prestolite gas

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Gene
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prestolite gas

Post by Gene » Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:59 am

when I was a kid we had a model T and dad run the head lights on prestolite gas because you didn't have to clean the acetylene tank after use. I have never heard any body talk about this on the forum. fill me in on what the good and the bad of this. I checked with the local welding supplier and this is still available and they have the tank also

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ABoer
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Re: prestolite gas

Post by ABoer » Tue Sep 01, 2020 10:30 am

Prestolite gas , is that the same as Acetyleen gas ??

Toon

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Oldav8tor
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Re: prestolite gas

Post by Oldav8tor » Tue Sep 01, 2020 10:39 am

Prestolite pioneered the process of compressing Acetylene gas and storing it in cylinders.
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Mark Gregush
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Re: prestolite gas

Post by Mark Gregush » Tue Sep 01, 2020 10:51 am

Prestolite was the company that made and supplied most of the bottled gas tanks used on cars and trucks using gas head lights. The gas was/is acetylene compressed and stored in the Prestolite tanks and was made by water dripping on calcium carbide. This is the same gas made in the tanks original used that had to be cleaned. In the case of the question asked, "gas" would not be a Prestolite specific item. https://www.google.com/search?newwindow ... G0Q4dUDCAw
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

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ABoer
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Re: prestolite gas

Post by ABoer » Tue Sep 01, 2020 11:36 am

Tim , and Mark ,
Thank you very much .

Toon


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Re: prestolite gas

Post by Drkbp » Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:11 pm

The tank you're looking for is a 40-cubic foot acetylene "B" tank with the valve offset of center.
I find them mixed in with regular acetylene "B" tanks at the local welding supply houses, Airgas and Praxair.
You can lay these tanks horizontal on your running board with the valve at "12 o'clock".
The tank mounts in either strap type, or forged brackets, attached to the running board.
I use the forged type brackets.... :)

The "good"..... 8-)
The gas is clean and won't foul your burners, light your headlights in about two minutes with no cleanup
when your through driving. Just close the tank valve and the lights go out in about 10 to 15 seconds..done.
The "B" tank lasts twenty-four hours with 3/4 burners. That is a lot of night driving!
Cost to refill a "B" tank is about 1/4th the cost of carbide rocks to create the same amount of acetylene.
I just drive the T over and swap tanks when I need one

Maybe someone can post the strap type that was often furnished by Prest-O-Lite.
Attachments
ONE OF MY SWAPS
ONE OF MY SWAPS
PREST-O-LITE B TANK 1.jpg (44.41 KiB) Viewed 1936 times
FORGED TYPE BRACKET
FORGED TYPE BRACKET
PREST-O-LITE BRACKETS 2.jpg (14.26 KiB) Viewed 1936 times
FORD COMPANY VEHICLE WITH A "B" TANK IN FORGED BRACKETS
FORD COMPANY VEHICLE WITH A "B" TANK IN FORGED BRACKETS

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Rich Eagle
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Re: prestolite gas

Post by Rich Eagle » Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:31 pm

FWIW "Prest-O-Lite was the breakthrough product that propelled the fortunes of Indianapolis Motor Speedway founders Carl Fisher and James Allison to elite levels."
https://www.firstsuperspeedway.com/arti ... est-o-lite
When did I do that?

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