Reversing polarity...long post

I want turn signals in my '38. I just know some 17 year old with her/his face in his cell phone is not going to understand my hand signals and rearrange my sheet metal. I have found a new company called "Auto gas solution" that makes a device called...ready for this..."Inertia Based Auto Cancel Controller". You can mount their device hidden away and just have a small rocker switch and don't have to hang the turn signal thing on your steering column. If your interested goggle 'clever turn signal'.

Problem is, it's 12 volts neg. ground. If I'm going to use it plus other hidden devices Lincoln hadn't thought of yet, I need to reverse the battery polarity and install a 6 to 12 volt converter. This will keep me from floating (isolating) all the devices from ground.

The switch over is very simple. What I don't understand is how to reverse the wires to the coil. Has anyone done this and if so can you tell me how you did it.

I know electricity or even electronics in not everyone's thing but some of you 'gear heads' have done this. Thanks

For turn signals, you could just use a 6 volt flasher. However if you wish to change polarity, the ignition, starter, gauges, accessories will run fine with either positive or negative ground. The only possible problem is the radio which has electrolytic capacitors in the input circuit. These are probably shot after 60+ years, so get new ones and install with opposite polarity. If you decide to use 12 volts, get a voltage drop circuit for the gauges (a 57-60 instrument vibrator will do), use a resistor on the radio. Ignition needs a re-wound coil assembly for 12 volts, a plate on the distributor for use with two 12-Volt coils, or a 50 watt 1.2 ohm resistor mounted in the air as it gets very hot. All flatheads will benefit from a hotter spark. You can take the cover off the OD solenoid (if so equipped) and isolate the holding coil to wire a dropping resistor in the circuit to limit current and keep from burning out. Pick-up coil should work OK with 12 volts. Worst part of the job is standing on your head under the dash to rethread the wire that passes though the ammeter from the other direction.

Abe

41's had 6 volt system, with flasher...dont cobble the entire car for somthing as minor as that...Yes the 17 year old

may hit you anyway caus he is texting..with or without signals. Most of them want to get around you puttering down the road.

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tiny little lights either way...Maybe some big amber arrow lenses off an old bus, on a isolated circut..

I looked at the video of the Inertia Based Auto Cancel Controller. I wouldn't use it or take the trouble to install it just for the hideous sound it makes! The only thing worse would be if they adapted the high-pitched wail my smoke alarm makes for the sound.

At one time before the earth cooled, I owned a '61 bugeye sprite. It had a simple toggle switch on the dash for the flashers. Flip it left, flip it right, center was off. A small light above it let you know when it was blinking...and reminded you to cancel it. It wasn't loud. It wasn't annoying.

I'll admit, the noise it makes is very annoying. I meet the 'inventor' at the show and would ask if I installed it to kill the buzzer or whatever he calls it. Keith L make a strong point, a simple switch with a small lamp with blinker cans has to be a lot less money than the $199.00 this guy is asking. The other point is it's wired for 12 volts neg. ground. This is going to require a 6 to 12 volt converter. As I strongly believe in the K.I.S.S. principle (keep it simple stupid), I'm going to rethink this. Thanks guys.

I missed the advantage of turn signals in my '38 LZ conv. also. I swear by turn signals and use them ALL OF THE TIME! So here is how I did it with out changing the appearance of

the car , very much. I purchased one of those after market kits you see at flea markets. Try to find a complete kit. These were meant to be attached to the steering column,

NOT ON MY ZEPHYR!! So I cut the lever down so as it would fit under the dash by way of a fabricated adapter plate. I ran a hot # 12 cloth cover wire from the hot side of the

starter solenoid. I attached and hid this behind the driver's glove box. This also feeds my " on demand electric fuel pump"I used an insulated term block. The wire at the solenoid was

run through new( asphalt, coated fabric loom). I order a window riser knob from Boos- Herrol, the same color as the other knobs on the dash. I ran the necessary wire, again

neatly in the fabric loom. Add extra wiring clips along the frame , as need. Don't use "tie wraps". As for the light bulbs, I preferred their own sockets in the taillight buckets. Use

the brightest bulb you can get. I did not use the "pilot light", so I have to keep my mind on the driving. They do not cancel, I have to do that, just like I have to change my own

gears! I'am adding some pictures, any questions "E" me at zephyr38@verizon.net. Larry ( P.S. Can't find, the "paper clip" to add attachments ,sorry)

After several emails to a very experienced old school 'grearhead', there is one big problem in reversing the polarity. The coils wires can't be reversed due to the construction of the coils, unless I had them rewired meaning more money. This means that the engine will see around a 20% loss in spark and rapid wear on the points. The voltage regulator would have to be change to a "B" circuit neg. ground type also. That type of regulator is rare and was used on only a few vehicles.

In rethinking this, a better idea would be to install a 12 volt battery in the trunk. I can hide it inside an old Coke cooler and nobody would be know it was there.

Now on to finding out if I can lose that annoying racket the turn signal thing makes.

I emailed the company that makes the turn signal device. The guy wrote that there is a dip switch to kill the buzzer noise. Thanks

I want turn signals in my '38. I just know some 17 year old with her/his face in his cell phone is not going to understand my hand signals and rearrange my sheet metal. I have found a new company called "Auto gas solution" that makes a device called...ready for this..."Inertia Based Auto Cancel Controller". You can mount their device hidden away and just have a small rocker switch and don't have to hang the turn signal thing on your steering column. If your interested goggle 'clever turn signal'.

Problem is, it's 12 volts neg. ground. If I'm going to use it plus other hidden devices Lincoln hadn't thought of yet, I need to reverse the battery polarity and install a 6 to 12 volt converter. This will keep me from floating (isolating) all the devices from ground.

The switch over is very simple. What I don't understand is how to reverse the wires to the coil. Has anyone done this and if so can you tell me how you did it.

I know electricity or even electronics in not everyone's thing but some of you 'gear heads' have done this. Thanks

Beltfed, Here are the pictures I mentioned:

Larry, very slick indeed. Whichever road I take I do want indicators light(s) on the dash. I'm think of putting them in the radio control head panel. The radio is trashed and the control head will be a dummy. Very small LEDs. That way if the next guy who owns this car can't stand it not competently original he will not have a lot of work to lose them.