Journey to Forever is a great site with tons of information on SVO, making biodiesel, heating a home on waste motor oil, and lots of other biofuel ideas.

Speaking of decals, the best song lyrics referring to decals on a car, is certainly John Prine’s, Flag Decal, from his first album. This song was written in the early 1970’s and is eerily relevant today. Here are the lyrics…

Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore
© John Prine

While digesting Reader’s Digest
In the back of a dirty book store,
A plastic flag, with gum on the back,
Fell out on the floor.
Well, I picked it up and I ran outside
Slapped it on my window shield,
And if I could see old Betsy Ross
I’d tell her how good I feel.

Chorus:
But your flag decal won’t get you
Into Heaven any more.
They’re already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don’t like killin’
No matter what the reason’s for,
And your flag decal won’t get you
Into Heaven any more.

Well, I went to the bank this morning
And the cashier he said to me,
“If you join the Christmas club
We’ll give you ten of them flags for free.”
Well, I didn’t mess around a bit
I took him up on what he said.
And I stuck them stickers all over my car
And one on my wife’s forehead.

Repeat Chorus:

Well, I got my window shield so filled
With flags I couldn’t see.
So, I ran the car upside a curb
And right into a tree.
By the time they got a doctor down
I was already dead.
And I’ll never understand why the man
Standing in the Pearly Gates said…

“But your flag decal won’t get you
Into Heaven any more.
We’re already overcrowded
From your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don’t like killin’
No matter what the reason’s for,
And your flag decal won’t get you
Into Heaven any more.”

Now I have to acquire the mandatory accessory for all vegetable oil converted cars, a window sticker announcing to the world that this car, “Runs on Used Cooking Oil.” Like so many others, I got into this conversion thing for several reasons.

1. Help the environment
2. Reduce my contribution to the politics of petroleum (such as wars and occupations)
3. Save money

Most people, like me a few months ago, have no idea that you can actually run a diesel vehicle on used cooking oil. So, part of my mission is to spread this knowledge by sharing my experiences. Thus, this blog, and the window decals. I’ll post photos when I receive the decals.

The Boulder Biodiesel website has an excellent primer, Diesel 101 that covers the history of and basic theory behind the diesel engine.

This afternoon I drove over to my friend Mark’s place where he has filtered WVO. I filled up my car with a pitcher and a large funnel. It felt so subversive filling up my tank with free, recycled, non-petroleum, non-toxic, biodegradable vegetable oil.

It feels great to be doing it!

Yesterday I drove the car home from LA to North Fork (outside of Fresno, CA). I had a 3/4 full tank of veggie oil, but that wasn’t enough to make it all the way home. I stopped near Grapevine to fill up with Diesel for what I hope will be my last time! The car ran smoother on 100% veggie oil. On the mix (approximately 60-40 Diesel-WVO) the car sounded more like the diesel that it is.