8 volt Battery in 1949.

[dodge28]

I saw this on YOUTUBE, a father and son team in the desert  of Arizona trying to start a 1949 Dodge pickup truck . Under the bonnet was an 8 volt  battery. They had a discussion of the battery on site . The reason they figured for this odd piece is that it gives a heavier oomph. I know 8 volts batteries were used in marine applications but not in cars and trucks.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

My Dad did that in 1950.   Actually cut off the two end cells of a "bad" battery and attached to the six V one in the car.

 

  Ben

[Fleek]

We used some 8V  batterys in farm trucks that were difficult to start. It worked well for some extra cranking power but not very friendly to light bulbs. Made them brighter but cut the lifetime.

[Bloo]

Some tractors have it as original equipment. In a car, it's a hack. I've been there and I don't recommend it. If you don't turn up the voltage regulator, you'll have to keep recharging the battery and the battery will get sulfated and fail right away. If you do turn the regulator up, the battery will be fine, but your charging voltage in the car will need to be about 9.9 instead of about 7.4 and you will go through a lot of light bulbs. Heater motors don't like it either, nor the radio. If you find one of these 8 volt batteries in a car, and you put a new 6 volt battery in, always check the charging voltage to avoid trashing the new battery. Adjust the regulator if necessary.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

4 hours ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

My Dad did that in 1950.   Actually cut off the two end cells of a "bad" battery and attached to the six V one in the car.

 

  Ben

 

 Re reading I see once again the "danger" of not proof reading!  

 

  Only used ONE cell which , of course , was TWO VOLTS.

 

  Ben

[Dave Mellor NJ]

That used to be a cheap trick used car dealers would use, put in an 8 volt battery to get a car off the lot

[greenie]

So many opinions. I have used an 8-volt battery in my 1946 gmc since 1997. Years ago, I bugged “Sol”, the Battery Tender guy” at Hershey until he convinced the company to make a new run for 8 volts. I buy them at my local Battery Warehouse and they last 7-9 years ( keeping the BT on 24/7).

 

We adjusted the voltage regulator to output 10 volts. It has never blown bulbs. Of course, the truck has no radio. It increases the cranking speed and starts the truck much faster. I don’t crank it longer than 15-20 seconds. 
 

No, it’s not for every old 6-volt vehicle. No, it’s not a substitute for a properly tuned electrical system. It’s just better than the original setup. 
 

The Camaro has a 12-volt battery……

[californiamilleghia]

what size are these batteries ?

 

THANKS

[60FlatTop]

2 hours ago, greenie said:

We adjusted the voltage regulator to output 10 volts.

Since I was just a kid in my formative years that is the part that gets overlooked.

 

I actually saw a few 8V batteries installed but never in daily use. Most of the time it was a recommendation from one of the old liars. They had heard the story from another of their ilk. They repeated the hearsay story so many times they came to believe that they were the ones who had actually done it. Once that idea was stuck in their head it was natural for them to embellish it. Then the stories got crazier. Then they would get defensive. "Snot nose kid, don't know nuthin but book learnin', why you don't even have any bandages on your hands, what kind of work have you ever done". I have heard those things so many times. I keep promising that someday I am going to write a book.

[arcticbuicks]

i have used the 8 volt batteries in a few of my classics with zero issues for years,nice starting especially in winter

note none have radio......i do not know if it would harm them

Edited October 22, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[Packard enthus.]

BATTERY QUESTIONS:

Yes, back in the earlier years of the old car hobby,  some folks used 8 volt batteries when the vehicle originally had  6 volts.  A funny story about human nature that illustrates the problem. 

 

At a car show on a hot day, couple of years ago...I'd pulled up...shut off...was then asked to move it.  Hit the starter...and of course it did what any  well-maintained (well...American...!) vehicle durn well better do.  It started instantly.

 

It happens that my car is a '38 Packarad V-12, bone stock (except for a high-speed rear axle gear-et).   They did not have seperate engineering schools, nor did they have a separate ASTM or SAE "standards" just for Packard Twelves.   Be assured by the time the early 20's came about,  most cars had reliable self-starters.

