This Chevy Truck Operates on Wood, and It Recently Set a Speed Record.

      Jp Prat Projects via YouTube

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      While most of us lack oil wells in our backyards, we are surrounded by trees. With some effort, it's feasible to run an internal-combustion engine on wood gas and transform your backyard into a gas station. YouTuber Jp Prat Projects demonstrated this with a video featuring his father's squarebody Chevrolet pickup, which has not used gasoline for over 100,000 kilometers (62,000 miles). Remarkably, it’s also quite fast.

      We previously discussed this truck, and since then, Jp Prat Projects has uploaded a second video showcasing a standing-mile run on a closed airport runway. The truck reached a top speed of 125 kph (77.6 mph), which Jp Prat Projects asserts is a record for a wood-fired vehicle. This claim seems reasonable, particularly due to the lack of competition in the standing-mile and land-speed racing scenes for the fastest wood-powered car.

      Jp Prat Projects via YouTube

      The truck is a 1983 Chevy powered by a 350-cubic-inch V8 engine dating back to 1972. It operates on wood gas generated by burning wood chips in a large metal cylinder located behind the cab. This process produces carbon monoxide, which merges with hydrogen in a device called a gasifier, also positioned behind the cab. A filter prevents soot and ash from entering the gasifier, and a ball valve regulates the flow between components.

      Traveling to the airport involved a 211-kilometer (131-mile) drive. The average fuel economy throughout the entire round trip and standing-mile run was 80.5 pounds of wood per 60 miles. According to the video, the wood-gas system is approximately 15% more energy-intensive than burning gasoline, but for those with easy access to firewood, that difference isn't drastic. Additionally, using wood is nearly carbon neutral, as trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release it during their natural decay.

      New Standing Mile Speed Record On Wood – V8 Wood Gas Chevrolet Fleetside

      On the downside, starting a wood-gas vehicle takes more time. The filter must be cleaned before ignition, and, similar to the steam locomotives that once traversed the country using wood, ash and soot need to be removed from a pan beneath the system. To ignite the fire, a crumpled piece of newspaper must be lit at the bottom of the gasifier, which requires about five to ten minutes of preparation. However, the engine does not need any modifications or secondary fuel for startup, unlike some alternative-fuel systems.

      Wood chips occupy more space than liquid fuel. The bags of wood chips necessary for long-range travel usually occupy the bed of the truck, but during the speed-record attempt, they were transported on a trailer towed by a support vehicle to keep the pickup as light as possible. Utilizing all the cargo space for fuel is not practical for most people, but it’s fascinating to see such an old technology repurposed in this way.