Jacqualine47

I'm not certain, but I believe that the 3-post one just eliminates the post to the battery - so you should have one wire to the horns, one to the horn button (this is a ground whenever the button is depressed), and one to the ignition switch (although it might tie into that circuit via the post on the coil)... Either that, or its a four post with one post broke off LOL

Hehehe, I'm just like... so if I take a Desoto or Plymouth, lower it, update it with junkyard mods as well as kits... like RustyHope's brake kit, f-100 shock mounts to improve the suspension geometry, new rear springs made by a semi-truck spring place (or maybe a set of springs off a random car in the junkyard), a rear end out of a 90s Dakota, a t-5 out of a 90s S-10, original engine and clutch but with bolt-ons like a dual intake and stuff, replace the fan with an electronic cooling fan, put in an electronic ignition system, convert to 12v with an alternator from the junkyard, fix the original tube radio (and make it 12v) but add an aux-in to play 50s music off a hidden MP3 player, put white-wall radials on it, redo the interior myself with original-inspired styling, and paint the car myself with the Interlux Brightside roller method (lets say I mix the paint and do a 2-tone pink and purple paint scheme)... Is that a hot rod or a street rod? Does the answer change if I add air conditioning (using junkyard parts because I'm a Cheapy Cathy) and heat? What if instead of the flat6 with t-5 and dakota rear end I put in a SBC with a th350 and a ford 9in? Or what if I left the original tranny and rear end?

For new springs, I'd look around for a truck spring and driveshaft shop... they are the guys who make custom springs and driveshafts for semi-trucks... I stopped by one back when I lived in South Carolina and they made a new spring for my 79 corvette along with a new driveshaft... while I waited... and they hardly charged me anything - just slipped me in between two larger orders.

I'm very confused now... the website for that show says specifically that "NO STREET RODS" are allowed - in capital letters no less... yet in the 2006 gallery there are cars with new style radios and HEI dizzys... and of course SBCs and Hemis... what makes it a Hot Rod rather than a street rod? I mean, is the difference solely whether or not it has A/C? I'm more inclined to think that a Hot Rod would need to be trailered due to having drag-racing gearing in the rear end... On a different note... I noticed that they have a "Girl Owned Car" award category LOL... I hadn't seen that sort of award before... of course, I've also never had a car finished to the point of wanting to take it to a show. Its always a work in progress with me, so even if I attend a show I don't even bother looking at the award categories.

EDIT: On my diagram, just superimpose 6v over 12v, it'll all work the same... and you don't have to use fuses since the original didn't - I just love to fuse all my circuits Personally, I'm planning on redesigning the entire electrical system - however, that's totally not necessary and I don't recommend it (I'm just a bit nutty) However, I can help with your current problems... first off, here is a wiring diagram (I found it on this forum where some other kind soul put it up, so I take no credit) for the car: For your turn signal and brake lights, here is the wiring diagram I'm planning on using (it uses the original switch, makes the front parking lights into turn signals as well as parking lights, makes the rear lights both turn signal and brake lights while keeping the center brake light, and adds emergency flasher functionality) - it is one I took from HAMB and altered with the correct blade numbers for the DPDT (Double Post Double Throw relay, you can get them on Amazon.com rated at 20amps for about 10 dollars apiece) and added a switch for emergency flashers. If you don't want to use the DPDT relays, I'll happily tell you how to instead use four standard relays from parts express. Now, for a quick temporary fix for the instrument lights, just pick up a standard relay (I recommend Parts Express as a source: www.partsexpress.com - they also have free wiring diagrams and tutorials on how relays work and are wired) and wire it so that it is triggered by the headlights being on, and send a fresh hot wire to the gauge lights. As for going to 12v... I recommend AGAINST it. The only reason I'm doing it is so that I can run a bunch of modern stuff like an MSD ignition, electronic cooling fan, etc. If your 6v system works, then keep it. Hope that helps.

So... what's the difference between an 'Old School Hot Rod' and a 'Street Rod'? Cause I can see it going different ways - like on the one hand I could take that as meaning that if anything on the car is modern its DQed, but on the other hand I could take it as meaning that if anything on the car looks modern then it is DQed... so what gives? I mean, they obviously want stuff to be drivable and reliable (its 'drive-to show' only, WOOT!), but do they really expect people to be running points since magnetic pickup didn't come out until the 70s? And I saw a TON of chevy motors in there, would a hopped up flathead even make it into the show, or would it not be 'hot rod' enough even though its what they hot rodded with in the 50s?

