MickyDC Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 My 28 Ford has 6 volt system. What is required to switch it to a 12 volt system. Do I have to rewire the whole car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFranklin Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 You may not, but it is the best time to make sure it doesn't burn up in an electrical fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dictator27 Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Why do you want to change it? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vermontboy Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 7 minutes ago, dictator27 said: Why do you want to change it? I have the same question. I have never had any problems with 6 volt systems in several cars I have owned. That includes starting a Model "A" at a confirmed -24 degrees below zero. Just use heavy battery and ground cables . I've looked at a of of Model "A"s for sale both for myself as well as others and I will not even look at one converted to 12 volts or with hydraulic brakes (you understand if you've ever had a brake line or wheel or master cylinder fail completely). So again - why do you want to change it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyDC Posted June 16, 2018 Author Share Posted June 16, 2018 Just an idea but probably a bad one. I do prefer to keep my model a original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Lot of work for a car that may get driven all of six times a year. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyDC Posted June 16, 2018 Author Share Posted June 16, 2018 I thought about my brakes also but my car stops fine if I remember to slow down in advance. Thank goodness our speed limit where I live is mostly 35. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyDC Posted June 16, 2018 Author Share Posted June 16, 2018 I actually drive my car a lot during the summer. When my wife wants me to go to the store I prefer using my 28 roadster. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 MickyDC, Welcome to the AACA Discussion Forum. It might be fairly easy to make the switch, but it would be cheaper and easier to simply repair any problems with the existing electrical system. 6 volt systems work just as good today as they did when new as long as all of the wiring is the corrrect size and all of the terminals (including grounds) are clean and tight. A lot more people have trouble with modifications that they made on an old car in a misguided attempt to "upgrade" it than they ever had with the original equipment as designed. Often a slow starting 6 volt system is caused by incorrect size wiring. One of the most common of these situations is when someone went to a local auto part store and purchased off the shelf battery cables that are designed for 12 volt systems and are too small for 6 volt systems. Replace any incorrect wiring, clean and tighten all of the connections in the electrical system and you should enjoy lots of miles on your Model A Ford. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Forget about changing to 12 volt, it is more trouble than it is worth and will not solve your problems. Keep it 6 volt and fix whatever is wrong with it. Properly maintained, the 6 volt system works fine. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 If you are having some troubles, make sure you are using 00-guage six-volt cables. Many cables have been "updated" with 12-volt cables, and it is amazing the amount of voltage drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friartuck Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Stay with the 6 volt system. A properly working 6 volt system will be fine. Check/clean connections. FYI, Brattons offers 10 Candle Power bulbs. Brighter than those 3 CP bulbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 One of people who often posts here on our forum has said, I recall, that "converted" cars are harder to sell when the time comes to do so. Prospective buyers will wonder whether there are problems. I agree: Was the job done properly? Were the gauges and instruments modified where necessary? I want a car with original equipment, and myself would never buy a converted car. I think you're getting good advice here, Micky, and you'll be saving money in the process! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 (edited) If you stay 6 volt and put new good heavy cables on it, it will solve a lot of problems. Specify heavy cables ‘00’ grade I believe is the code. If the local parts store says the cheap ones are just as good for 6 or 12 volt walk away. If you can’t find them check with a welding equipment supply house. They will have it and usually will cut to the length you need then get good battery and other end connectors. Better quality usually always works better for the extra costs. Dave S Edited June 16, 2018 by SC38DLS (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 In the same situation, I would service any obvious connections or wires needing repair. Then make sure every ground made a clean low resistance home run to the battery. Sometimes I solder a wire and make a direct connection to the frame. There was an old series called "Gus and The Model Garage". One time they told about a customer who complained that his dashboard glowed red when he used the starter on his car. In the end it was a loop of copper tubing for the oil gauge carrying the starter current through the body ground. It was clamped to the dash next to the oil gauge. Two things are commonly overlooked on old cars; the electrical grounds and the rear end lubricant. Hate to scare anyone. Bernie 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyDC Posted June 16, 2018 Author Share Posted June 16, 2018 All electrical works ok. I was just wondering if 12 volt was better than 6 volt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28 Chrysler Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 31 minutes ago, MickyDC said: All electrical works ok. I was just wondering if 12 volt was better than 6 volt. The military has vehicles that are 24 Volt systems, are these better than 12 volt systems ? Most cars went to 12 volts when the electrical system's load got to a point were the it was pushing the limits of the 6 v cars charging system. Raising the voltage to 12 v the generators needed 1/2 the output current to run the 12v lights and accessories, all from the same size unit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 (edited) I have owned maybe 50 plus 6 volt cars and NONE required to be changed to 12 volt. Just fix whatever is not working and be happily on your way. Edited June 16, 2018 by keiser31 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 The main reason they went to 12 volts was to get more oomph for starting high compression V8 engines, and because if you have a lot of electrical accessories like power seats, power windows, electric wipers, etc etc the 12 volt ones are smaller and cheaper. And, you can use wires half the size which saves money if you have a car with miles of wiring. Your car doesn't have any of those things. The 6 volt system is fine. You would be wasting your money to change it, and asking for a lot of new problems. