[DeTomaso] While off topic - Propane

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/10/10 5:50:47 PM, lotus0005 at hotmail.com writes:


> 
> Does anyone have any experience with running a pick up on propane?
> ----Bill (Anticipating the next gas crunch) Lewis
> 

I spent a good amount of time hooning around greater London in a Bentley 
Mulsanne with Mulliner suspension package (Mulliner is sort of the "AMG" of 
Bentley); the car was converted to run on LPG (what the Brits call propane).   


In practice, Geoff would start the car on gasoline and warm it up for a 
minute, then flick a toggle switch and it would seamlessly switch to propane.   
There was absolutely no difference from behind the wheel in terms of how 
the car ran, sounded etc. except that LPG literally cost 1/3 the price of 
gasoline.   The only downside is that LPG requires a fairly large storage tank, 
and so a good portion of the boot (Britspeak for 'trunk') was occupied by 
the tank.   

I've seen a few pickups converted to propane power; they seem optimized for 
that sort of thing because the bed offers ample space to support a large 
propane tank.

When you consider the cost of the conversion, it may take quite awhile for 
the savings associated with burning LPG to offset the up-front conversion 
cost.   Obviously if you drove great distances, that savings would be realized 
sooner.

Cheers!

Mike