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Thoughts on 12 volt conversion


steveplym

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I'm thinking about converting my car to 12 volts this winter. I've read thru several threads and have a few questions.

My car does not have a radio so only thing I would need to worry about would be the fuel gauge ad heater motor. Can I just add a voltage drop to those items?

Are alternator pulleys for wide belts readily available?

I plan on using a one wire delco alternator and replacing all the bulbs with 12 volt bulbs. I assume I will need to convert to a 12 volt coil. Any other changes I would need to make?

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Other questions... Would I need to replace the horn relay as well?

I guess the starter relay would need to be replaced with a 12 volt one. What about in line fuses I have, any reason to replace them?

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I

My car does not have a radio so only thing I would need to worry about would be the fuel gauge ad heater motor. Can I just add a voltage drop to those items?

Use a Runtz for the fuel guage.

I found a new 12v heater blower motor for my '50, that was a direct replacement for the original 6v motor.

Here's a link to my original thread about this motor.

You can look this motor up on the Napa site, they are available new.

Pete

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Nothing wrong with 6 volt if well maintained and you have the right size battery cables. I run 6 volt in my three flatties with no problems. One is rewired and the other two are original harnesses. World War II was fought on 6 volts so if it worked then, it'll work now. Just make sure you have the right battery cables, all grounds are good, and you have a serviceable battery.

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Nothing wrong with 6 volt if well maintained and you have the right size battery cables. I run 6 volt in my three flatties with no problems. One is rewired and the other two are original harnesses. World War II was fought on 6 volts so if it worked then, it'll work now. Just make sure you have the right battery cables, all grounds are good, and you have a serviceable battery.

I second that. I'm still running on my original 6 volt wiring too without a problem.

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Are you sure about WWII? Seems a lot of the old military vehicles are 24volt.

Not counting the officers sedans (regular cars painted military colors), the jeeps, 3/4 ton trucks, 2 ton trucks and 5 ton trucks were all 6 volt. Don't know about the other vehicles. I know because we still had a lot of the WWII vehicles in Korea when I was there in 1962 - 1963. Our headquarters took care of all vehicles and weapons in South Korea. The jeep I had assigned to me was 6 volt too.

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Thanks for your help guys. I'm okay with my current system, but it would be nice if I go away for a weekend to have 12 volt parts readily available as 6 volt stuff is a little harder to find. If I have charging problems on a long trip it may end the trip if I don't take a spare generator or voltage regulator. If I've got a one wire GM alternator I can find a spare almost anywhere.

I see both sides of the argument, but wondering what is best for me and my car. :)

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Thanks for your help guys. I'm okay with my current system, but it would be nice if I go away for a weekend to have 12 volt parts readily available as 6 volt stuff is a little harder to find. If I have charging problems on a long trip it may end the trip if I don't take a spare generator or voltage regulator. If I've got a one wire GM alternator I can find a spare almost anywhere.

I see both sides of the argument, but wondering what is best for me and my car. :)

I have been considering 12 volts for the suburban I picked up. Not for the usual reasons the suburban starts well since I installed the correct cables and my 52 P23 starts well since I rewired it.

However the 52 suburban will need to be rewired and I have a nice 12 volt autowire harness that I could install and the 12 volt advantages would be a plus. The runtz for the fuel and information Pete gave on the heater motor covers most of my accessories except for the 6 volt electric wiper motor.

Oh i do have a 12 volt starter and generator (if I decide to use it) on a shelf but need to check them out

So glad you started the thread this should give me a push to make a decision the questions is which one 6 or 12 :confused:

Ed

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I have been considering 12 volts for the suburban I picked up. Not for the usual reasons the suburban starts well since I installed the correct cables and my 52 P23 starts well since I rewired it.

However the 52 suburban will need to be rewired and I have a nice 12 volt autowire harness that I could install and the 12 volt advantages would be a plus. The runtz for the fuel and information Pete gave on the heater motor covers most of my accessories except for the 6 volt electric wiper motor.

Oh i do have a 12 volt starter and generator (if I decide to use it) on a shelf but need to check them out

So glad you started the thread this should give me a push to make a decision the questions is which one 6 or 12 :confused:

Ed

There are 12 volt wiper assemblies advertised in the Street Rod magazines that claim to fit any car. Maybe you could find one for the suburban.

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my latest wiper upgrade I did different from the first two adn i think I will go back and retro fit the first two. This time my wiper transmission go right through the original pivot block...12 volt electric two speed with intermittant control...these will fit any car..any wiper action you wish to configure..toward, away..one of each..whatever..

 

 

Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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My dad had a military jeep that was 24volt. The dodge M37s were 24volt too. VPW sells lots of 24v stuff. will have to research when all that started

Ed, I can't speak for your Dad. I can only state what we had in Korea as late as 63. We were even using M1 Rifles and M2 Carbine's in Korea at that time as standard issue. As mentioned we were the headquarters for the Ordnance Battalion that took care of "all weapons and vehicles" in South Korea. Most of which was equipment also used in WWII. Maybe not the same equipment, but the same design as used in WWII. On our headquarters compound (military post) we also had an ordnance company that worked on small arms and vehicles. None of the vehicles on our compound were either 12 or 24 volt, except the Battalion Commanders sedan, which was 12 volt. Everything else was 6 volt. Now, that doesn't mean that there were some 24 volt vehicles such as tanks and other heavy equipment in the country. We had ordnance companies spread out all over South Korea other than on our own compound. I don't know what was on those compounds anymore. Besides my assigned jeep, I also drove the 3/4 ton and 2 ton truck that was assigned to the headquarters detachment when my jeep was down. Of course they were 6 volt, just like the jeep.