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 I would like to have the money saved by the industry from switching to 12V and removing vent windows, alone. If those early V8's used fuel injection and electronic ignitions we'd still have 6V. Its all about the copper. Remember, the changeover started in '53 for US cars. When they ran short of copper to triple plate chrome. Wartime inspiration, nothing more. Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 13 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said: would like to have the money saved by the industry from switching to 12V and removing vent windows, alone. Volts times amps equals watts. Six volts can supply exactly the same power as twelve volts it just needs twice the amps. To get twice the amps it needs 4 times the copper for wires hence the savings to the manufacturers. Uses more lead for the battery but lead is cheaper than copper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 6 hours ago, Tinindian said: Volts times amps equals watts. Six volts can supply exactly the same power as twelve volts it just needs twice the amps. To get twice the amps it needs 4 times the copper for wires hence the savings to the manufacturers. Uses more lead for the battery but lead is cheaper than copper. I'll go to my grave never understanding how 6 Volts can travel to were ever they have to go, but TWELVE Volts ( TWCE AS MANY) can travel to the same places in wire HALF the size. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 (edited) I'll go to my grave never understanding how 6 Volts can travel to were ever they have to go, but TWELVE Volts ( TWCE AS MANY) can travel to the same places in wire HALF the size. Don't do that soon. Maybe my explanation will help. Not twice as many, twice the pressure. Like the difference between a 1/2" garden hose and a 1" garden hose. They can both deliver the same GPM but the smaller hose used twice the pressure to do it. Edited June 17, 2018 by Guest (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdarrunt Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 As one that uses old cars a lot I have 12v on everything. Parts cost less with the exception of an alternator in the 6v case and with led lights now being in stock looking units and halogen head lights which make the car much more visible at night, I'm a happy camper. Can buy almost any electrical part at the local FLAPS and with the cigar lighter ( accessory port) everything from Blue Tooth to cell phone charger to GPS is at your finger tips. The 6v wires can way handle 12v and it takes one sharp cookie (in the day time) to tell anything has been changed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 As a six volt guy I don't worry too much about buying electrical parts. I don't really need to do it often, I just scrape off the regulator points and reset the charging rate now and then. Maybe put in a set of brushes every 10 years. The local parts store wont have those brushes, but who knows if they will even still be in business by the time I need some? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercer09 Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 as Mc said, only real advantage of 12 volt is if you do a lot of night driving, which most of us dont. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyDC Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 Love the photo's of your car. Hope mine looks as good as yours before I pass on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdarrunt Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 I think the way one uses an old car should enter into which system is used. My old ones have a regular license and insurance as they get driven at least 5k miles a year with many of those miles on trips of over 1,000 miles. Ones that go to shows, parades, and short cruises would certainly do fine on 6v and mechanical brakes but long distance cruisers benefit from updated tires, brakes, electrical systems, and available accessories. A case of apples and oranges and I hope a place for each in the hobby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 To each his own. I agree, people should drive the kind of cars they want to. I did not mean to suggest otherwise. The most reliable cars I have ever owned have been bone stock or nearly so. The engineers did what they could with what they had, but they were not idiots, and more often that not changes involve bolting on parts from the 1970s and 1980s, a time of notoriously unreliable cars. I do not consider that an improvement, but many people do. I hear that you can get parts while on the road. If I thought I was going to break down on the road, I would take a different car. On the day I brought the Pontiac home, 10 miles into the trip I stopped at a mini-mart for gas, and as I came back out I noticed a puddle of green under the car. It is true that if it were a small block Chevy, I probably could have bought a water pump and bolted it on right there. I did have tools with me, and there was an Oreilly a block away. As it was, I tightened my packing nut up a couple of notches and headed on up Stevens Pass. No more leaks. The real key to reliability is fixing things right, and sorting out the car. It is the same if the car is modified or stock. If I had a model A, a Mitchell Overdrive would be at the top of the list of potential modifications. All the best. