54 New Yorker identification

[Guest Brooklyn53]

I have a 54 New Yorker and found this photo where someone upgraded to an alternator and also upgraded the power steering. I'd be interested in doing the same thing, so if anyone can help me identify what parts were used here for such an upgrade I'd appreciate it.

I attached the photo on a previous post but had some problems with viewing it, so I resized the photo and reposted.

[Guest Commodore]

I am assuming that your power steering pump is driven off the back of your generator. What is done on Tri-Five Chevys which use the same power steering setup is to use a later separate power steering pump. This allows you use a standard alternator. What is shown in the picture is a custom conversion done by someone who had access to a lathe and a milling machine.

[Guest Brooklyn53]

Somebody hinted that Chrysler cop cars used heavy duty Leece-Neville alternators with dual belt drives as in the photo. Can anyone nail down a specific year where Chrysler cop cars used such an alternator and power steering set-up in the 50's?

[Guest Commodore]

The source I read said that Dodge started offering alternators on their police cars and taxies in 1950. However, I don't believe the alternator in your picture dates from that period. It looks like it has solid state rectifiers which Chrysler started offering in 1960. Early alternators to quote from Chrysler's patent application for solid state rectifiers “The alternators heretofore supplied for commercial and special purpose passenger carrying motor vehicles have been expensive, large size, inefficient, noisy units...” .

[Larry Schramm]

That kind of looks like a Delco generator. I seem to remember that there were some Cadillacs a number of years ago with that configuration.

[28 Chrysler]

The 54 Chryslers used an X shaped rubber coupler between the generator and power steering pump.

You would need to modify the rear case and extend the shaft of the alternator to get the pump to work.