Generator to alternator

[MarkAubuchon]

Anyone know of a company that makes a conversion kit for the flathead.?

[Plymouthy Adams]

every alternator out there is just about a conversion kit for the flathead......now to be more specific you may wish to inform the audience the belt width of your creature in captivity and if you wish to stay 6 volt, positive or negative ground or going up to 12 volt.

Edited June 10, 2020 by Plymouthy Adams

[Mark D]

Saw this on Jay Lenos garage the other day. Wondering if anyone’s tried them here?

 

https://www.gener-nator.com

 

 

[DonaldSmith]

Looks like a generator but is secretly an alternator.  Big Bucks.  

[desoto1939]

yes they have been manufactured to keep the looks of originality for the older cars with generators but they have made an alternator to fit inside the case.  These are good and if you want to try to keep the originality look for your car.  They are expensive.  If you have one in your car or truck it will lose points at an AACA sanction event even thought it looks correct. They will spot it very quickly.

 

I like the looks of these and have often thought about getting one but the cost is the big item. Putting out 175 dollars for the modern Alternator is not that bad but when over $300 that is had to tell the wife.

 

Rich Hartung

[Mark D]

50 minutes ago, desoto1939 said:

but when over $300 that is had to tell the wife.

Whether it’s in my car or in my wallet, the investment will end up in my kids hands someday. After I created a business exporting cars to the UK, EU & Middle East, the parts funds stopped coming out of the joint checking account, and that helped too.

 

As to your judging comments I understand the reasoning, but I think there’s so few aiming for that status nowadays, and the majority of us “low priced field” owners would make this upgrade for reliability and driveability. 
 

I’m all for driving over judging. I buy them purely for enjoyment and not for reward.

[Sam Buchanan]

1 hour ago, MarkAubuchon said:

Anyone know of a company that makes a conversion kit for the flathead.?

 

Here is the vendor I used for the 6v alternator in my P15:

 

https://www.ebay.com/str/HowardEnt?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

 

You didn't state whether you need six or twelve volt and what polarity but this vendor has an alternator that will work. I'm very pleased with mine and it is a straight forward conversion, you get to ditch the regulator which is a big plus in my opinion.

 

Edited June 10, 2020 by Sam Buchanan

[casper50]

I bought my 6 volt positive ground 1 wire alt off of ebay.

[The Oil Soup]

I used a GM 3 wire 12 volt and fabbed a bracket. I also still use the ammeter and a voltage gauge and idiot light. Here is a good article on alternators. http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/onewire-threewire.shtml

[Sniper]

I used a 78A alternator from an 87 Diplomat and mimic's the Diplomat's charging system.  No kit needed, but it is a 12v negative ground conversion.  Way less than $300.

 

http://www.yourolddad.com/12-volt-conversion

[MarkAubuchon]

Thanks for all of the tips.  Two companies Howard and Vintage Auto Garage have everything needed to make the change over.  Brackets, wire, fuse, correct pulley sizes.

[Sam Buchanan]

9 minutes ago, MarkAubuchon said:

Thanks for all of the tips.  Two companies Howard and Vintage Auto Garage have everything needed to make the change over.  Brackets, wire, fuse, correct pulley sizes.

 

There was a question about the alternator that was shipped to me from Howard, and he was very concerned and helpful via phone about making sure everything was as it should be. Excellent personal customer service.

[Jeff Balazs]

Quality Power is another option. I have their converted GM single wire in 6V positive ground and the bracket they sell. It's been flawless in daily service for over 5 years. Seems to me it cost under $200 at that time.

Hth, Jeff

[desoto1939]

6 hours ago, Mark D said:

Saw this on Jay Lenos garage the other day. Wondering if anyone’s tried them here?

 

https://www.gener-nator.com

 

 

Just did an inquiry with this company for one of their units for my 39 Desoto. You need to send them your old generator and they do their thing to make it an alternator.

Hold on to your socks, the cost,, $895 plus shipping of 65 from them to you and plus shipping out to them and if you want an autolite tag on the unit it is another  $28 and it has a 3 year guarantee. So the  total cost is over $1000.  Now you see why people are switching over to the one wire alternator unit.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[MackTheFinger]

Nothing wrong with a good generator setup but a 10si Delco one wire alternator works great, lasts a long time, easy to make brackets, inexpensive, available in 6v or 12v with pulleys in different sizes. So easy you'll think there has to be a drawback somewhere but there isn't. Looks like all you need is a  p/n 230-12031 regulator to go from 12v to 6v.  Ends up about $100 if you roll your own, $135 if you buy one from someone else

 

6v already converted

 

https://www.qualitypowerauto.com/item_486/6-Volt-Alternators-Negative-Ground.htm 

 

12v

 

https://www.dbelectrical.com/products/alternator-tractor-1-wire-63-amp-10si-w-pulley-for-5-8-inch-wide-belt.html?mrkgadid=1000000&mrkgcl=1145&mrkgen=gpla&mrkgbflag=0&mrkgcat=&acctid=21700000001643279&dskeywordid=92700049708918923&lid=92700049708918923&ds_s_kwgid=58700005279187419&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007195091&dsproductgroupid=840955710121&product_id=ADR0152Y&merchid=1552033&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid={product_store_id}&device=c&network=g&matchtype=&locationid=9023087&creative=194905621868&targetid=pla-840955710121&campaignid=826162713&adgroupid=41878121989&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiYL3BRDVARIsAF9E4GeN9pemuFJnQHZXGkaE9-0JbJfVRQE-ggORVS8_pqjazMhww_vEW-MaAoCtEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

 

Edited June 10, 2020 by MackTheFinger

[maok]

20 minutes ago, desoto1939 said:

Just did an inquiry with this company for one of their units for my 39 Desoto. You need to send them your old generator and they do their thing to make it an alternator.

