Hey guys, Iv converted my 50 F1 from 6 volts to 12, changed the fields in the generator, and I don't like the looks of the 12 volt battery. Is there any way I can make my 12 volt battery look like a 6 volt ? Thought of sticking a 12 volt battery in a 6 volt case, but for one thing the post are in different locations. Any thoughts here.. Thanks
i've been watching this for an hour since you first put it up. no one else has come up with anything better, so here goes nothing... 1. how 'bout an optima inside the 6V batt? that way you can turn it upside down and run the cables out the bottom (hidden, of course). run fake wires off of the top of the 6v and real wires hidden along the frame down below. 2. i don't know if it's possible to put an optima inside the 6V case and actually connect the optima posts to the 6V posts, but it's something to think about. 3. leave the 6V in place with fake wires and mount the 12V under the floor.
Mark... I'm not sure if they still make 'em, but at one time there was a company that sold battery "shells" so that you could insert a 12 volt inside it. I think the cases were OEM-style for Ford, GM, and, MoPar...so it looked like you had a 'factory fresh" unit. Don't remember who the seller was...maybe someone else here has that info. AND, they did look cool ! Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net
Easiest fix would be to get over your dislike for the "Looks" of a 12 volt batt..or do you still wear hi-button shoes and a derby
You could no doubt gut a 6V and put a 12V in it or you could just buy a 12v battery that looks like a 6V battery. they make them.
Thanks for the replys guys, porknbeaner, do you know who makes the battery you spoke of ? I read a post here a while back and i think someone here has one.
There are some "original equipment appearing" 12 V batteries out there that have the appearance of the older batteries and don't look so "plastic". I'd hunt one of those down and be done with it. More money but it will look pretty close to the way you want it to. Here, this one has 6 caps instead of three but it has the look of an older battery. http://restorationbattery.com/g24fstaful.html
I was wanting the same for my 55 Ford and found a couple companies that make a 12 volt battery that looks like a original 6 volt but hold on to your wallet as they are expensive,240 to 260 dollars so I am going to do something else like take all the stickers off the battery.
Not off the top of my head, look for auto restoration publications on line or in the rack. They are popular with thr resto crowd.
You could get the caps off an old battery and glue 3 of them to the top of your battery. If you really wanted to get silly you could tape off the top and duplicate the look of the old tar top by smearing on some black silicone. Or buy a tar topper. http://www.tartopper.com/
One of the reasons you don't see those faux 6 volt cases for 12 v. batteries is the venting issues they had. More than one battery went bad from being inside the faux case and not venting properly.
Coupla thoughts: A number of 1950's 6V cars, like '49-51 Olds, used a stamped cover over the top of the battery...top is covered, a separate removable piece allows access to where the caps would have been, cables come out of the sides of the cover. Looks vintage, tell-tale modern stuff is buried. You can see one type here: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1950-oldsmobile-series-76.htm Other thought..IF you can find a 6V battery with the early type top. A real one would have to have been made like 25 years ago, but you might be able to get a dead repro type with old style caps from a restorer. Slice off top level. Rework your holddown so that this can sit right on top of the evil modern 12v. Real cables would exit under the new bit, going out and down on the side against fender so they disappear from view and then exit at an end to go where they are going. Fake cables from 6V lid exit up top, disappear into same area as real cables, and just end.
I would use both---6 volt where it belongs for looks and the 12V mounted under the frame or in the bed covered by an old trunk or tool box
You could always run a side vented top post battery http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...ry/_/N-8gcxbZ1z13xyg?itemIdentifier=21878_0_0_ and run a "tar topper" or a top cut off a 6v battery
Paul Harper did just when he restored Red Rage the sectioned 56 Buick here in the pnw. He fabbed a polished aluminum louvered cover for the battery that really looked slick when the hood was open. That would be something to think about that would be pretty simple to do and not all that expensive.
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