Constantly rising fuel prices have prompted readers of Beaded Wheels and vintage car enthusiasts around New Zealand to starting thinking again about that unique system that was colloquially known as a gas producer. Photos and letters sent to Beaded Wheels give a glimpse of kiwi ingenuity in action.

From Beaded Wheels 280 June/July 2006
This photo brings to mind petrol rationing during WWII. It shows the late Jim Anderson and his ‘Gas Producer’ fuelled vehicle (friend Jack Thompson seated).
I am sure readers would be interested in how the system worked. Hopefully this may prompt someone to write an article for Beaded Wheels on the wartime ‘Gas Producer’ fuelled by coke and water.
Jack Knight

From Beaded Wheels 282 October/November 2006

On reading Jack Night’s letter on Gas Producers in Beaded Wheels 280, I was reminded of a Government publication issued in 1940 on the construction of such devices. My father, an engineer at Luke Brothers Engineers in Wellington, built up a system from this information and fitted it to his Silver Eagle Alvis. It served the family well, enabling all six of us regular weekend trips to the Kapiti Coast. My uncle, Phil Charlton, was also involved in the later, more sophisticated systems commonly mounted in the front wings of American cars such as Fords, Plymouths and Chevrolets. These were popular as taxis.
When petrol became more readily available the gas producer was removed and amongst other things, I learnt how to drive and obtained my licence in the Alvis.
In more recent times, the car was completely rebuilt by Colin and Lex Westoby and featured in Beaded Wheels 245.
In the photos steam can be seen coming from the water cooled air inlet used in the original design. This was replaced by a cast iron inlet which did not require water cooling.
Peter Slocombe.

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