For those of you who think I may have a bit of a spartan/thrifty streak, meet my older brother Tom, and his veggie-oil diesel Vanagon. He and his new wife are making a two-month tour of the Western US, in his (un-airconditioned) 1982 bus. It’s all set up to run on waste vegetable oil, which he did for years when he lived in Iowa and had ready access to free used sesame massage oil. He even had a trailer with a big 65 gallon drums of the stuff for long-distance trips. But he moved back to Austria a year and a half ago, and is having to burn dino oil on this trip. But he showed me how it’s set up to run the good-smelling stuff.
The on-board auxiliary tank for the veggie oil is here, under the floor, and filled via that galvanized pipe cap poking up through the carpet. The engine has to start on diesel until it’s warmed up, and has warmed up the veggie oil.
Here’s the overview of the 1588cc turbo-diesel engine, whose donor was a VW Quantum. The original engines in these buses were normally-aspirated, and made some 54 hp or so. Which made them by far the most underpowerd vehicle in modern history on American roads. Tom is never in a hurry to get anywhere, and he was ok with that, even on numerous trips up high into the Rockies. I’m sure the folks behind him on Trail Ridge Road may have had a few choice thoughts. But it eventually gave up a rod somewhere in Kansas, and the 70 hp turbo-diesel allows cruising speeds of 55-65 mph. And his mileage has been between 34 and 38 mpg on this trip, which is a pretty big improvement over a wasserboxer Vanagaon’s typical 18-21 mpg.
Tom is a natural engineer, and shows in his engine compartment. Here’s the magnet for the cruise control engine speed reader, which adapted unto the alternator shaft.
I’m not going to show you all the plumbing and various solenoids that make up the dual-fuel system, but here’s the oil-warmer, one thin copper tube inside a larger one, which was spliced into the heater outlet at the head.
Here’s the filter for the oil, next to the diesel filter, as well as one of the numerous solenoids and check valves to make it all work, and be switchable on the go.
The side caps for the bumper were gone when he got it some ten years ago (or more), so wood took their place. And there’s a wood beam inside the bumper to make to reinforce it for the bumper-mounter tow ball.
He keeps this bus stashed with friends in Iowa, but has a T4 bus in Austria. It has essentially the same engine, but no veggie-oil conversion. Austrians don’t eat enough fried food, I guess.
Here’s the pilot’s seat, and instrumentation includes an airplane altimeter.
This vintage Vanagon didn’t have a fold-flat seat, so Tom rigged one up, by cutting a notch into the hinge, and building a frame out of copper pipe. That seat then gets tipped forward unto its frame, making a flat surface for the two foam mattresses.
Here’s the bed made up, and with the mosquito netting installed. Their trip started in Iowa during the heat wave, and they boondock almost every night somewhere other than genuine “campgrounds”, so night-time ventilation was an issue. The netting solves that problem.
His Vanagon may sport Mercedes wheel covers and the MBZ star on the grille, but luxurious it’s not. The ultimate anti-Brougham?
Tom is no dummy.
“Here’s the magnet for the cruise control engine speed reader, which adapted unto the alternator shaft.”
Brilliant!
I love that type of “engineering” and it’s a heck of a lot better than running magnets on the driveshaft like some aftermarket Cruise systems (Balance? We don’t need no stinking balance!).
I love the Benzo emblems. Just seeing the question marks forming above the heads of those that don’t know what it really is would give me a giggle. Your bro is an awesome mechanical mad scientist!
I need to go back and look at more pictures of the Brougham to get comfortable again….
I figured as much…maybe a Tylenol too?
I like camping……but I’d rather do it in something like this
no, using that thing is “RVing”. Besides, do you want Walmart parking lots or this?
🙂
I love shade tree engineering. Anyone who uses a galvanized pipe with a cap for a filler tube is OK in my book.
as impressive as your brother is, his wife must be even more so.
“honey, i have an idea. let’s take my 30 year old non-air conditioned vw camper out of my friend’s barn and drive it across the western us during the hottest summer on record.”
