Looking to convert my guzzling beast into a biodiesel

[ShinRay805]

I have a 73 charger se with a built 400 but its just too harsh on my wallet to be constantly filling up this little project everytime I go out to cruise the street maybe once up and down n I am at the gas station again... I blame it mainly on the fuel cell but still 4.50 a gallon for 5 gallon cell is still harsh... I have no idea where to start on finding a diesel engine and allison transmission setup for this old primered gas eater. Please if anyone knows of a custom shop in central/southern california please give me numbers or emails so I can start getting some quotes. I heard about a biodiesel setup in i think they said it was a classic chevy impala and as far as I know i think our chargers have a little more room under the hood than a chevy impala does... Please anyone who can help a fellow Mopar driver find a new love for cruising in his old car.

[RD]

I have a 73 charger se with a built 400 but its just too harsh on my wallet to be constantly filling up this little project everytime I go out to cruise the street maybe once up and down n I am at the gas station again... I blame it mainly on the fuel cell but still 4.50 a gallon for 5 gallon cell is still harsh... I have no idea where to start on finding a diesel engine and allison transmission setup for this old primered gas eater. Please if anyone knows of a custom shop in central/southern california please give me numbers or emails so I can start getting some quotes. I heard about a biodiesel setup in i think they said it was a classic chevy impala and as far as I know i think our chargers have a little more room under the hood than a chevy impala does... Please anyone who can help a fellow Mopar driver find a new love for cruising in his old car.

instead of doing that, why dont you just convert your 400 to either propane/LPG or alcohol/E85?  it would be a lot easier and cheaper in the long run.

[ShinRay805]

southern cali, e85 alcohal and lpg are all illegal to run on the streets and cops already dont like me...

[Runner]

why would they be illigal to run on the street?  californians dont need cleaner air?      as far as saving money, i dont think e85 is the answer.   when you factor in the national average price per gallon of e85 then add the extra that it uses, gas is still cheaper.   

[RD]

southern cali, e85 alcohal and lpg are all illegal to run on the streets and cops already dont like me...

oops, my bad.. forgot that you live in KALIFORNIA where smog is plentiful, actors become governors, and sense (in the common form) is avoided like the plague in regards to policy makers.

[BrianShaughnessy]

  What could possibly be the payback time on a diesel conversion from an unknown source having it done at shop rates?      It's one thing to have an idea and to work it out yourself and quite another to go another direction and pay somebody to do it.

 
  My friend George68hemiRR has a 20 gallon cell.   5 mpg with a 572 hemi isn't exactly fun these days but he's not really complaining that much and he's certainly not converting to diesel.

  Have you considered something like a overdrive trans conversion or just dropping a 318 into it if gas mileage is more of a concern than performance?