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my latest wiper upgrade I did different from the first two adn i think I will go back and retro fit the first two. This time my wiper transmission go right through the original pivot block...12 volt electric two speed with intermittant control...these will fit any car..any wiper action you wish to configure..toward, away..one of each..whatever..

Looks like a interesting concept is the a off the shelf item ?

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Ed,

Here are the specs for the M38 Jeep.

The WWII Willys MB US Army Jeep

Manufacturer Willys and Ford

Production 640,000 standardized;

8,690 other (1941–1945)

Successor Willys M38

Body style(s) can be piled for shipping, plastic steering wheel, steel seats, hinged passenger front seat, slitted War-time front parking lights.

•Gauges: speedo 0 - 60mph, Temp 0 - 220F, Amp +30/-30A, Oil pressure, map light. Failsafe main light switch pushbutton (can't accidentally pull mainlights on).

Engine(s) 4-cyl. side valves, 134 CID (2199 cc), 60 hp.

•Other: Oil Filter; oil filled mesh; 1 throat carburettor, manual choke, exhaust/intake at drivers side, intake heated via exhaust/bimetal ctrl spring. 6Volt DC-current generator, Failsafe automatic fuse.

Transmission(s) 3-speed + reverse t-84 transmission

2-speed t-18 transfer case;

Transfer case2 selections: 2wd Hi , 4WD Hi, 4WD Lo

Wheelbase 80 inches (203 cm) leaf springs, shock absorbers in all 4; full hydraulic brakes in all 4; handbrake assembly at rear of transfercase

Length 131 inches (333 cm)

Width 62 inches (157.5 cm)

Height 72 inches (183 cm) with top up

reducible to 52 inches (132 cm)

Curb weight 2,293 lb(1040 kg)

Fuel capacity 15 U.S. gallons (12 imp gal/57 L) (tank under driver seat);(plus strap-on extra fuel canisters)

Related Ford GPA 'Seep'

Volkswagen Kübelwagen

300px-Covered_Willy%27s_jeep_Wings_Over_Wine_Country_2007.JPG

The M37 was the Dodge Power Wagon and was not used in WWII. It didn't go into production until 1951. That vehicle was 24 volts and was a 3/4 ton truck, not a jeep. See this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_M37

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Certainly does in this case. OEM is 1 gauge battery cables. Some guys even go to 0 or 00. I run 1 on both my cars and they start great. Cables are available premade from Napa.

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Norm those specs are for the MB I think. The M38(post ww2 came out in 50). Looks like slightly after WWII all the new production army vehicles were then 24v.

http://www.olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_m38.php3

The M38 Jeep was the first post-WW II jeep, based on the civilian model CJ-3A, but upgraded for military use. It was known by Willys as the model MC. It featured flat fenders, a one-piece windshield, bottom-mounted wipers, a fuel filler on the left side near the driver's seat, protruding headlights, and an air vent at the bottom center of the windshield frame. The 80-inch wheelbase M38 weighed 2,750 pounds.

When compared to the World War II Willys MB / Ford GPW, the M38 is a little larger, with better seating for the driver and passenger, and uses larger tires (7:00x16). It shares a 24 volt waterproofed electrical system with other post-war M-series vehicles, requiring a second battery to boost the voltage. The L-head, 4 cyl. 60 hp. engine of the MB was improved with a gear drive camshaft and was mated to a T90 transmission and 5:38 axle gears.

Willys produced about 45,500 of the M-38 jeeps from September 1950 through July 1952.

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Ed,

I got those specs for the jeep off Don's favorite web site, Wikipedia. Plus, like I said, I had an M38 assigned to me 24/7 in Korea in 1962 - 1963. Drove it everyday for both work and pleasure. We had 5 of them assigned to the Battalion Headquarters and they were all the same, except for the numbers painted on the hood. I drove them all at one time or another. Due to my job, if my jeep was down for some reason some officer had to give up theirs to me, even the Battalion Commander had to give up his jeep and use his sedan in it's place.

I didn't take the links, because I lived it. So, in this case Wikipedia is correct and who ever made those sites you referenced is wrong. Sort of like many young people trying to imitate what life was like in the 50's and 60's based on movies.:rolleyes:

The M151 replaced the M38's. Production on those started around 1960. However, we didn't get many of those in Korea at the time due to Vietnam. We only had one of those as of 1963 in all of South Korea when I left there in February 1963. That was because unknown to many people, we were already supplying South Vietnam with military aid and had a lot of people on the ground as adviser's. At the time, there was only an occasional combat situation in South Korea, so the new equipment went first to those advisers and aid to Vietnam. People didn't hear about that very much because the advisers were all volunteers. No one was being drafted at that time to serve in Vietnam. The advisers came from career military people for the most part to better their military careers. There was very little publicity about it because of that. We sent quite a few people directly from Korea to Vietnam as volunteers at that time. So.........that war was going long before it got splattered all over the news. That only happened when we really started to build up the troops there.

I do have a funny story about the only M151 jeep we had in Korea. But will save that one for another time. Had to do with the Battalion Commanders brand new jeep, the commanders driver, myself and two others, and the Seoul River during a skydiving show.:D

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I do have a funny story about the only M151 jeep we had in Korea. .:D

Norm;

If I try and conger up a mental picture of you driving a jeep while dressed in military garb that in itself is about as much humor as I can muster up at one time:D Makes me laugh as much as you laughed with me wearing my Tina Turners:eek:

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