I don't know if the power inverters are going to be strong enough to run the horn - they aren't rated for a lot of amperage, and the Ah-ooh-ga horn operates via an electric motor, so it uses a good bit of juice. That's why the solid state voltage regulators (for a 6 to 12v conversion to operate 6v accessories) - usually rated for only 10amps - specifically shouldn't be hooked up to electric wipers, or heater blower motors. Things that cause physical movement usually use quite a few amps. If you are planning to convert to 12v anyway (it shouldn't be that bad, I haven't done it yet, but I did all the research and part-hunting already and the actual installation seems to be fairly simple - the hardest thing is finding the new bulbs. If you have a u-pull-it junkyard around it should even be fairly inexpensive - I can give you the run-down on the switch-over if you want) then I'd just wait and hook the horn up then... why make a bunch of extra work for yourself? (I have a 12v ah-ooog-ah horn as well, which is going in as soon as I do the 12v conversion... which I'll do as soon as I actually have the project car in my possession LOL)

I don't know about the plymouths, but in more modern vehicles that would indicate the clutch linkage not being adjusted properly and not fully engaging, thereby leading to clutch wear. I'd wait for someone more knowledgeable to weigh in.

Rockwood, thank you for the vote of confidence. This is something I've been preparing for for a very long time (Heck, I have over 140 semester hours of university criminal justice, sociology, and psychology coursework... so hopefully all that training will help). Sooooo... Are you going to make it to Adams' party? +giggles+ (I know, its not happening... even if there is steak involved, eh? Maybe if I promised you a big hug and a slice of my pineapple pie?)

Also, keep in mind that it isn't your transmission that is fluid-drive, it is the thing that is where a normal flywheel would be. Behind that is a normal clutch etc. Even if you have a three speed, you'll need to get one from a non-fluid-drive car, because the fluid-drive three-speeds have a longer inputshaft and bellhousing to support the fluid-drive - which is thicker than a standard flywheel. If you go through all the trouble of finding a standard flywheel and bellhousing, I'd personally forget about the three-speed and do a t-5 five speed conversion for a bit of extra streetability... but that's just me.

Unfortunately, I don't have those yet... have to make it through the hiring process and academy first... but... after that... NO! Unless we install some on an old mopar of course - then we'd be obligated to 'test' them LOL

LOLs... I could say something... but I think I'll just sit back with my notepad and pen... +giggles+

If you are really concerned about it and have basic soldering skills, here is a link to a schematic for a 6v solid state regulator rated at 10 amps: http://www.studebaker-info.org/tech/6-12V/6-12-6.DOC You can put it together for less than what a ready made resistor (like a Runtz, made specifically for a gas gauge and costing about 10 dollars) would cost. It can be used to power your gauge, clock, and radio (yes - I said radio... to get that working after conversion, just open up the radio case and check to make sure that the vibrator is a mechanical one rather than solid state... if its mechanical then the old tube radio doesn't give a darn about polarity - according to the antique radio gurus at the antique radio forum anyway - but if it is a solid state unit, you'll just want to pull it out and replace it with a 6v neg ground solid state vibrator. Don't stick in a 12v vibrator unless you know how to rewire your 6v tubes in parallel). Of course, it being a 36 you very much may not have a clock or radio LOL... in which case I'd just buy a 10 dollar runtz, put it on the back of the gauge, and be done with it. Just do a search for 'runtz' on ebay motors and you'll find a ready-to-go solution.

Why is the TN license plate slanted like it was photoshopped or something? And what is that silver thing on the state trooper's Sam Browne belt (that's the technical term for a male duty belt - Sally Browne Belt would be the name for one I'd wear... they're named after a British general whom had the first one created so that he'd have a solid draw on his sabre following the amputation of his left arm)... that's going to bother me now... it can't be his keys because he'd have a key-keeper as standard equipment... ...so Don... you know that there will be no sleep-repoing in GA if you visit our fine state, riiiiight??? +grins+ (I may be new, but I picked up on the running gag because it pops up EVERY TIME I do a search on a technical issue LOL)

+blink blink+ I just found the rather heated 'discussion' from December 2008 on the scarebird kit... ummm... and I thought that some of my girlfriends were drama queens LOL. Seriously though, based solely on how unabashedly rude the scarebird rep was in that thread, the only possible way I would consider them would be if they had a kit that would fit the desoto spindles (which they don't - so its moot). My apologies for bringing up a sore spot.