"Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to make the world's first biodiesel Ford Bronco. The BioBronc will be that truck. Better than it was before. Better...stronger...faster."
Alright, enough of that. Anyway, readers of ABG may be supportive of this project: converting a 1994 Ford Bronco to biodiesel. Well, first converting it to diesel in the first place, as the Bronco was not sold with a diesel option. The current plan of the car's owners is to purchase a Ford F-250, pull the engine, gas tank, etc. and install them into the Bronco. Then, convert that engine to biodiesel. Megan, a friend of the owner of the Bronco, has been documenting the journey on YouTube, and I have copied her first video below. The rest can be seen after the break. Enjoy!
Continue, and see the rest of her videos after the break.
[Source: YouTube and BioBronc.com via Hugg]
Full Text portion of the website, unedited:
My friend has a 1994 Full Size Ford Bronco. For obvious reasons he loves it and for environmental reasons he just can't justify driving it. Biodiesel is a legitimate and straight forward option for diesel trucks to cut their CO2 emissions. Unfortunately for the Bronco, a gasoline engine cannot be directly converted to biodiesel, but instead the engine will need to be replaced with a diesel engine first. Is it feasible to convert the Bronco to biodiesel, without breaking the bank, wasting our time and losing the Bronc.
In America the big truck is loved at an iconic level. Rather than fight that car culture, manufacturing new cars which can not compete with the character of the Bronc and creating more waste in the process, retrofitting this classic car to cut emissions is a viable option.
Most people do not have the level of expertise needed to carry out a job like this, and more importantly, don't know where to start or who to ask. Capitalizing on my personal lack of knowledge in the area of auto mechanics, I am inviting those that have this knowledge and the interest in reclaiming the Bronco as a low emissions vehicle, to carry out the job, learning and teaching as we go.
The BioBronc looks at the identity that is associated with the car you drive as well as examining the current state of alternative fuel research. In most cases utilizing alternative fuel means a purchase of a new, efficient car that does not speak to the typical american driver. In america we pull our identity on the back of our car in the form of trailers, boats and mobile homes. This fabric of american culture can not be supported with many of the current solutions to our dependence on fossil fuels. In addition, many of the solutions (including biodiesel) do not completely get us off of fossil fuels, but reduce the amount we use or redirect how we use it.
I am not looking discover the end all alternative to fossil fuel as energy, but rather figure out how to to save this one Bronco from the junkyard or from continuing its current level of emissions. The journey of the BioBronc will allow us to accept our love of the big truck and take a closer look at what effects alternative fuels have.
Videos (some bad language):
Whew! That was quite a few videos, and if you made it this far, you're probably interested in helping out, right? If so, you can find contact information for Megan at her site.
