Hi Chaps, I have just bought an almost stock '53 Buick Special and the first item on the huge list of jobs is to get the car converted to 12V. Can anyone tell me the best route to go? I was going to frit an Alternator, change the bulbs for 12v ones and then fit a 12-6v dropper in to power the dash etc......do I need to? comments greatfully received! cheers, Spence (UK)
If the wires are in fair to poor condition, I would get a kit and replace everything. Otherwise you are on the right track. For the instruments, `1957-70's fords used a voltage reducer. This is for the instruments only (and not the ammeter - it doesn't need a voltage reducer). Do not use it anywhere else. Get a 12V coil and coil resisitor. As far as switches (headlights, ignition)go, you probably won't need any kind of voltage drop. You will need one for the heater switch and wipers if electric. Probably something I forgot so I hope others will sign in.
I did a '51 Olds. Changed nothing but bulbs and added an alt. I just plugged the battery in, left the guages as was, all worked well, save the heater blew too hard. One ChryCo ignition resistor later, heater blew fine. Dash lamps I left as 6 volt, just turned the rheostat down REAL low. Those gauges are dim anyway. This way, I could see 'em at night. Prolly should add another ignition (ballast) resistor to the coil circuit, other than that, I'd do it the same again. Ford gauge resistors will only work on Ford-type gauges. GM and Chrysler gauges work differently, and the Ford resistor will only make them read weird/inaccurately. In short, Ford gauges work with a bimetal and heater element, GM/Chrysler gauges work with electromagnets. Ford's react slowly, GM's instantly. The slow speed of reaction allows the resistor idea to work; said resistor only 'times' the voltage, it doesn't actually lower it. P.S. Do NOT use a 12 volt coil AND a resistor. The resistor will lower the coil's voltage to 6 volts (which most coils are), and drastically affect your spark. Instead, just add a resistor to the existing coil's power circuit. Ballast resistors gradually lower the coil's voltage over time, allowing for a good spark during cranking, but reducing the load on the points while driving. Just like the later model GM's starting circuit does. However, the ballast resistor can still be used on the heater blower, as the heavy current draw causes the resistor to resist immediatly. Cosmo
v8spence: you said you had a huge list of things to do to this car anyway, right? Paul mentioned changing the wired out if they were fair to poor. I think if your doing a lot of fixin to this car then the harness would only be a small chore/cost. EZwire makes a simple, CHEAP kit that i really like using. Its pretty simple with some time and mabye some friends (depending on your knowledge and what kind of friends you have...haha). Good luck!
Hi Chaps, Thanks for the comments. I will probably rewire in the long term. I want to get some miles out of the car next year before I try to chop it and V8 it. No need for next year so it will be minor kustom tweaks for now. I will go for the ballast on the heater cct and then try the rest out. The radio doesnt work anyway and I doubt if it is up to much so I will get that converted at some stage... the lights are p1ss poor so I need to uprate them anyway. 12-6v dropper for the fuel/temp gauge should do it! I am fairly competant on electronics so electrics should be ok just concerned about waking up in the morning to find a pile of ashes!!!!! cheers for your help, Spence (53 buick)
Used this 10-20 amp. reducer on my conversion. Instruments on 10 amp. side. Radio and heater motor on 20 amp. side. Available from JC Whitney. $20.
I'm gonna play devil's advocate... Why bother to switch? In reality the 6v system can be made to work just fine. Amps are important, not volts. A good 6v battery is cheaper than re-doing all the electrical in the car. The main reason for shitty 6v systems is piss poor grounds. I've restored dozens of cars with 6v systems for authentcity sake and never once had a failure. Used to have clients that bought cars already done and bring em to me for misc problems with the elec. In almost all cases the basics of age and lack of knowledge were the faults. Nice shined up and painted parts, lousy grounds and connections. If you're gonna re-do the whole car anyway, save some time and $ and fix what you have till yer ready go all out. It's amazing what a handfull of starwashers and common sense can accomplish. Test the ground of the engine to the rest of the car this way... clean up a spot on the frame and the motor, connect a jumper cable to the frame, then have a helper crank it over. While it's cranking attach the cable to the motor and see if the starter spins faster. That's clue #1 to finding problems. Don't mean to piss on anyone's help or ideas but sometimes we hotrodders tend to overthink shit. Hope it may be helpful to ya and anyone else readin this. Good luck with it.
Sorry for the double post but 1 more thing. To create a high tq starter from what's existing you need to have a competent shop, or do it yourself, add thicker shims between the starter body and the poles. Closing that gap to the armature makes more power and it'll spin faster.
Buy Randy's book. Tells everything needed for a 12 volt conversion and explains it in laymand terms.... http://www.fifthaveinternetgarage.com/parts/index.html
Well 51...I thought I was following along with the original thought, being to use it as is for right now. I have a 54 Chev PU and it most certainly will be 12v when it's done. Just for the reasons you stated. To reiterate the point, if any of us have some old gennie shit we're havin fun with it can be made reliable and consistant for as long as it takes to get to a complete re-do. I don't think I'd put power windows in an original 50 Ford coupe that I'm gonna bomb around in for a season or 2. I hope this doesn't become a pissing match...just tryin to be helpful.
jesus,,, buy a miata. with the exception of the sound system all those things were made in the 50's using 6v. if your dead set on period perfect and still want the goodies, think about a dual voltage battery and a 12v genny...
Hell's bells, a M/C battery would last for days (weeks?) just powering a sound system, and a simple plug-in charger is a trip to the bike shop away. Cosmo
Don't care about being period perfect. Was unaware that there were electric powered 6 volt windows, seats and antennas in the 50's. Perhaps you can advise me as to which cars had these items so that I can start searching for them to see if they will work.
starting in 54 for sure ford had power seats, windows and locks, and JC Whitney had aftermarket antennas
I agree, I have a '53 Packard that is 6 volt and is going to stay that way until I pull the old straight 8 flat head and put in a v8 and bag it. Until then I can live without a stereo.
I was interested in electric powered windows and seats not electric/hydraulic. J.C.Whitney dosn't seem to have any 6volt antennas available.
Hi Guys, Thanks for the comments and post's.... The first reason for converting to 12V was, we bought the car and it failed to start at the gas station, we called the recovery people out and they could not deal with 6V and would not jump 12V onto the car as it would mean they woiuld get sued if anything blew up! we basically had to tell the guy to sod off and leave his jump leads available and we would tell anyone (jobs worth!!!) This, together with the damned thing failing to start (too much volts drop under cranking with a 12 month old battery). The whole car needs a service, this will help! Also.... I do need to fit bags on the rear to get it out of my drive so that will need to be 12v powered.... cheers, Spence
GM had vac power antennas in their mid to higher line cars from 41 on, a simple canister should do the trick for storage, a cool knob can be fashioned on a pull style valve hung under the dash panel. And yeah most full power accys were hydo-electric, even the seats in my 47 Caddy conv were that way. Anything's possible. 12v conversions do make sense when several mods are bein done. If it's NOS (neat old shit), sometimes it jes don't pay to overthink it. Now to REALLY fuck things up...sometimes a switch to an 8v battery helps if it's a ride laiden with lots of dodads. Last I looked they're still available at most major battery suppliers. Does play hell with the taillight bulbs on rough roads sometimes tho.
Save yourself a lot of work, buy a new 6 volt battery. If the generator don't work, put on a 6 volt alternator.
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