Technical Ford Flathead GENERATORS == Does in really Matter

If you walk past a pile of Flathead generators at a swap meet what do you look for? What are the details that make some more desirable, and different, did Ford stamp some code or part number someplace. Thanks!

Bob

 

Depends on what flathead you are bolting it to. I like to match the front casting of the generator to the engine to make mounting easier. I work with 40-48 stuff mostly.

I convert the 6 volters to 12 by swapping the housing and rear cover and armature from a 57 through early 60’s generator to the early front casting. Might take some pulley magic if you want a wide belt or need a fan mount though.

 

I do the same as above, but when running a pulley mounted fan I like to start with a 39 standard 2-brush generator. They can be identified as they look like a 40-48 generator housing with no cut-out, but have a fan mount pulley held on with the larger 11/16-24 thread nut. The 32-38 3-brush generators use a small nut on the pulley and have the wires coming out of the housing for the cut out. (3/8"-24 I think).

The 39 generator can be converted to 12v by using the 57-64 Ford field coils.

 

Late great Bruce Lancaster once said" looking at the generator section in the green book will give you a headache"

 

The simplest, but the most drive-you-nuts aspect of the Flathead!

 

Man, if it gave him a headache, I need not be looking at it. Lol.

 

There's a member over on "The Ford Barn" that goes by "ndnchf" who really seems to know this stuff. He rebuilds them to the highest standards and would be a good source of information if you get really confused.

 

Thank you! I'll take the wander over to the Ford Barn. They all look the same to me, but it would be nice to find one that is worth more than normal. Bob

 

Old Ford generators are kinda like Strombergs and banjo rearends. Each has quite a few variants, and it will take a handful of donors to assemble one good unit. I can guarantee you will buy some “extras” along the way, but that might be the exact one the next guy was looking for.

 

I came into a stash of generators, and never knew there were so many different ones on Flatheads. When I list them I just hope the buyers know more about what they need than I do.

Bob

 

Might as well post the pics here and we can help. Just number them clearly in the pics so we can keep them straight.

 

Just got home, will unload everything tomorrow. After all these years I finally got a load of Flathead stuff. T & A stuff is what I've had all along, so I'll need help with Flathead stuff. Are there as many styles of water pumps as there are generators?

 

As a flathead driver in the '50's, if it fits, run it.

 

Almost as many water pumps as generators.

 

External regulator generators with fan provision are the unicorns I look for.

 

If you have cough one please post a photo.

 

If anyone had Housing lengths it might prove beneficial information when choosing a generator for multiple carburetors etc without the need for a offset bracket.

 

Easiest way to identify is that it has a stud on the body (like every flathead external regulator gen) and the pulley has 4 holes in the front of it to mount a fan. Will have single or dual pulley. There’s some other small differences but that’s the easy way to tell.
There are a few versions of it that could be 39 standard 85hp or 60hp or truck and industrial

 

So, We take a "Time Machine" back to when all these generators are attached to BRAND NEW Fords, what do these BRAND NEW vehicles with the same V8 Flatheads (forget the 60HP) do or don't do that required all the different generators?