 

The problem....you abuse and/or ignore a piece of mechanical equipment long enough....and it will get crabby.  Certainly true of Packard Twelves.

 

Well...anyway...a couple of "experts" happened to be standing by...and started telling me that I  didn't fool them.....   "bet you have a 8 volt battery in that thing".    I couldn't resist it...told them that the problem was in old time  battery voltage... "you had to have a special FOUR volt battery to make em start fast....".

 

Sure enough...at an auto show some months later...a couple more "experts"....i overheard them...discussing the four volt battery solution.......

 

Bottom line.....can you imagine someone buying a new car...of ANY era....and tolerating for thirty seconds if the durn thing wouldn't start...right now...hot or cold...?    

 

Well...i have to qualify that....by the early 1930's  Packard engineers were amongst several different mfg. technicians writing in the journals of the era...coming up with ideas to solve the "vapor lock" issue...as the fuels of that day were being produced with ever higher 'Ried Vapor Pressure"  components.  (yeah...I know...there are some "experts" even in here who didn't pay attention in their high school phsyics classes....they dont "believe" in vapor lock....!).

 

so with the above exception.....cars should start IMMEDIATELY on the electrical systems they were designed with.  If they wont....FIX EM !

[alsancle]

As the previous poster just said (I think),  if the car was designed for 6 volts, use a 6 volt battery.  If that isn't starting the car you have any number correctable issues starting with a bad ground, wrong battery cables or weak starter.

 

If I showed up to buy a car and saw an 8 volt battery I would run for the hills.

[arcticbuicks]

in a perfect world..........some cars vapor lock on hot days...........some cars even brand new ones struggle to start in winter .........some old vintage cars in untouched condition but worn from use get extra help from a 8 volt.........are you running radial tires on that packard ? I like running radial tires on a classic even though they were designed for bias.........a little nicer ride than bias 

Edited October 23, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[alsancle]

27 minutes ago, arcticbuicks said:

in a perfect world..........some cars vapor lock on hot days...........some cars even brand new ones struggle to start in winter .........some old vintage cars in untouched condition but worn from use get extra help from a 8 volt.........are you running radial tires on that packard ? I like running radial tires on a classic even though they were designed for bias.........a little nicer ride than bias 

Vapor lock can be cured.    Radial tires are not the same thing as an 8 volt battery which is a clear band aid to a real issue.   I have no problem with radial tires as long as they are Bias look.   If not then they probably look stupid.

[arcticbuicks]

I like the 8 volt batteries as well as modern synthetic oil ,modern antifreeze,tires etc  ,.......the modern fuel I am not a fan of but have little choice  as a lot of classics are not being driven flying down a gravel hwy at good speed getting a lot of cool air etc .......but some rather used as a parade car ,slow running on nice hot day with multiple starting and stopping ....just not really being driven anymore  as they were designed to be driven .sure nice to have extra starting power 

[Packard enthus.]

ANSWER TO QUESTIONS & COMMENTS

 

1)     "nice to have extra starting power"....?    Those of us who maintain their cars AUTHENTICALLY,  meaning trying to keep them historically accurate.....we have plenty of starting power!    Did you know they had design engineers...test engineers in those days...?  

2)      my own car has radials that LOOK like bias white-walls.    Yes, if I had an ordinary car of the pre-radial era....I'd have reservations....at the very least, I'd have a frequent inspection routine to see if the wheels are starting to crack.  I personally dont have that concern.... pre-war "Senior Series" Packards had wheels mfg. by a famous high-quality Detroit firm named 'MOTOR RIM AND WHEEL".   Ever seen the video (taken from old films) of what Packard did to their cars in the 20's and 30's  on their proving grounds,  to make certain they would provide good service under even the most absurdly severe circumstances...?

3)    cold or hot starting problems?    Again...I agree....can be a problem  - again if you have a car not properly maintained.  Again...my suggestion...FIX IT!    A  car made  during or after the first world war...a modern era car that has trouble starting under ANY condition likely to be faced in the real world?   Again...FIX IT...!

