much it takes, but the cylinder on the back has to be filled up. So that would be two or three pallets perhaps? If we need just the blocks that sit in the middle of the pallets ("tennis ball sized") as per Richards instructions then that would be about 10 pallets worth. Experimentation will be required. We will of course video it for scientific and educational purposes.

 

Tim

[Great War truck]

Here is how I think it should work. We fill up the generator:

 

 

with dry chopped wood and light it at the bottom

 

After 5 to 8 minutes the gas is tested at the “test pipe” (not found that yet) and if burning evenly goes through the centrifugal cleaner (under the door), through the wet cleaner (front left wing), then the gas cooler (in front of the radiator)

 

 

 

 

 

, then the dry cleaner (currently on the floor)

 

 

but which should go here (it will fill up some holes nicely)

 

 

it then goes through a final cleaner before going straight in to the engine. No need for a carb.

 

 

The throttle is on the dashboard.

 

 

Looks straightforward enough. Still a little concerned about the deadly poisonous gas issue, but i am sure these things will just take care of themselves.

Edited November 4, 2012 by Great War truck

[Degsy]

I'd been wondering about those levers on the dash. I would have thought the best wood to use would be well dried oak, I would keep away from anything with a high resin content as I suspect it would clog up the system. Good luck with it Tim.

[N.O.S.]

Double de-clutching will be fun with the hand throttle

 

No carburettor, but there must be a mix of a) clean air and b) fumes from the combustion process? Surely it can't derive enough combustion air from the output from the gas producer alone?

[nz2]

Another interesting vehicle( or use of a vehicle) to your collection.

A good reference book on this topic is; Producer Gas, by J. Emerson Dowson and A.T. Larter; published by Longmans, Green and Co. 1907. 304 pages of very technical data.

Much of the data relates to the production of gas in large plants and then to driven machinery.

I will look through to see if there is any helpful info.

 

Doug

[Vulture]

What an amazing amazing vehicle !!! I hope you don't mind War Truck if I add your vehicle to my UK GMC Blog in the next day or so. Can't wait to see and hear some video of it running ! Fabulous find ! :dancinggirls:

 

Kind regards

 

Vulture

[Gordon_M]

If you want to see one in action, check out The longest Hundred Miles - a 1967 film starring Doug Mclure and Katherine Ross. He lays a marine washed ashore on a Phillipine island,who is persuaded to get running an old bus with a gas producer to convey a group of orphans on a long drive away from the grasp of the Japs.

 

I remember that one.

 

They were able to get away quite easily as the poor Japanese had to drive Austin Champs ... :angel:

 

While I'm here. I seem to remember, possibly in one of Fred Crismon's books, a photo of a GMC converted to fuel gas by the military as an experiment, so this might not be a civilian conversion....

Edited November 4, 2012 by Gordon_M

[Runflat]

Some inspiration:

 

 

[Runflat]

And another...

 

 

[Great War truck]

I am very pleased that this has attracted so much interest. Sadly the GMC is not mine, but it is not far away. The owner will be reading this and will no doubt be pleased with all of your comments and suggestions. Probably wont be so thrilled that i said it will make a possible debut at GDSF next year. We will see.