SteveR Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 I have a 1937 Plymouth with a d42 engine. The car has been converted to 12VDC but the heater fan motor is still 6VDC what can I do to make this motor operational? Also, my instruments are not hooked up yet so; 1) can I run the fuel gauge and sending unit on 12 vdc ? 2) what will I need to hook up the temp gauge 3) I am missing the amp meter is there a replacement for my 12volt system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 Covert to a 12 volt heater motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 (edited) My 1940 Dodge has been 12 volt since 1973.....the water gauge is mechanical so its just a matter of connecting the water sending unit to an adaptor thats screwed into the block or head, if you don't have the water gauge then you either have to find one or get another gauge and see if its possible to fit it into the instrument cluster panel( use some neverseize or similar on the threads on the block adaptor to stop the galling that sometimes occurs)......the oil gauge is also mechanical and again just screws into the pressure line that runs alongside the block on the dissy side, there are up to 4 or 5 blocked off ports, any can be used ..............the amp gauge reads amps, voltage is immaterial....................and the fuel gauge will need a voltage drop resistor and should work tho' it may not be absolutely accurate, check the sending unit that the float is o/k and not fuel soaked.........my car whilst using a 318 Poly uses all the original instruments and they work fine...........see pic........yep its RHD........lol...........andyd Edited October 18, 2018 by Andydodge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ194950 Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 (edited) Andy your car sure would look better if you would just flip your pictures over on the forum before posting. Make it a More normal car again as Walter P. intended! LOL. DJ Edited October 18, 2018 by DJ194950 to make more sense?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 Is this better?I 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maok Posted October 18, 2018 Report Share Posted October 18, 2018 Good luck passing a BW like that Don....:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los_Control Posted October 19, 2018 Report Share Posted October 19, 2018 I have been told, on a 1949 pickup, the fuel gauge does not care if you are 12 volt or 6 volt, positive or negative ground. I bought a new gas tank and sending unit, http://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=81/category_id=68/mode=prod/prd81.htm I talked with them over the phone and specified I was going to switch to 12 volts and needed sender to work with it. Is 10 years difference between yours and mine, yours may not be the same. They were pretty specific that I did not need anything special for the original gauge or sending unit to work with the 12 volt conversion. It was all handled through a resistor in the gauge iirc. Your 6 volt heater motor will run pretty fast on 12 volts, but it will work until it burns out, probably best to just replace with a new 12 volt now. But my uncle switched his old international truck to 12 volt 10 years ago, drives it so little in the winter that he never bothered to change the heater fan motor and still works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted October 19, 2018 Report Share Posted October 19, 2018 Don C...............you funny guy!!!.........now she who must be obeyed drives car..............SHITE!!..........me no want to sit in seat now, nuthin to hold onto............me walk..............lol.........andyd... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dartgame Posted October 19, 2018 Report Share Posted October 19, 2018 If you have a two speed switch on the fan - use only the low speed, it runs about half the rate of full using 12V, which would be high on 6V. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveR Posted October 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2018 Unfortunately, I do not have any switches for the fan. of the 4 knobs at the bottom of the dash, I only have a choke and a modern light switch. I only see 1 wire coming from the fan motor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveR Posted October 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 I tell you what there is nothing like driving an American car on the wrong side of the road here in England. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ194950 Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 Probably about as much fun as I had driving a right handed car (rental) in Australia as I had for about 8 months years ago. Brisbane had roundabouts everywhere some 3 lanes wide and the went the Wrong way around them, Boy what fun they were!! Ran yellow lights there also as I do in Ca., USA all the time as the police do. Was informed in Aus. the traffic light cameras (everywhere it seems) will send you a ticket for that but never heard a word about that from the USA company I was working for other there in Aus. ☺️ DJ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveR Posted October 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 I'm from Minnesota and I HATE ROUND-A-BOUTS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bones44 Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 For the heater motor Speedway Motors has a 12V to 6V motor reducer. part #m91064103. I have one in my 37 Dodge and seems to work fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maok Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 42 minutes ago, DJ194950 said: Probably about as much fun as I had driving a right handed car (rental) in Australia as I had for about 8 months years ago. Brisbane had roundabouts everywhere some 3 lanes wide and the went the Wrong way around them, Boy what fun they were!! DJ I can assure you, the locals have no idea how to go around one either...