Edited October 23, 2023 by Packard enthus. (see edit history)

[arcticbuicks]

Well.... nobody is perfect .......I wonder if maybe  the Packard engineers were running  2 volts short of a full load ..........but they did finally come to their senses when they went to 12 volts........and with good reason

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[Packard enthus.]

On 10/22/2023 at 9:04 PM, arcticbuicks said:

Well.... nobody is perfect .......I wonder if maybe  the Packard engineers were running  2 volts short of a full load ..........but they did finally come to their senses when they went to 12 volts........and with good reason

==============================================================================================

You have a point -  i have trouble undetanding why the entire American auto industry was stuck on 6 volts clear into the early 1950's.  Yes, as delivered as new cars, by the 1920's most everything had self-starters... and again, which provide reliable service IF properly maintained.

 

I disagree...to this extent, about your crack about "Packard Engineers running 2 volts short of a full load".   Up into the World War Two era,  Packard was known for superb engineering, outstanding build-quality, and reliability.   Obviously...something went terribly wrong following the war, resulting in each year's product becoming more and more unsaleable, as more and more customers resented the declining proudct.    

 

My recollection is some GM cars started coming with 12 volts for '53 production.   Quickly became an industry standard for American passenger cars. (had been the standard for commercial years going back to the First World War).  For obvious reasons...by the 1950's, the buying public wanted more and more electrically powered accessories.   Much less expensive and much more practical to go to 12 volts.  

 

Hopefully...we can meet at some auto event.  I can show you how my well-worn but properly serviced Packard V-12 starts....right now...hot or cold...bone stock....!

 

But on the other hand...is a '52 Cadillac any harder to start on a cold morning than a '53?   Well...again....assuming both are properly maintained...?  So of course I agree with you there was "good reason" for the industry to go to 12 volts.

[alsancle]

For what it’s worth, all the European cars I’m familiar with were 12 V in the 1930s.

[viv w]

I WILL HAVE TO DIG INTO MY PARTS BUT I HAVE A BULB WITH 8V ON IT MADE BY FORD WITH THEIR SCRIPTED NAME ON IT.  MODEL A ???

[arcticbuicks]

@Packard enthus..............how do you find starting the packard in -30 degree weather......or even -15 to -20 weather that at least a third of the USA would get .......and colder in Canada and other countries Packards were sold too.........of course most people are not using Packards in that weather now a days..........but during their life of service from new many were.......and the 6 volt starting was inferior,and poor lights and slow heaters.Yes Packards are amazing great cars i do not knock them for that.....I have one and had a 39 several years ago ......and the technology was there......and being such great superior cars to most others.....plus the massive size of some of the engines compared to others.....what a pain they were......no shortage of proof on that.....and why most cars went to 12 volts.......mostly by 1955 1956........i think they were running 2 volts or even 6 volts short of what they should have been running.

I am digging through some old book and pictures and ads........a picture speaks a thousand words lol.........i am trying to find a picture from the 1940s of Packard dealership ........and in the picture of new ones lined up in winter snow scene.........there is one being boosted in the front row........looks like pretty cold day but no way to know how cold.

Edited October 24, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[Packard enthus.]

On 10/24/2023 at 3:26 PM, arcticbuicks said:

@Packard enthus..............how do you find starting the packard in -30 degree weather......or even -15 to -20 weather that at least a third of the USA would get .......and colder in Canada and other countries Packards were sold too.........of course most people are not using Packards in that weather now a days..........but during their life of service from new many were.......and the 6 volt starting was inferior,and poor lights and slow heaters.....................

Guess you didn't know....while -30 winter temps may be common in your part of Canada,  they are not common here in the United States.   I personally have never tried to start my Packard Twelve when it is that cold....rarely gets below ZERO f. where I live  (in a high mountain valley here in northern Arizona - the Packard starts right up.)   

 

You are correct...Packards were sold not only in the United States and Canada,  they were sold all over the world.  The reason they sold more than ALL the other big =-engined super luxury cars combined......well.....want to take a wild guess....?  Maybe they DID perform good service as designed.

