Classic/Antique Car Repair: 1953 Ford Customline, 1953 ford customline, hemmings motor news

Question
How much work is there to switching a 6 volt to a 12 volt? A friend told me there are kits for switching generators over but he said nothing about wiring or anything else.

Answer
Rene, my question is quit simple. Why do you want to switch to 12 volts? A good 6 volt system in good repair will run any old car just fine. The switch over requires some thought and detail. There are people who advertise 12 volt alternators and brackets for older cars but then comes the electrically operated equipment on the car. The wiring does not need to be changed except the alternator and the voltage regulator. Six volt wiring is designed to carry higher amperage than what is used in the 12 volt system. The alternator and the voltage regulator use a different hook up. I would change all of the light bulbs in the car to 12 volt bulbs and install a resistor in the accessory and ignition system to drop the 12 volts back to 6 volts. All of the parts needed for the project can be found in the classified ads in Hemmings Motor News.
Brad