Help me convert this 1969 Pontiac LeMans
with a 16 mpg V8 into a 35+ mpg green machine


My life has been getting greener each and every year over the past
decade. As for cars, my primary vehicle has a 4-cyl. engine that
consistently gets 35 mpg. And then there's the Pontiac...


From Midtown Manhattan to the middle of Death Valley...

I'm aware that most owners of classic cars tend to treat them
carefully. If you're the kind of guy who rubs your car with a
diaper, drives it slowly through town a few sunny Sundays
a year, maybe enters it in the occasional vintage car show...
that's cool. But I'm not that guy. If I'm going to own something,
I'm going to use it...thoroughly. In the 20 years I've had this Pontiac, we've been through 48 states and much of Canada. We've covered thousands of miles on gravel roads, dirt roads, grass-covered ruts and stone-covered switchbacks. Minor roads are the best way to see the parts of North America that few people experience.

In the past few years, however, this car has only been on the road for about 14 days out of every 365...usually a long trip in October. I'd love to drive it more frequently, but not with the V8. And this year, we're staying home. Gas is just too expensive.
In fact, I'll probably leave the LeMans in storage until this
conversion takes place.

We still have to get to Alaska and Labrador,
and we will, but not at 16 mpg...


LeMans 2.0

Whether it's as basic as dropping in a 4-cylinder bio-diesel engine, or as complex as making it a front-wheel drive hybrid, I'm open to all options. Any and all mechanical modifications needed to make this work are fine with me. This car's roomy engine compartment will be an asset,
and we can even use space in the trunk and under
the rear seat if needed.

The goal here is to get a minimum of 35 mpg (but let's aim higher). I'm not interested in gadgets or minor modifications that only add a few mpg to the current setup. The V8 has to go, and I want a greener emissions system. The finished product has to be able to run on either gasoline, diesel or as a hybrid. In the extremely rural areas where I like to drive, fuels such as hydrogen or CNG won't cut it. A fully electric conversion would be great, but I need the ability to go at least 500 miles per day, and I'm guessing the battery technology isn't there yet. The ultimate conversion would be along the lines of what Neil Young is doing to his Lincoln Continental. If you think you can win the X Prize with this Pontiac, hey, you can keep the cash...I just want the car when you're done.

I don't need the power of a V8...I don't race this car, I don't gun the engine and I don't tow anything. This is a rural cruising machine. My typical speeds are 45-60, rarely going above 65. Of course, I will need enough power
to get up winding mountain roads.

Before I agree to let anyone attempt this major modification, they'll need to convince me that it can be done successfully. I'm not going to let this car be dismantled, only to find out later that the plan won't work and I'm left with a stationary pile of scrap metal. There is going to be plenty of face-to-face discussion before the first wrench is turned. Also, the finished product has to consist of fairly common components. If I break down in the middle of Saskatchewan, I want the nearest repair shop to be able to get me back on the road without having to order parts from NASA.


"Are you insane?"

Possibly. That is, probably. But I am serious about this project.

As for destroying the collector value of this car...it has none. The rear axle is from a '72 Pontiac,
the ignition is mid-'70s GM HEI, the engine and transmission are rebuilds, and the CD player was installed in '96. Frankly, I don't give a rat's ass about the dollar value of this car, because there is absolutely no way I will ever sell it.


"Why not buy a hybrid?"

Because I don't need 3 cars. And honestly, I can't even afford to buy a used hybrid vehicle (assuming one could be found), let alone a new one. Ideally, this conversion will exceed the 35 mpg I'm getting with my 4-cyl. wagon, and I'll be able to park the wagon and use the Pontiac as my primary vehicle.

Some may feel that this car, as well as the trips I take, are unnecessary. Not true. These journeys are as crucial to my survival as water and oxygen. Sitting in the house and staring at a screen doesn't work for me. The most amazing moments of my life have been out in the wilds of North America. Rolling down a deserted prairie road under an immense night sky; stars so bright that you can see the road for miles ahead...this is much more than recreation; it's an experience that fuels a spiritual connection, as well as an intense sensation of truly being alive. And it's not something that can be achieved in any vehicle with a roof. There are still thousands of roads that I haven't explored, thousands of natural wonders I've yet to see. I have to get to these places somehow, so it might as well be in a fuel-efficient 40-year-old convertible. I'm not giving up this ride. And even though the green changes that I have made in my house and in my daily life easily make up for the carbon generated by this Pontiac many times over, I still want to turn it green.


Not if, but when...

The green movement is not a fad. The energy crisis facing us is not a temporary spike that is going to magically fade away. The days of cheap gas are over. And I have no doubt that the day will come, in all 50 states, when even vintage and collector cars will have to meet fuel economy and emission standards to get license plates. I know there are a few other classic car owners out there who share my goal of green conversion, and I'm sure that more will follow. Hopefully, there are a few companies or organizations who will see this as opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a market that will grow rapidly in the years ahead.


Let's make a deal

This project is open to anyone (in the mainland US and Canada) who can get the job done...small shops, large companies, multi-billion dollar corporations, vocational school automotive programs, university engineering programs, green technology research and development teams, etc.

Here's the catch:
I'm not independently wealthy (not by a long shot). I know that this conversion will be quite expensive, and I'm willing to shell out as much cash as I can afford for the project, but, unless it's a simple conversion, I'm sure that I can't cover the entire bill. In exchange for the balance of the costs, I propose the following:

Those are a just a few ideas...we can discuss others. Of course, the exact details of this arrangement will be ironed out once we know what type of conversion we're doing and the approximate cost.

Perhaps your company or organization has nothing to do with green conversion, but you recognize a good PR opportunity when you see one. The door is certainly open to anyone who would like to participate by simply funding this operation. Run a Fortune 500 corporation? Have a small company that wants to get noticed? Work for a TV show or cable channel that needs a good story? Maybe you're a green-conscious celebrity or a non-profit environmental group who'd love to get a thirsty V8 engine off the road? Feel free to contact me. If you're willing to finance 100% of this conversion, I'll gladly let you paint your name, logo and URL on the trunk or rear fender in large lettering.

Over the last several months, I've done some online research into the possibilty of this conversion, and I've even talked to a handful of people about the idea. It's interesting how much negativity I've encountered on this issue...“It can't be done,” “It's a waste of time and money,” “It's sacrilege!” If you're one who feels that way, please keep in mind that I'm not asking you to do this to your car. But I am doing it to mine, so don't waste your time writing to me with claims that this conversion will never be successful, because nothing you say is going to stop me from trying. I fully realize that this task will require a lot of work, and that it may be years before someone steps up and says, “We can do this.” I also realize that this is not a cost-effective project...that the fuel savings would take many years to overtake the cost of the conversion. I don't care. That's not the point. The point is to reduce gasoline consumption, reduce air pollution and still be able to drive the car that I love.

I'd like to hear from anyone who can handle the mechanical side of this conversion, as well as anyone interested in helping to finance the project. I'm also interested in hearing from other classic car owners who have similar goals and would like to share information. Just use the contact form below. [I’m the only person who will see your email address; it will never be shared.] And if you know of anyone who may be able to help in this quest, please refer them to this site.

As this project moves forward, progress reports will be added to the blog section of myspace.com/greenvintage

Thanks for checking out this site, and thanks for helping to spread the word!

Carl
Allen County, Indiana


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