 

Oh...by the way...my experience with the big-engined "super luxury" cars of the pre-war era is not limited to Packard Twelves.   Here's a photo of my '38 Cadillac Series 90  (a V-16 now in a museum somewhere....originally owned by Mae West).

 

Did the "ordinary man's" car of the pre-war years start reliablly in cold weather?  I personally have no experience with such vehicles.....my "hunch"...based on old motion picture films of that era....is they did.  Well...again...assuming proper maintainence.

 

Yes, I agree....to this extent....given enough neglect and abuse....as you say " 6 volt starting was inferior, poor lights and slow heaters".    Perhaps you didn't know that before the "sealed beam" headlights starting in 1940 production,  reflectors of the earlier headlights were not sealed all that well...as the car aged...the reflectors dulled.   End result...as you say...."poor lights".   While a WELL MAINTAINED 1930's era headlight system is not as effective as today's significantly more sophisticated system,  it was quite adequate for the normal speeds and roads of that era.

 

As for the heating systems - you apparently arent aware that very effective cabin  heating systems were available as early as during the World War ONE years.   I dont recall the names of the early mfgs. of these systems....by the late 1920's both Southwind and Janitrol  were avail....had particularly fast-acting and competent cabin heating systems    ( I have a modern version in my airplane).   True...those heating systems based on cooling system water did, as they do today, take time to produce enough heat to make a car's cabin comfortable. Yes, if a faulty electrical system reduces fan speed....as you say....."slow heaters".     

 

Packard, like many mfgs. of the pre-war era,  had outstanding fast-acting heating systems using exhaust manifold heat. At some point in time. aware that lack of maintainence of the exhaust system could make these dangerous,  they were discontined prior to the SECOND World War.

[Bloo]

12 volt systems were not new in the early 1950s. Several makes had 12 volt starting and charging systems in the mid teens, Hupmobile, Studebaker, and Dodge Brothers among them. Dodge Brothers were the last holdout, sticking with an old fashioned 12 volt system well into the 1920s, but eventually they too had to switch to the newer, more modern, more robust 6 volt system.

 

 

 

 

[arcticbuicks]

yes........." the technology was there " back in the day as i already mentioned 

[arcticbuicks]

I am aware that Arizona is warmer than -30 in winter lol.......been there many times when i had lived in LA and many trips south and some of our family have winter homes there and other places.

Any well worn car can start in that climate.

But the US has many areas of winter and cold........with big population.....Chicago,Dietroit,New York,Alaska,northern states........where -15-20 etc were common.......and even -30 in some .....that had many Packards and other everyday brands.

Here almost all early  every mans car had heaters running off the cast exhaust manifolds ........ ......some factory and many add ons.....the foot warmer type with hot coals from the wood stove were very common........the hot air heaters did not work very well and most did not have good duct control or fans  .....cold as a VW bug or Corvair .almost all the late 20s were coming with the better water with fan heaters.

As far as aircraft heat .....lol .....I have experience with that probably more than most people,i flew the artic where we lived....... more than a 1000 times with no exaggeration..........as it was the only method of travel in or out and just for everyday errands  ...... and our family owned a Canadian airline company [my grandfather, Riverton Airways] serving the north for the most part ,........of course the air heated from exhaust and or cylinder fins,was the standard as aircraft with air cooled engines......and boy was it cold.......still is in the smaller piston engine planes.

You ask if the 'ordinary mans' car started better in cold........first i think Packard was an ordinary mans car as there were Packard dealers in nearly all places even small farm towns in Canada that had a ford or chev dealer etc........and i am not picking on Packard alone....6 volt was a pain in winter ......a lot of batteries had to be kept warm inside,people filled the engines with hot water before starting,used tiger torch under oil pan .....so many methods........and any big engines were more difficult using a same standard size battery ..........so it surprises people that the big engine vehicles did not use a better battery and or of higher voltage.......when the technology was there to do so........and if Packard were superior ........which i will agree some were other than the everymans packard..........I think they could have done better with the big engine cars ........rather than just have a regular battery for starting.

