Fountain Valley ‘Tinkerer’ Is Ready for Methanol Edict

“What if we woke up one day and the government said, ‘You guys are going to have to use methanol in your cars,’ ” asked Charles Endicott, 62, who retired two years ago as a programmer for Smith Tool Co. in Irvine.

Endicott posed the rhetorical question while talking about his 1967 Datsun Patrol, which he has converted to use methanol instead of gasoline.

“I’d be in a helluva shape if that order came down and I hadn’t changed over,” he said. “Everyone else would have the same problem. It’s a good thing I’m a tinkerer.”

Two years ago Endicott wondered about the possibility of having to use a new fuel and changed to methanol after reading an article that the South Coast Air Quality Management District planned to require cars to burn cleaner fuel.

Although he wants to help clean the air, “I just wanted to know how to use it. Ultimately we’ll all be using an alternate fuel.”

The Fountain Valley retiree said there are several drawbacks to converting to methanol, which is 85% alcohol and 15% gasoline.

He notes that there are only 21 stations throughout California--10 in Orange County--that sell methanol, charging about 71 cents a gallon. And anyone converting to methanol has to register with the California Energy Commission’s methanol program. It took Endicott two months to get the paper work processed.

Endicott, a machinist most of his life, said methanol shows promise of being a cleaner fuel, but there are problems.

“I noticed quite a drop in power and my car’s not very strong getting away from stop signs,” he said.

And worse, “on cold mornings I have a problem starting the car.”

But Endicott doesn’t have a problem on the freeways. “I can keep up with the traffic at the maximum speed limit and maybe even more,” he said.

Aside from the time he spent changing the car to a new fuel system, he hasn’t invested much money in the conversion.

His first expense was $1.35 for a high school chemistry book he bought in a secondhand shop to learn something about the fuel. He even talked to race car drivers at Ascot Park in Gardena, where many of them use methanol in their racers.

He plunked down $2 for some copper tubing, and modified a fuel pump and some used carburetors until he got it right.

“I figure I have $50 invested overall,” said Endicott, who doesn’t expect accolades for his work. “I feel I’m helping the environment with the change, but I don’t want anything from it.”

If anything, it has been a pastime.

“I just wanted to see how it would work,” he said. “I have fun with it.” When he isn’t tinkering with the car, Endicott is out fishing or inventing things such as a brake he installed on his fishing reel.

Endicott, who said he “feels pretty satisfied with myself” since he retired, is hedging his bet with methanol.

He has a 1967 Ford Mustang that uses gasoline.

During two-hour sessions over three nights recently, 50 parents became students at Hewes Middle School in Santa Ana to find out what their children are studying in math, science and English.

“Parents were interested in learning more about these three areas of concern . . . because a lot has changed since they were kids,” said science teacher Steve Goldzman.

The topics and teachers were: “Literature Through Language Arts,” Sheralin Conkey; “Math in the Hand is Math in the Brain,” Diane Mazurie, and “Hands-On Science,” Goldzman.

The teachers volunteer their time.

The sophomore football team at Mater Dei High in Santa Ana clearly is a team of the future for the school.

Coached by John O’Shea, Chuck Ardolino, Mike Beene and Joe McCann, the 51-member unit recorded a 10-0 season, scoring 307 points while allowing only 77.

The defense held opponents scoreless in three games, and allowed only one touchdown in each of four others.

The highlight of the season was the team’s 18-12 win over Huntington Beach Edison High’s squad, which snapped Edison’s 33-game winning streak.