6v to 12v conversion

[degy]

I have a 40' buick and was looking to switch it from a 6v to a 12v system. Has anyone ever heard of this being done or know of kit?

thanks!

[Guest imported_arbys]

Why would you want to do that?

[The Old Guy]

My 40 has run over 100,000 miles with the 6 volt system/ Why would you need anything more? I installed a 6-12 invertor to run my cb and am-fm stereo , and that handles everything I need, What do you need that requires more?

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Degy:

I agree with the two previous posts, which say don't change. If you do, you need to change the following: The battery, the generator, the voltage regulator, rewire or re-do the radio, rewire or re-do the clock, and change every light bulb in the car. You may also have to change the flasher unit for the turn signals, and the battery cables. Also, the 12 volt battery that fits in your battery tray is expensive and rather specialized.

In short, it can be done, but as "Old Guy" notes, he's got 100k on his 40. What he doesn't mention is that he drove it to about 20 Buick Nationals all over the country, so take his counsel seriously.

Regards, Dave Corbin (1938 and 1939 Buicks, both 6 V.)

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Degy:

Change the sealed beam headlights, too. My 1939 is a Roadmaster with the big 320 engine and starts well. The 1938 is the small engine (248) in a Special. Both have their foot starter switches in operation and start the original way. I've owned the 39 for 28 years and the 38 for only 6, so I have some experience with them.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[Guest]

I have 480,000 on my Pontiac. Always 6 volt and 56 years in Manitoba winters. Never had any problem. I did install a 6 volt alternator because too much of my driving in the winter was after dark and the old 3 brush generator couldn't keep up. An inverter will take care of modern sound equipment and a properly maintained 6 volt system will take care of the rest of your car.

[Guest unclefogey]

I had to chuckle about the subject of this thread and what I anticipated would be the responses without reading them. Since you are new to this site, you have to understand that the club's motto, in part, is the preservation and restoration of Buick automobiles. To many members, 6V to 12V conversion will automatically be met with, "Do you really want to do that?" On the other hand, a minority would think the conversion is a good idea. Spoke to one of the Seattle members who had made the trip to Rochester this summer and who driven an early 50's Woodie that was in the process of restoration. He said that one of the first things he had done in the restoration process was to convert from 6V to 12V. Reason given was quicker starting.

The responses to this thread have brought up a subject that I have been interested in and hope that someone could provide some helpful advice. I am planning to drive to Seattle this summer and am not looking forward in great anticipation to the pleasure of tuning into AM stations on the great Sonomatic. I wonder if the Old Guy or anyone else could give some description of their inverter, stereo installation.

Inverter hidden under the dash?

Radio tape/CD player hidden in the glovebox?

Where were the speakers placed to make them hidden?

Lastly, did you find a splitter so that the stock antenna could be attached to the stereo and the Sonomatic at the same time, or was only the stereo attached to the antenna?

Thanks

John

[Guest imported_Thriller]

There are inverters now that plug into a lighter socket...they are probably all designed for 12V, but depending on design, might be adaptable to 6 V...there was a time that I would have known how to make one...now I'd have to find the right textbook to even get started on that. If you had a unit like that, you wouldn't even need to worry about hiding stuff as you could just take it with you.

[Guest]

An aerial splitter is readily available and any fully equiped electronics store should have 6volt to 12 volt inverters in stock or available. I have three of them. Each one is about 7/8 of an inch thick, 3 inches wide and about 5 inches long. I have one each of 5 amp, 15 amp and 30 amp. The only thing about them is they must be mounted on something metal that will act as a heat sink.

[The Old Guy]

It appears you already have good answers, but I will chime in anyway. I have an inverter under the dash, and and AM-FM radio with cassette and my CB in the glove box. I run a splitter to the antenna but I have an after market 3 section antenna that does the job quite nicely. The main problem encountered was radio noise from the spark plugs. I have 2 sets of wires, and will run the supressor wires until I decide to put the car back to original. I don't show it so I don't have to raise the hood.

[Guest unclefogey]

When I did an internet search last January for "inverter" in contemplation of finding one, the only response was for a company, Analytic Systems of Surrey, B.C. They have a 6V to 12V unit that measures approx. 5" X 8" X 2.5". Judging by the drawing, with the number of fins on it, it must have its own heatsink. The U.S. distributor sent me a pricelist of $299.00 plus $25.00 shipping. Should the more basic ones available from electronics stores be much less than this?

[The Old Guy]

For quite some time ,they were available from JC Whitney and most of the big mail order catalogs for $12-$15 . I think I bought my last one from radio Shack for $20

[Guest JT]

Here's a source for positive or negative ground systems, http://www.radiosforoldcars.com/powerF.htm

here's another for positive ground only, http://www.powerstream.com/dcdc.htm