Hold on to your socks, the cost,, $895 plus shipping of 65 from them to you and plus shipping out to them and if you want an autolite tag on the unit it is another  $28 and it has a 3 year guarantee. So the  total cost is over $1000.  Now you see why people are switching over to the one wire alternator unit.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

 

To be fair, they don't just stuff an off the shelf alternator into the case of your old generator. Having said that, it was too pricey for this TAMO...?

 

I have the one wire alternator in  both my '28 and '37 they work well however look terrible.

[Sam Buchanan]

36 minutes ago, MackTheFinger said:

Nothing wrong with a good generator setup but a 10si Delco one wire alternator works great, lasts a long time, easy to make brackets, inexpensive, available in 6v or 12v with pulleys in different sizes. So easy you'll think there has to be a drawback somewhere but there isn't. Looks like all you need is a  p/n 230-12031 regulator to go from 12v to 6v.  Ends up about $100 if you roll your own, $135 if you buy one from someone else

 

6v already converted

 

https://www.qualitypowerauto.com/item_486/6-Volt-Alternators-Negative-Ground.htm 

 

The 6v alternator from Howard is $40 less because shipping is included in the $133 price. 

[desoto1939]

15 minutes ago, maok said:

 

To be fair, they don't just stuff an off the shelf alternator into the case of your old generator. Having said that, it was too pricey for this TAMO...?

 

I have the one wire alternator in  both my '28 and '37 they work well however look terrible.

Moak: You are correct they fabricate the unit to fit into your existing old generator housing so yes there is machining and other work to be done. But $1000 is a lot of money for this item and with a lot of people being laidoff from work because of the c19 issue that is a very hard cost to explain to your wife and even for me to try to explain the benefit. Yes it probably is a great product but $1000 goes along way for food and other monthly expenses ight now and now I am retired.

 

Rich Hartung

[RobertKB]

Never understood the need to change from a generator to an alternator. I have four old cars all with generators. So it doesn't charge at idle.......big deal. I tend to have my cars do more than idle 98+% of the time as I am driving them. Yes, they sit at traffic lights and don't charge but your car will run off a battery alone for hours if you are not using fans, radios, lights, etc. Some of my generators have over 100,000 miles and work fine. I do keep an eye on brushes and play in them but generally speaking no problems. The world of cars ran on 6V and generators for decades and seemed to survive.  I have no issue if someone wants to change to an alternator but I just don't see the need.

[Sniper]

Powermaster makes a bunch of alternators in a generator case units, for a lot less.  They do show a mopar application, but they give the dimensions for most of the units and you can measure and see what will work for you.

 

http://www.powermastermotorsports.com/catalog.html

 

As for the need. well if you are keeping it 100% stock then yeah, no real need.  But in my case I am putting in EFI and later AC.  I've already added a decent hidden Bluetooth stereo system, so a generator will not cut it, for me.

Edited June 10, 2020 by Sniper
more info

[Plymouthy Adams]

I will say this but once....there is a reason they no longer use generators...…..?

[Sniper]

16 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

I will say this but once....there is a reason they no longer use generators...…..?

 

Or 6v

[Plymouthy Adams]

14 minutes ago, Sniper said:

 

Or 6v

touche'  

[Sam Buchanan]

1 hour ago, RobertKB said:

Never understood the need to change from a generator to an alternator. I have four old cars all with generators. So it doesn't charge at idle.......big deal. I tend to have my cars do more than idle 98+% of the time as I am driving them. Yes, they sit at traffic lights and don't charge but your car will run off a battery alone for hours if you are not using fans, radios, lights, etc. Some of my generators have over 100,000 miles and work fine. I do keep an eye on brushes and play in them but generally speaking no problems. The world of cars ran on 6V and generators for decades and seemed to survive.  I have no issue if someone wants to change to an alternator but I just don't see the need.

 

The reason I made the switch to an alternator is because the genny and/or regulator in my car had gotten flaky (finally died) and I didn't want to spend money running down that rabbit trail when I could spend $135 on an alternator that won't need any maintenance (or a regulator).....and works better than the generator.

 

It was a no-brainer.

Edited June 11, 2020 by Sam Buchanan

[keithb7]

Pretty sure when either a regulator or genny goes south it’ll stay there. The alternate will step right in. 6V? I can’t come up with a good reason to change it. It’ll stay. 

Edited June 11, 2020 by keithb7