Packards were a part of my family with my grandfather and great uncle......before my time......but i remember the stories at christmas dinner etc a lot after the Packard days with them still living.....i listened to every word....and the winter starting complaining ...... ..my great uncle and grandfather were quite successful early on,with gold mines in Canada [ Eldorado gold for one,bisset and red lake gold etc]and metals and all over the world,he was the first to manufacture styrofoam SM,delt in sulfuric acid and molley bendium world wide....... ,also busy with  the Riverton airline biz,and great uncle later becoming member of parliament [Mark Smerchanski].....and my great uncle lived in Chicago for a number of years....but they always came back here for christmas to my grandmothers......having kids and well to do .....he always did the trip with two limos.....in case one would fail ......and it did happen......my mom said it was something to see two big black limos come over the hill christmas day to small prairie town and he had new ones every few years,and they would rush out to meat them and admire the cars......just having made the trip from Chicago to Winnipeg in cold winter weather was a feat in those days......he loved his Packards.......i could dig for  some pics to post also......but later they preferred Cadillac........growing up ....I remember the tail end of 6 volt cars in everyday use ......and was sure glad to see that gone.

all in all.....I AM quite aware......I guess it would be unlikely for you ( packard enthus) to ever experience or test how your own Packard would do in  winter starting even in cold US states to give a report ,and you can only go by what you believe .

Edited October 26, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[arcticbuicks]

Perhaps we could do a test on the forum ,would be fun this winter ,for members of colder states and other countries ,as most of the members cars are kept and or in great mechanical condition ,post pic with thermometer and pic of car starting at different colder days .....and see if the ordinary man's type cars out start the superior ,I have a few various 6 volt cars......see what car starts on the coldest day with a 6 volt ......will the winner be a Packard ? ......there are many YouTube videos on newer and diesel cold starting and quite interesting .I had a new 1998 dodge Cummins diesel and did video of starting in -35 .....not plugged in or with webasto heater etc running ......and it did start after 3 careful cycles of glow plugs and a one shot chance at cranking with two batteries factory ........and boy was it angry and lumpy and smokey when it fired .

My 1955 Merc 6 volt I will be driving hours to Christmas family gathering in Winnipeg ....and may be down to -20 .......it is 100% mechanical restoration  .......possibly it will start not plugged in .......but one has to know exactly how much to pump it first .....to avoid cold flood and very limited cranking power ,bit with the now 8 volt battery I am not too worried 

Edited October 26, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[edinmass]

I like Packard Enthusiast’s comments. They worked fine when new. 
 

Six volts worked fine for decades. There were many early American cars that used 12 volts. I believe Dodge Brothers was the best known of them.

 

I’m a collector of White Motor Cars out of Cleveland. Seems all the auto manufacturers there were doing their own thing compared to the rest of the country. 
 

White autos 1902-1910 used no electricity at all, steam didn’t need it.

1910 onwards with gas, they ran magnetos, with six volts from 1912 for starting and lights till 1915. 1916 they went to 18 volts. Must have caused problems sourcing components as in 1917 they went to 12 volts. 
 

In 50 plus years of the hobby I have never seen a 8 volt battery in a car, or one offered for sale. I also have never heard of a 8 volt tractor system from new. 
 

Properly maintained a 6 volt system works fine…….Duesenberg, Packard 12, Pierce 12, and Cadillac 16’s all start easily on six volts if properly serviced. 
 

Interesting post…….how about a photo or two of 8 volt units? What’s with this charger and 14 volts?

 

 

 

Edited October 26, 2023 by edinmass (see edit history)

[arcticbuicks]

In what temperature ? Did they all start fine 

[alsancle]

3 minutes ago, arcticbuicks said:

In what temperature ? Did they all start fine 

 

I think you might be dealing with conditions where a piece of 6 volt farm equipment has to be started where as we will stay in the house when it is 15 degrees outside.  So as far as farm equipment goes,  you do what you need to do.   But the reason there is push back is guys here will try to band-aide a real problem by swapping in the higher voltage battery instead of just fixing the car correctly.