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ194950 Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 28 minutes ago, maok said: I can assure you, the locals have no idea how to go around one either...lol Most likely the Only reason I never had a Fender bender when I used them! Most Aussie drivers where Much better drivers and courteous than I was used to in Brisbane- Sidney Not so much! ? That was years ago so I have no idea about Now!? DJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted October 21, 2018 Report Share Posted October 21, 2018 1 hour ago, bones44 said: For the heater motor Speedway Motors has a 12V to 6V motor reducer. part #m91064103. I have one in my 37 Dodge and seems to work fine. I bought one of those before I elected to buy a 12 volt motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 That Speedway 12volt reducer looks like it is build to do the job.........fins and everything......very professional looking...........andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveR Posted October 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 Thanks guys. That brings me to the next dilemma. Living in England parts are not as plentiful as they are in the U.S. I will scour the internet and hopefully find something here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ194950 Posted October 22, 2018 Report Share Posted October 22, 2018 I bought 3 -100W 1RJ(1 ohm) online for $7.00 free shipping from N.C. USA. Most are Chinese made anyway, someone must be buying some and importing to England as I am sure this company did and putting up for sale on the web. You can buy direct from China for $1 or less in bigger numbers. But they ship direct and it may or may not make it and you will have to give a unknown person somewhere your credit card number?? Not for me!! ? DJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveR Posted October 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2018 Thanks DJ I just Googled it and found one on RS for £7.15. Funny but I have looked before and nothing but when I put in your 100w 1RJ up it came. Now I need the switch. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dale Posted October 27, 2018 Report Share Posted October 27, 2018 On 10/22/2018 at 12:14 AM, Andydodge said: That Speedway 12volt reducer looks like it is build to do the job.........fins and everything......very professional looking...........andyd Id like to see a 46-48 Plymouth photoshoped with fins LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptwothree Posted October 28, 2018 Report Share Posted October 28, 2018 (edited) I would opt to change to a 12 volt motor for the heater. Resistors run hot and is a mickey mouse way to solve a problem that is easily fixed. They run hot too...potential to burn down your ride. 6 volt gauge on 12 volts. Get a solid state 6 volt regulator. Part #7806. They are cheap at $3 bucks or so and will provide an unwavering 6 volts to your gauges. Simple to wire. Might need a very small heat sink as they don't produce the kind of heat a resistor would. I have done this and it works great! This is what I have used to run 6 volt gauges on 12v https://www.engineersgarage.com/electronic-components/7806-ic Edited November 21, 2018 by ptwothree clarification 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysler1941 Posted October 28, 2018 Report Share Posted October 28, 2018 (edited) ptworthree is 100% correct. You need a DC/DC converter with correct amp rating. Voltage drop using resistor is a crude way. A resistor can only provided a fixed voltage drop if you send exactly the same current through it at all times. That means your heater motor must only run at one set speed. Adding more load will change the voltage. Even a voltage divider using to resistors is a better choice although same rules apply. Here is a eBay link. but only 3 Amps. Look around, you'll find more with higher current ratings. https://www.ebay.com/itm/12V-to-6V-DC-DC-Buck-Converter-Step-Down-Module-Power-Supply-Volt-Regulator-T1/252482388190?epid=1253103178&hash=item3ac91f80de:g:ffcAAOSwnQhXnS-q:rk:10:pf:0 Edited October 28, 2018 by chrysler1941 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDoctor Posted October 28, 2018 Report Share Posted October 28, 2018 Dale, For a close approximation of your desire to see a post-war Plymouth with fins – look at the ’51 Ford “shoebox” built by the late Bill Hines, called “The Bat”. It’s got fins. You can judge for yourself how a round post-war car looks with fins . . . . Regards . . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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