1932 Ford Model B 55 Wood Gas Powered Truck

1932 Ford Model B 55 Wood Gas Powered Truck
A brilliant example of resourcefulness, this Ford Model AA truck has been converted to use wood gas as its fuel source. This process, which involves burning wood or coal at high temperatures to produce a gas capable of being burned inside of a combustion engine. While little modification is needed to make a motor compatible with wood gas fuel, other larger apparatus have been fitted in order for the system to function. In the bed of the truck sits a stove to burn the biomass. The gas produced from this stove is sent to the forward part of the vehicle via a set of pipes to the two large collector tanks. These tanks feed into a radiator that cools the wood gas which is then sent farther down a set of pipes and filtered before making it into the combustion chamber.

While this system adds a large and heavy fuel production process to the running of the vehicle, it became a popular solution to fit onto cars during World War II due to the fuel rationing taking place. Thousands of vehicles were converted to run on the renewable resource of wood, and it proved to be an effective solution to the problems of the day.

The green truck presented here is a surviving example of this resourceful technology. It shows a good bit of wear up front, especially on the collection tanks up front. Some luxuries are included, however, such as cowl lights and a rear-view mirror. Ultimately, this would be a good candidate for a restoration project.

Based on the popularity of this system in Europe, one can presume the vehicle has been on the continent for a bit of time. The only conclusive evidence to the history of this truck, however, is provided on registration documents showing the vehicle has been in the Netherlands since at least the 1980s.