The LPG installation
With prices of unleaded being amongst the highest in Europe, running a V8 is probably not one of the wisest things to do. Let's face it, this car is a Sportscar and the V8 invites you to put it to work. So to cut down on fuel costs, I have installed an LPG system.
Actually this was one of the reasons I bought a B GT V8: the engine has hardened seats and is ready for unleaded - so it can also run LPG. Besides that, I have seen examples of B GT's having been equipped with an LPG that fitted right under the lid in the boot. Really very neat!
After looking around for a while I found nlautogas. Whatever you do, don't go near this chap. Afterwards it turned out that his vaporizer was of insufficient capacity and the job itself was carried out so badly. It brought tears to my eyes. But what could I do? The appointment was to have LPG fitted. Well, it was fitted, so what is the problem?
Well, I had to find another one who could rectify the problems and do things right. There are some good companies that have specialized in the B: Michel Holst and Altena Classics. Don't ask me why, but both of them are in the north of Holland. Surely some other companies will exist, but not that I know of.
One company specializes in DIY LPG kits, this is Iwema. Iwema also has an outlet in the UK and features on different LPG discussion groups. I would contact him for sure if I ever were to install another kit. As far as I can tell, be very careful in choosing a supplier or fitter. If no customer can show you a B that has been converted correctly, don't go there.
An added complication in selecting the right system is in the nature of the system itself: you can't see if it functions correctly on the outside. It can burn lean and hot, thus burning holes in your pistons.
Another point is that you have to look into the waterways of your car. The vaporizer needs hot water to turn the LPG into a gas that is under pressure. Therefore you will need a supply of hot water and a way to return the water from the vaporizer back into your system. Take the wrong hose and you have either no power on the vaporizer, or you will lose functions; think about the heater matrix of your heater not having sufficient hot water. In the last case you won't get any hot air from your vents at all. And most of us have already experienced that the heated air supply is not really a big deal in the B.
Looks like an ordinary white B GT. The only noticeable difference is the little V8 badge and the big twin unlinked exhaust. Before I fitted different silencers (extra in the middle) this V8 sound system on wheels used to trigger car alarms, just by driving by.
Now you can see that there are more differences than can be seen at first sight. Behind the Dutch number plate in classic blue the filler mount is located. Maybe to some it might seem a clever solution, it can be better. If one of the reverse lights is sacrificed, you can mount the filler inside the house. The glass will still fit over the hole, thus neatly covering it. Michel Holst has done this to his own B GT.
Again, not a lot to see. Due to the twin exhaust system the tank needed to be higher instead of wider. To cover the tank I made a casing from mdf, painted in white.
Now you get a better look at the tank. With a single exhaust the tank can be wider and lower, so the standard lid will fit on the spare wheel well.
Here you see in detail what a twin exhaust will do to the fuel filler pipe. The filler pipe needs to be relocated to accommodate the second exhaust. So the hole was blanked off and the filler pipe itself now is more to the right. This is the reason the tank couldn't be wider: the filler pipe is in the way. Perhaps if the car ever needs a repaint I blank of the hole again and move the filler pipe a bit to side, or more to the back. Just to be able to put in another LPG tank.
So now you see it: the LPG tank. The thing is difficult to see is that the first LPG fitter I used severely damaged my car. The tank needs five M5 bolts to fit to the chassis; this is compulsory in Holland, from a safety point of view. But the bolts can go through existing holes if you look well. Again, Michel Holst and Altena Classic Cars have shown that it can be done differently (lots better). The same applies to the plumbing from the tank to the vaporizer under the bonnet: it can follow through the same clips that holds the normal fuel line.
Looks pretty full in the engine bay. On the right in front of the master brake and clutch cylinders you can see the vaporizer (the solenoid has a little red connector you might notice). This is a tandem vaporizer. It all just fits under the bonnet. Also note that the K&N air filters are placed more forward and connected to the air box by ducting. At the air box side of the ducting you can see the little steel mixer rings.
A close-up of a mixer ring. It works virtually the same as a carburetor. A venturi is used to create a pressure difference, so LPG is sucked into the inlet tract. Just as with a carburetor, this could restrict max engine breathing capacity. Making the right choice size wise in this area is therefore critical to correct engine operation, while on the other hand not restrict engine breathing.
With the Hotwire system this is going to be a bit different. Instead of two mixer pieces only one is going to be used. With only one big tube it is easier to play around with different sizes of venturis. Still, the smaller the venturi are (or none at all, as Iwema claims), the better I'd feel about it.