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KennyBnash

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The amount of work to convert to a 12-volt system is probably more work and hassle than what it takes to make your 6-volt system work properly. Unless you have the idea of adding air-conditioning or some other 12-volt system-needed add-on, i'd go through and replace the wiring harness and battery cable (use at least a single 0 copper cable, preferably a 00), and make sure all the connecting ends are clean. Replace the voltage regulator (NOS may give you problems here), rebuild the generator and rebuild the starter. Done.

If you go 12 volt, you'll end up having to do all this and more.

The six-volt system worked fine when it was new, it'll work fine if properly fixed.

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A 6 volt system will work great if you have all your grounds clean and if you have a electronic ignition system installed it will run like a new car of today - all you have to do is give the gas pedal a few pumps! smile.gifsmile.gifsmile.gif It's true!!! grin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gif

..............................Steve

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Hi Kenny,

well, it is a question what car you want to convert and how much electric things it has. The 6 V starter will also work at 12 Volt but you would need a new generator, light bulbs, electric clock, and everything that works with electricity.

The big thing are good contacts at a 6 V System. Then it works fine. If you just want to have brighter head lights, there are halogen bulbs available.

Tom

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6 volt (with points in the distributor) can, and will work fine if you get everything back to square one, as built. Have your generator and starter motor fully rebuilt (mechanically and electrically), make certain the battery cables are of the proper gauge and type (no wimpy 12V cables, check to see if your car had a braided ground cable, they are capable of carrying more current than a round cable). There are two kinds of people on this list--those who can understand their machine the way it was built, and the "modifiers", who have to bring everything down to their level of understanding.

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I have a very powerful 6 volt battery with 875 CCA and stock 35 amp generator that does NOT have dim lights at night or turn slow or manifest any of the wives tale 6 volt bugaboos. If your system is functional and you have a strong battery there is no problem or huge benefit to 12v.

110103_no_problem_prv.gif

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I agree, here. If all your grounds and connections are clean, and if you're using a heavy duty battery cable, your six-volt system is fine for "like new" operation. There's not much to an electrical system: battery, generator, regulator and wiring (including cables). Make them all like new and you'e got your problem solved. If you're having a starting problem after these areas have been fixed/maintained, then look at your starter.

If I were looking at a car where someone had changed voltage from 6 to 12, it might be enough to discourage me from buying the car. In other words, "what else has he botched up."

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Guest De Soto Frank

I agree with the above posts... I've been driving old iron ever since I got my license (over twenty years ago), and much of that has been with six-volt systems.

I have never needed to convert one of my vehicles to 12 volts.

And I haven't had enough problems from points-ignitions to worry about converting to electronic.

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I changed from points to electronic ignition because I like the quicker start-up [ much quicker than points ] and with a hotter spark there's more efficient combustion which gives a little more power and the best trade off .........MORE MILES TO A GALLON OF GAS !!!!!! grin.gifcool.gifgrin.gif Now who'd be against that?

................Steve

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Guest De Soto Frank

"Quicker starts" , eh?

You must have cars that actually still have "compression"... crazy.gif

My '41 De Soto starts readily enough... but if it has sat idle for more than two days or so, the carb goes dry, and I have spin the engine until it pumps gas back into the carb... (I suppose I could install an electric pump for "priming"...)...

I run into the same issue with all of my carbureted vehicles these days... the consensus among the old car folk is that modern gasolines evaporate more quickly upon standing ?

Maybe some day I will try an electronic conversion...

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Guest Silverghost

There is NOTHING wrong with a 6 Volt system...

If you check & clean-up all your electrical grounds along

with making sure all electrical charging system equipment in in good shape you should have no problems...

6 Volt alternators are available to replace the old generator/regulator. These units have modern solid state regulators and can eliminate charging problems.

I like all my cars 100 % origional as new...

BUT...Some folks who tour...and put high miles on their cars like the 6 Volt Alternators...

If you use them everything elsae can stay 100% stock & origional .

If you plan on having your car judged...or are a pureist like me keep the generator & regulator!!!

Some foks convert to 8 volts !!! 8 Volt batterys can be found; and some generators can be adjusted up to 8 volts.

Most of the 8-12 volt conversions are done as a band-aid for an electrical system that is in poor neglected condition...ie: bad dirty/rusty grounds, bad regulators, generators, cables etc!!!

If in good condition...there is NOTHING WRONG with a 6 volt system!!!

It should work fine!!!

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Guest Silverghost

West: I have always believed that once we try to up-date our old "Antique Cars" with more modern accessories we are entering into the "Hot Rod" mentality...

Sooner or later the car ceases to be an "Antique Car'...

A large part of the fun & charm of owning a car from a bygone era is living with the older technology that was once thought of as cutting-edge in it's day.

Hotrodders seem to want only the older look of these cars with modern technology...

This is not what AACA is all about!!!

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Guest Albert

My 54 Packard still starts great even at -20 and still has the 6v battery. i think one of the biggest problems people have with 6v cars is them using 12v battery cables, which is hit and miss at best. There is no room for marginal parts in a 6V system, everything from the points to the carburator has to be right. I'am using OO welders cable for both the ground lead & the starter lead from the battery and never had a problem.

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Brad

I totally agree with you (see my previous post). I was just trying to be funny. I thought it interesting that 100 percent of the responses were to keep the 6-volt system. It surprises me that so many people think they need to convert to 12 volt, when it's probably 10 times easier to just correct the problem and keep the 6-volt.

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I replaced my 6 V generator & regulator with the FifthAvenue 6 V Alternator on my 1948 Buick Special. There is a lot if traffic jams where I live and the original system did not charge well at idle.Never had starting issues.

Now it works great and I use the 6V Red Top Optima with it. I also added a 6 Volts electric radiator cooling fan due to the jams.

Lights are now brighter, and the horn is more powerful (helps in those traffic jams..)

I also have a 12Volts 90 Ah Yellow-top Optima battery sitting on the back floor for my 12V CD player. It can hold for several day of music while driving, before needing recharging on AC charger.

GM

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