“sounds great! let’s do it!”
And you forgot the best part: “and we’ll sleep in it under some mosquito netting.”
I would be picking Mrs. JPC up at the front door of her motel every morning. 🙂
Well, she’s new (just married) and young (35 or so). And she did rather enjoy staying in our house, and seemed a bit less then eager to get back on the road after just two day (they just left).
But FWIW, she really wanted to make this trip. She had her first visit to the US last summer, and they made a short trip in the bus then, so she (mostly) knew what she was getting into. But this is a two-month trip, and it has been a bit toasty. They’re mostly sticking to the mountains.
This rig looks like it could go around the world. Especially the regions that eat lots of fried food.
Is that a two meter radio in the dash? I think I see its antenna mount high center on the windshield. Perfect. Just hope the mike cord doesn’t get tangled up in the long-throw shifting.
Yes, he’s a ham from way back. But he says the two meter band is getting a bit lonely; cell phones and skype have changed everything.
You knew they were desperate when they got rid of the CW requirement for a Novice ticket. Then again, I should talk. Only thing I’ve got left is my Yaesu 2m handheld, and while I keep the license current (N3CHT/4), I haven’t fired the rig up in a decade.
Actually ham radio numbers have been climbing lately, and quite a few are learning CW simply because they like it.
Sad to say I’m temporarily 100% off the air myself. We just got a new roof so the inverted vees are down, the Elecraft K2 HF rig is down for a repair, and my 2m HT needs a new battery. All to be corrected by fall.
There are quite a few hams among the Curbside Cognoscenti. We’ll have to set up a CC sked on 20 meters or EchoLink one of these days.
73 de KC7IT
I’ve been mulling getting a Technician ticket–dust off the EE education and the theory should be straightforward, and I can use the Icom handheld I bought in my volunteer fire days. (It’s for the public service band, but 2m should be doable.) Need to listen for 2m traffic in the boonies before I spend the bucks for the license and programming kit.
On the dual tank, this reminds me of a system an old roommate did during the ’79 gas shortage. He had a mid-70s Bus, and made a crude fiberglass tank and plumbed it with marine bits. The filler was the slotted deck type, and the crossover valve was manual. The tank was under the rearmost seat. I don’t think I rode in it after the mod; not sure I’d want to.
In the 73 and 79 crunches, I considered a racing type fuel cell, but muddled through. I did have factory dual tanks in my 84 Ranger, and loved the additional range on road trips. I always drained the rear tank first, since it was somewhat more vulnerable.
I had one of those Vanagon campers; and many times I wished it were the diesel model. For all the gas I got dealing with the VW service organization, I have nothing but respect for the cars themselves. The tall, seemingly-tippy Vanagon was a good road car in its own right, and in its own way, quite a kick to drive.
I’d have never gone the veggie oil route, though…I see it as a fad and less; and what’s saved in money is spent in mods and risked in detection of evasion of fuel taxes.
But, hey…whatever does it. The Veggie-Brigade won’t save the planet but they won’t jeopardize it, either; and there’s always the chance than in playing this way, someone will actually come up with something practical and useful.
No you don’t wish that, oh no.
@Paul
“35 or so”
Kudos to your brother!
Cool van Paul I love it that would suit me down to the ground when I go walkabout again.
I got my Technician ticket in 2010. I’ve just got a Yaesu dual band h/t. I slap on the mag mount antenna when I’m driving sometimes.
My first radio was a Teaberry “Mighty T” 23 channel cb mobile that my dad let me install in our ’72 Chrysler New Yorker. That was around 1975.
I love your bro’s veggie wagon engineering. I’m planning on living out of a Westy when I retire in the not too distant future.
K7RCC
Wow, that brings back some bitter-sweet memories. I love Vanagons in concept, but I have hated all the ones I have owned, most especially the 82′ diesel! Having the turbo would probably help. My turbo Quantum was not underpowered.