HELP? 6V Pos Gnd to 12V Neg Gnd Conversion

I have a 53 Dodge Panel truck which is a 6 volt, positive ground system.

Now I don't care about the guages, lights, as I will change over to 12v neg
ground parts (saving the old ones of course) but what the hell do I do with
the starter?

I can adapt a simple alternator to the engine (probably) but can the
original starter be converted to 12V negative ground?

iNet wrote:
>
> I have a 53 Dodge Panel truck which is a 6 volt, positive ground system.
>
> Now I don't care about the guages, lights, as I will change over to 12v neg
> ground parts (saving the old ones of course) but what the hell do I do with
> the starter?

I have been told that the Ford 6 volt starters work very well on 12 volts --
they just turn more rapidly. Reversing the ground will not make any difference
in the direction of rotation.

George Patterson
Drink up, Socrates -- it's all-natural.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 05:16:11 GMT, George Patterson
> wrote:

>
>
>iNet wrote:
>>
>> I have a 53 Dodge Panel truck which is a 6 volt, positive ground system.
>>
>> Now I don't care about the guages, lights, as I will change over to 12v neg
>> ground parts (saving the old ones of course) but what the hell do I do with
>> the starter?
>
>I have been told that the Ford 6 volt starters work very well on 12 volts --
>they just turn more rapidly. Reversing the ground will not make any difference
>in the direction of rotation.
>
>George Patterson
> Drink up, Socrates -- it's all-natural.
=======================
Correct. The old starters are series-wound, which means they rotate
the same direction no matter the polarity of the supply voltage.
Probably tens of thousands of old Mopars and Fords have been changed
to negative ground simply by reversing the battery and ammeter leads.

The starter will turn faster, and with more oomph. You want to be sure
the starter drive is in good condition...if the starter "freewheels"
because the drive doesn't engage properly, it may spin fast enough to
throw solder and windings.

If it does, just take it to a real auto electric shop and have them
install 12 volt windings. Till it does, (which may be never) just use
it.

Joe
--
Heather & Joe Way
Sierra Specialty Automotive
Brake cylinders sleeved with brass
Gus Wilson Stories
http://www.brakecylinder.com

I have a 53 Ford that I converted to 12 volt and left the 6 volt starter
alone. I figured it would burn out eventually and then have it converted to
12 volts. 5 years later its still going.
Ray

"Ray or Bobbi Adams" > wrote in message
...
>I have a 53 Ford that I converted to 12 volt and left the 6 volt starter
> alone. I figured it would burn out eventually and then have it converted
> to
> 12 volts. 5 years later its still going.
> Ray
>
>

Just to give everyone the answer I have received everywhere -

for a 6V pos ground to 12V negative ground conversion, I need to do the
following;
Change all bulbs
Reverse ammeter leads
Change to 12V coil and reverse leads
change to 12V condenser
Leave the starter alone

Address wiper motor (which I have not figured out yet)


I'll let you know how it works

iNet wrote:
>
> Address wiper motor (which I have not figured out yet)

If there's a Grainger outlet near you, take it to them and see if they have a 12
volt motor that will fit.

George Patterson
Drink up, Socrates -- it's all-natural.

iNet wrote:

> "Ray or Bobbi Adams" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I have a 53 Ford that I converted to 12 volt and left the 6 volt starter
>>alone. I figured it would burn out eventually and then have it converted
>>to
>>12 volts. 5 years later its still going.
>>Ray
>>
>>
>
>
> Just to give everyone the answer I have received everywhere -
>
> for a 6V pos ground to 12V negative ground conversion, I need to do the
> following;
> Change all bulbs
> Reverse ammeter leads
> Change to 12V coil and reverse leads
> change to 12V condenser
> Leave the starter alone
>
> Address wiper motor (which I have not figured out yet)
>
>
> I'll let you know how it works
>
>

When did Ford convert to 12V, and is the wiper motor the same size,
shape, etc...? I'm going through this with my '55 Studebaker coupe, and
a '56 Hawk wiper motor is a drop in. Also replaced the defrost blower
with a '56 unit. Still trying to find an early Hawk heater blower.

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

"Nate Nagel" > wrote in message
...
> iNet wrote:
>
> > "Ray or Bobbi Adams" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >>I have a 53 Ford that I converted to 12 volt and left the 6 volt starter
> >>alone. I figured it would burn out eventually and then have it
converted
> >>to
> >>12 volts. 5 years later its still going.
> >>Ray
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > Just to give everyone the answer I have received everywhere -
> >
> > for a 6V pos ground to 12V negative ground conversion, I need to do the
> > following;
> > Change all bulbs
> > Reverse ammeter leads
> > Change to 12V coil and reverse leads
> > change to 12V condenser
> > Leave the starter alone
> >
> > Address wiper motor (which I have not figured out yet)
> >
> >
> > I'll let you know how it works
> >
> >
>
> When did Ford convert to 12V, and is the wiper motor the same size,
> shape, etc...? I'm going through this with my '55 Studebaker coupe, and
> a '56 Hawk wiper motor is a drop in. Also replaced the defrost blower
> with a '56 unit. Still trying to find an early Hawk heater blower.
>
> nate
>
> --
> replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
> http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel


Ford went to 12 volts in 1956. Wiper motors were vacuum but i used an
electric one that replaced the vacuum on in the 53 and was 12 volts. New
Port Engineering, but dont know if they have one for Studebaker. Heater
motor is 12 volt from a 65 mustang.
Ray

Ray or Bobbi Adams wrote:

> "Nate Nagel" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>iNet wrote:
>>
>>
>>>"Ray or Bobbi Adams" > wrote in message
...
>>>
>>>
>>>>I have a 53 Ford that I converted to 12 volt and left the 6 volt starter
>>>>alone. I figured it would burn out eventually and then have it
>
> converted
>
>>>>to
>>>>12 volts. 5 years later its still going.
>>>>Ray
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Just to give everyone the answer I have received everywhere -
>>>
>>>for a 6V pos ground to 12V negative ground conversion, I need to do the
>>>following;
>>>Change all bulbs
>>>Reverse ammeter leads
>>>Change to 12V coil and reverse leads
>>>change to 12V condenser
>>>Leave the starter alone
>>>
>>>Address wiper motor (which I have not figured out yet)
>>>
>>>
>>>I'll let you know how it works
>>>
>>>
>>
>>When did Ford convert to 12V, and is the wiper motor the same size,
>>shape, etc...? I'm going through this with my '55 Studebaker coupe, and
>>a '56 Hawk wiper motor is a drop in. Also replaced the defrost blower
>>with a '56 unit. Still trying to find an early Hawk heater blower.
>>
>>nate
>>
>>--
>>replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
>>http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel
>
>
>
> Ford went to 12 volts in 1956. Wiper motors were vacuum but i used an
> electric one that replaced the vacuum on in the 53 and was 12 volts. New
> Port Engineering, but dont know if they have one for Studebaker. Heater
> motor is 12 volt from a 65 mustang.
> Ray
>
>

I know what I need for my car, I just need to find it I was more
throwing the idea out to maybe get the OP thinking along the same lines
for his Ford (I don't know Fords quite that well...)

nate

(Oh yeah it would probably help if the heater were actually hooked up,
too... but that's another issue I need to work on...)

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

Nate Nagel wrote:
>
> I know what I need for my car, I just need to find it I was more
> throwing the idea out to maybe get the OP thinking along the same lines
> for his Ford (I don't know Fords quite that well...)

The OP has a '53 Dodge panel truck.

George Patterson
Whosoever bloweth not his own horn, the same shall remain unblown.