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 While some people still seem to think that you have to "upgrade" a car for reliability, a few weeks back I was going to tow my 1937 Buick from Wilmington NC to Auburn IN for the 36-38 Buick Club tour and the Auburn AACA Meet. When the 2014 Ford F250 Super Duty tow vehicle died 2 hours into the trip, I off loaded the Buick and drove it 702 miles to my destination. I then drove it around the area for several days putting another 300 or so miles on it. This is a 6 volt car with bias ply tires. They were used as daily transportation when they were new and with proper maintenance and proper repairs when needed, they can still do that quite effectively. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brass is Best Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Not sure if it was mentioned previous. But what about installing a 6 volt alternator? That would solve all of the issues. I know several MARC winning Ford A's that get toured with alternators and when they go to the show field the generator is put back on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 (edited) It seems the 6v to 12v thing, along with mechanical brakes being unable to stop our vehicles, has continued since there’s been automobiles. Same with auto trans vs. standards, discs vs. drum, all the way to the GM 6.2 diesel being a converted gas motor. Most of these conversations are based originally with the initial person having an issue and either not knowing how to repair the issue correctly or just throwing a band-aid on the problem. Then often, other uninformed individuals repeat stories that are non factual so many times that they actually become conceived as fact. I will not argue that some upgrades are beneficial but most are not needed. Does someone need juice brake conversions on a 32’ Chevy that’s completely stock otherwise? Does someone need to convert their 63’ Nova from drum brakes to disc for a everyday driver? Are the 6.2 diesels so bad? Explain how so many of them have over a couple hundred thousand on them. It comes down to people not knowing what they’re talking about (because they lack real personal experience), repeating stories from others just as uninformed, and those fables turning into “factual” information. Every 6 volt vehicle I have, is still 6 volts. I understand that continuous daytime driving with a third brush generator up too high can boil my battery so I added an invisible Peterson regulator to all my generators for convenience, not because it’s needed for the car to operate correctly. Most of what is done as “necessary” is often done more for convenience and for less interaction by the owner with their vehicle. It amazes me today that people want to do anything in their car but actually drive it! Eat, drink, smoke, text, talk, watch movies, push buttons, put on make up, etc., the list goes on. All the time operating a 3500#+ weapon on the street. Edited June 18, 2018 by chistech (see edit history) 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 (edited) 7 hours ago, chistech said: all the way to the GM 6.2 diesel being a converted gas motor. Old wives tale. The 5.7 liter (350 cubic inch for us old people) diesel was the converted gas motor. I have two. One had over 300k when I got it, and the other has 270K on it, of which I myself put on the last 158k miles! I do know what the inside of that engine looks like ?... but it still sports the original bearings-pistons-bore. Those Olds 350 gas engines were strong in the bottom end. Both of mine are 1981, so they have the upgraded steel crank and larger head bolts to better sustain the 22 to 1 compression ratio.? 7 hours ago, chistech said: Does someone need to convert their 63’ Nova from drum brakes to disc for a everyday driver? It amazes me the number of people who put disc brakes on a daily driver Corvair. Pound to brake lining area ratio of the late models is better than Novas and Chevelles of the period. Why? Because they use the same drum brake sizes and the Corvair weighs less. I just don't get it..... My 50 Studebaker and 38 Graham still sport 6 volt systems. Oh, so does my Ford 8N, I swapped out the 8 volt battery that came with it , made new 00 cables and it starts better! Edited June 18, 2018 by Frank DuVal (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzcarnerd Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 We are considering changing our 1929 Plymouth to 12 volts for the simple reason that 6 volt batteries cost more than twice as much as 12 volt batteries here in NZ, and only last half as long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 If you want a Camaro buy a Camaro. If you want a Model A buy a Model A. Don't try to turn a Model A into a Camaro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 1 hour ago, Frank DuVal said: Old wives tale. The 5.7 liter (350 cubic inch for us old people) diesel was the converted gas motor. I have two. One had over 300k when I got it, and the other has 270K on it, of which I myself put on the last 158k miles! I do know what the inside of that engine looks like ?... but it still sports the original bearings-pistons-bore. Those Olds 350 gas engines were strong in the bottom end. Both of mine are 1981, so they have the upgraded steel crank and larger head bolts to better sustain the 22 to 1 compression ratio.? It amazes me the number of people who put disc brakes on a daily driver Corvair. Pound to brake lining area ratio of the late models is better than Novas and Chevelles of the period. Why? Because they use the same drum brake sizes and the Corvair weighs less. I just don't get it..... My 50 Studebaker and 38 Graham still sport 6 volt systems. Oh, so does my Ford 8N, I swapped out the 8 volt battery that came with it , made new 00 cables and it starts better! I’ve been running 6.2s and 6.5’s for years. I Constantly am told how crappy they are by people who’ve never owner one. I’m currently driving a fully restored M1009 Blazer with a 6.2 right now. Had a friend who ran a small busing company for special needs kids. They had a fleet of Olds diesels and they loved them. Most never gave much trouble until stupid drivers put gas in them! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now