Sam Buchanan

Looks like the one in my '48 P15.

This parts manual might be useful, maybe it has 7-passenger info:

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=12067945&cc=1331895&pt=910&jsn=499

I've never considered the headlights to be a problem on my 6v P15. I installed common halogen sealed beams and a new dimmer switch and freshened up the terminal block behind the grill. One of my favorite runs is an after-dark drive from my brother's house in the hills and deer are plentiful. The lights are just fine for the speeds the car was intended to be driven even on a major highway (55-60mph).

7 hours ago, Kilgore47 said:

 

Had the same slow starting problem with the 47 P15.  Re wired the car with a new 6 volt harness and no difference.  Added 00 battery cables and no difference.  Finally I got a good AGM 6 volt battery with 1000 cold cranking amps.  Problem solved.  The car can sit for months and it still starts.  No priming pump.  On the third try gas gets back to the carb and it starts up and runs good.  I also switched over to an alternator.

Excellent! I suspect the alternator is a fine upgrade to keep the mongo battery hot....doubt the old genny could feed that monster a proper diet!

Healthy starter......hot battery.....good wiring.......reliable starts. 

8 hours ago, Racerstev said:

I was rolling around a series-parallel switch. 12 volt for the starter and 6 the rest of the time. This is a diesel truck trick. But were to put two 6 volt batteries?? 
 

I just started the 12 volt conversion on my 39. For me the problem is lack of confidence in the cranking speed. Yes it starts but I just don’t trust it. If I don’t trust it it won’t get driven as much. 

Steve

Rest assured I'm not leading the 6v marching band. But I think something we need to consider is these old cars were daily drivers back in their day and they started reliably. People weren't converting them to 12v just so they could get them started every morning.

I have to wonder how many times a 12v conversion is performed just as a band-aid applied over systemic problems such as poor wiring, a sluggish starter or a battery that isn't being kept fully charged by an anemic generator. Perhaps many reliability concerns could be addressed by making sure the existing 6v system is in optimum condition by addressing basic maintenance issues. These old cars worked very well in their day, there is no reason why they can't be as reliable today if the electrical system is in good condition.

Having said that a set of good battery and starter cables along with an alternator will go along way toward keeping a 6v car happy. 

I am definitely not anti-12v. All my old 60’s VWs were converted to 12 volts for some of the same reasons stated here. But if I had a vintage Beetle now it would probably remain 6v just for originality. The ‘69 Beetle I drive now was produced with 12v and it’ll stay that way.

The only reason I mention 6v is because some have had bad experiences with faulty 6v cars and don’t know how well a good 6v system will work. We have new members arriving and to some of them a 6v system is totally unknown to them. My intention is to help those who might find updated 6v service histories useful so an informed decision can be made.

It is good to have choices.

16 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

And it is cheaper to go 12V then stay 6V ... IMHO

 

I'm not following the cheaper to go 12v unless you are referring to the incredibly complicated system the original poster is describing.

Less than $150 for a new 6v alternator and nothing on the car has to be changed. I would, however, upgrade to the proper 6v battery and starter cables if they are not present, that will solve the cold weather starting problems.

Or install a 6v alternator, keep the 6v battery and drive happily ever after.  😁

Good info, Rich.....I learned a lot! When I got my P15 it still had one of the "old" sealed beam headlights that looked like it had a bulb inside it. It was defective and got replaced with a conventional sealed beam to match the other one.

Ok...................

1 hour ago, Ivan_B said:

How thick is the leather? I am seeing that they use a hidden seam at the strip junction (the way I wanted to go for the entire seam but could not for the leather being too think) and it is bulging out on some of the illustrations on their web side. Yours seems alright, though.

The leather is thin and very high quality, much like a fine pair of driving gloves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtLlReasVwo

A source for a leather wheel cover that I used for the TR6 is Wheelskins. It is custom cut for a particular wheel and I was impressed with the quality and fit. It has been in service for three years and looks as good as new.

Wheelskins

It appears they can make about any size cover, just need to supply the dimensions of the wheel. The TR6 wasn't listed in their stock but the cover they made per my measurements fit perfectly.

31 minutes ago, Dave72dt said:

Basically voltage in versus voltage out.  A switch may have continuity but lack the capacity to transmit full voltage to the load it controls.  