[arcticbuicks]

I don't know of any farm equipment used in cold weather ,pretty hard to plow Frozen ground and combine might plug up trying to harvest in snow .Most farmers have the best new million dollar combine and tractors ,don't see much old equipment ,farmers today have to keep everything well serviced ,cannot afford breakdowns in the middle of harvest ,the odd old 6 volt tractors are around mostly people with a country property ,but real farmers are long past old 6 volt farm equipment 

Edited October 26, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[Packard enthus.]

On 10/24/2023 at 2:41 PM, alsancle said:

For what it’s worth, all the European cars I’m familiar with were 12 V in the 1930s.

As I noted earlier,  I remain puzzled how American mfgs. kept us stuck on 6 volts clear up to the early 1950's.  Of course they knew 12 volts was a better way to go for any number of reasons - my Packard Parts Book shows they were well aware of this - 12 volt elec. components were listed for my year, for cars going to Europe & Asia.  But again....dosn't change the fact that cars orig. mfg. for 6 volts, will do just fine IF they are properly maintained. But two more "agains"...dosn't change the fact that electrical resistance issues cause less trouble the higher the voltage.

[arcticbuicks]

Many found they did not do just fine in other than warm climate ,during a life of service under normal driving in different climates ,not just taken out for a car show on a beautiful day .....as well as many other makes especially big engines ,seems America was stuck on the 6 volt for some reason and not superior in the field

Edited October 26, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[28 Chrysler]

10 hours ago, arcticbuicks said:

I don't know of any farm equipment used in cold weather ,pretty hard to plow Frozen ground and combine might plug up trying to harvest in snow .Most farmers have the best new million dollar combine and tractors ,don't see much old equipment ,farmers today have to keep everything well serviced ,cannot afford breakdowns in the middle of harvest ,the odd old 6 volt tractors are around mostly people with a country property ,but real farmers are long past old 6 volt farm equipment 

I lived in Minnesota for many years.

Yes some farm equipment was use during the winters. Combines work well on frozen fields. Tractors plowed snow to barns, coupes, drug sleds and sometimes driven into town.

I do not miss those days of 3 feet of snow and drifts well over 8 feet.

[Packard enthus.]

22 hours ago, arcticbuicks said:

Many found they did not do just fine in other than warm climate ,during a life of service under normal driving in different climates ,not just taken out for a car show on a beautiful day .....

===================================================================================

Good point.   I call em "hangar queens".   What shows up at so many car shows these days.    Collector cars all fixed up as costume jewelry,  often with little or no attention to restore their nmechanical condition to what they should be like as useable autos.

 

Let's be honest.....don't you agree that a good number of collector cars displayed at today's cars shows would not serve well...if at all....as automobiles? 

 

Again...I live in the high country of northern Arizona, where it rarely gets down in the winter much below zero f.  So I am not competent to discuss what it is like...how my Packard Twelve would behave...in your winters.

 

As a side-note, my car does show up at car shows  But,obviousy, since it is maintained as a working automobile...wouldn't stand a chance in competition with a "hangar queen". 

 

Just for fun...here's an old photo of it taken right after a snow storm - hmmm...if memory serves...while it was way below freezing at that moment....most certainly wasn't down to actual ZERO.    Here's a little factoid.....I didn't leave it out in that field that day.... I got in....I hit the starter button....and....and...well......try and guess what happened....!

 

Bottom line - no argument....12 volts is better than 6 volts...for any number of good reasons.  But...argue all you want...if you look up old photos and movies of what things were like prior to the 2nd World War era  in cold winter situations....you will see more than one motor vehicle in motion.    My own  experience may not be typical... I wasn't around in those days......but it does suggest 6 volt cars can give good service, AGAIN...IF PROPERLY MAINTAINED...!.