Often caused by severely degraded contacts. This is the same principle we see when trying to use 12v battery cables on a 6v system...the small cables will show continuity but not provide sufficient capacity to flow the current needed to operate the starter. Continuity and current capacity are two different functions. Voltage drop is a signature of reduced circuit capacity.

1 hour ago, Ivan_B said:

The rod tip was probably brazed with soft metal for good seal, at the factory, but it ain't good anymore. Sealing that part up is pretty much the standard step during service, I think.

No, it is a hardened steel shaft with a drive fit in the transmission case......when all the components are fresh.

1 hour ago, Ivan_B said:

Oh, the good-old counter-shaft rod? Yes, that got to be sealed individually

The shaft isn't supposed to require any sealing, at original assembly it was a press fit into the case. But it seems that in my tranny 75 years of service has loosened that fit enough for oil to leak past the shaft. The "plug" I made with a penny has been working well so far. The leak was obvious when I had the transmission leveled on the bench and filled with oil.

1 hour ago, Sniper said:

 

For $43 I bought this.  It does everything you need it to do for automotive electrical work.  Including dwell and tach,  How cheap do you want to get? 

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002LZU7K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought a different "brand" of that meter and the dwell function didn't work, was really hoping it would, the price was right. Guess I got a bad one.

See if this thread has any useful info:

https://p15-d24.com/topic/58630-major-leak-countershaft-3-speed/#comment-630905

40 minutes ago, Dave72dt said:

A plain. simple test light will get you through 90% of the testing that needs to be done.

True.

https://www.harborfreight.com/612v-circuit-tester-with-5-ft-lead-63603.html

16 minutes ago, keithb7 said:

The plug in the first photo must be for the diff lock limited slip additive.  😉

Or maybe it's so you can open the diff and let the stale air escape.....................

When in doubt go to the manufacturer's website.

https://www.powerprobe.com/na/en/product-list/content/308EbfcE6f63

Measures 0-70 vdc.

Seems a bit pricey ($150) to me for the very simple troubleshooting we do on our cars. This is what I use:

https://www.harborfreight.com/electrical/electrician-s-tools/multimeters-testers/7-function-digital-multimeter-59434.html

I don't even bother replacing the battery, just throw the meter away and get another one for $7. I have several of these scattered around in various vehicles.

12 hours ago, Los_Control said:

Not sure who's rear end you are looking at .....

Be careful about who's rear end you are looking at..............................

21 minutes ago, Doug&Deb said:

I’m not trying to talk you out of converting to 12 volt but I’m wondering if getting everything working as designed first would help. At least you can enjoy the car for a while and decide if you want to convert. It would also give you time to research and gather the necessary parts. Search the technical archives on this site as well. Several members have done this conversion successfully and you can get some ideas. Good luck.

I agree. I also am wondering about your reasons for wanting to convert to 12v. A conversion makes adding modern accessories such as sound systems easier, but a properly sorted out 6v system works very well. Get the car roadworthy on 6v then you can make an informed decision about whether or not a change to 12v is justified.

1 hour ago, desoto1939 said:

I talked to the sales and also manager in the Autozone to inform them of the non compatibility of Dot 5 and Dot 5.1.  They even did not know this information.

Most likely they don't care...................see above post about being a slave to the database..........

28 minutes ago, silverh20 said:

Thanks! I bought it after someone spent 3 years restoring it inside and out, then it changed hands 2 times before becoming mine, no maintenance done by the 2 priors. I'm used to working on my 2004 BMW's straight 6 but I know nothing about these flatheads, yet..

 

I found a glass fuel filter in a box of old parts given to me with the car, I wonder if it's spare, or if it was swapped with the plastic one for having issues. Either way, I don't like the sound of an engine bay fire so I'll get to that ASAP!

 

Where do you guys like to get new head gaskets from? 

An easy filter fix is one of the metal filters commonly found in your local auto parts emporium. I would mount it near the fuel pump outlet so it would be below the exhaust manifold in the remote chance it developed a leak.

Here is your first purchase!!!

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=10593924&cc=1486874&pt=10335&jsn=382

Rock Auto has the head gasket:

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=121713&cc=1349917&pt=5412&jsn=416

Also your friendly NAPA can help you out:

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/FPGHS7564C

These flatties were produced in various flavors up to about 1970, often used in fork lifts, farm equipment, stationary pumps, etc. Check the mainstream suppliers first then you can use the specialty  vendors when necessary.