[Bloo]

Cold winters here (Eastern/Central WA), and while we don't get as cold as the Canadian prairies, it does get really. really cold. We have never had -30F here, but if that was -30C it equals -22F, and we have had that. Hardly ever, maybe once. -18F has happened rather a lot here over the years. I don't drive 6V cars in the winter anymore, but that isn't because they wont start, it is because they have been spraying some kind of "de icer" chemical on the roads. They claim it isn't salt. Whatever it is, it ate the license plate on my modern car. I drove 6v cars in the 80s here in the winter. One was a 53 Belair. It had an oversize battery, but probably didn't need it. I had a 51 Nash that was my main winter car back in college days. It went like crazy in the snow, even on the el-cheapo "Federal Metric" Saab tires I had on it. The heater was outstanding. It had a little group 1 battery, and I was never stuck with a dead battery in that car, ever.

 

Once I had a 6 volt Nash, I couldn't give any of my friends with dead 12V batteries jump starts anymore, so there's that. For a little while I was carrying a 12V battery in the trunk just for that purpose, but jumper cables don't work so well when you don't have a charging system to help. Sometimes it worked, but mostly it was a waste of time.

 

One thing that is getting lost here is that a lot of 12V cars refuse to start in extreme cold weather. Maintenance is key no matter what the voltage is. Admittedly, it is more critical with 6 volts because the current is double, and the same fraction of an Ohm does twice the damage if everything were equal. 6V cars tend to have low compression ratios though, making them easier to crank, so the difference in real life is probably somewhat less.

 

 

[arcticbuicks]

I am not picking to argue with any in particular with anyone  .......interesting though that the ones defending cold weather starting  ......are not from a colder climate.....even besides Canada ,northern USA states with big cities like Chicago etc that had these cars and others  in use from new did have problems and big engines were tougher to start also,

some 12 volt are hard to start also in extreme cold but sure a lot better than 6 volt

 ,older Cummins dodge diesels in the 90s can start with factory 2 twelve volt batteries down to -35  quite amazing ,most newer cars can start down to - 40

 

.Possibly I could see if the Reynolds museum would willing to do a test project as they have a wide range of these big cars and being a public owned museum they have to consider activities for approval, with huge maintenance shop ,would be quite easy and cars still protected .....just move a select group over to unheated building from the hundreds in the non public storage that they rotate from into the main museum ....have a  line up ready and start at different temperatures and see which one wins in the end....would be very non bias and all cars in exact same conditions ......will a 34 ford out start a Packard 12 ?  kind of thing lol  ..... And the weather all the way down to -40s.....I know the directors well and they like interesting activities to do with the history.

Edited October 27, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[32buick67]

This thread inspired me to do a test last night for my own curiosity...maybe also entertaining and interesting for others...

 

Last night I pushed my 6V Buick from the garage into the driveway, sat all night, air temps dropped to 26F.

Engine oil is 20-50w, tranny oil is 140w.

Battery is 2018, I probably put 150-200 starts per year on the battery.

Battery voltage hovers around 6.3-6.5 (digital monitor).

Engine, fuel, carb, distributor, etc. are all factory stock, no fancy advantages.

 

I made a digital recording of the audio so I can precisely measure time duration.

In the cold and dark this morning, from a cold start with full choke, the engine cranked for almost exactly 3 seconds when it fired and kicked the starter gear off the flywheel.

It died, brrr.

I cranked it again for 0.45 seconds and it fired and idled without intervention.

Based on the performance this morning, I would trust this car to start virtually anytime!

 

I rebuilt the starter this year, what a difference in cranking speed in the cold.

My hunch in the improvement is that its mostly due to cleaning up the armature face and new brushes, and maybe because I also use 4/0 gauge conductors from the battery.

 

I too have dealt with 6V slugs...always parked on a hill so I could pop the clutch as a backup plan.

[hidden_hunter]

I do wonder how much of the "slow starting" is actually because of other factors like crappy fuel

 

Here is our 26 Buick starting from dead cold, with non ethanol fuel in bone stock configuration (6V, optima red top) and vac tank. Weather wasn't above 60F that day 

 

 

 

[arcticbuicks]

nice car and starting....... would also like to see some cold starting .....as in below freezing temp.......and in - temp

[hidden_hunter]

5 hours ago, arcticbuicks said:

nice car and starting....... would also like to see some cold starting .....as in below freezing temp.......and in - temp

Not really something we have to deal with here unless you live in the snow fields