Technical Hey guys, need some help with my "new" 38 Dodge

I will try to post up a picture or two soon. Its just a 4 dr sedan, so nothing real exciting. Anyway the car is all original, and I want to get it fired up if possible. The wiring is pretty much FUBAR'ed. I am thinking the starter is bad also. So I want to pull start it around the pasture here. The thing is that I do not have a 6V battery to put in it and really hate to buy one before I even know if its worthwhile. So I am using a 12V and want to hotwire it . Can anyone tell if I can hotwire with the 12V without burning something up ? And if so can you please tell exactly what to connect to what ? And how to connect the battery...remember the car is pos. ground. I will appreciate all the input that you guys offer. 50 years ago, this would not have been a problem for me, but it is now. Go figure. Thanks guys

 

I think you can get by with a 12 v coil and don’t turn on anything electrical (lights, etc). Generator should okay as the regulator should think it’s over charged.
For a tow start, you should be able to rig up a simple toggle switch from - off the battery to the coil. Remove the wire (tape it up) that would come from the ignition switch and put your wire from the toggle there.
Probably be a good idea to clean and set the points beforehand.

Oh I say - off the battery assuming your are going to hook it up positive ground.

 

Oh, make sure at a minimum the ebrake works, don’t want to run over the tow vehicle

 

I would remove the charge lead from the generator. Remover the negative lead from the battery and like Budget says just connect a 12v coil to the battery negative terminal via a toggle switch.

 

Thank you guys. You gave me a starting point for sure. I will try it as soon as the weather dries out a bit. I am going to take the generator belt loose for initial start up. And it does actually have a handbrake that appears to hold. Meanwhile I am still open to any recommendations or comments. Thanks

 

Or just buy a 60's 70's Mopar type ignition resistor and use the 6 volt coil unless it is one mounted thru the firewall and just a single wire showing, then get a different coil as said above. You can use the starter on 12 volt too, just don't crank on it forever. I run a 12 volt GM single wire alternator on my 36 Dodge pickup with the original foot pedal operated 6 volt starter. Been that way for years. I run it negative ground. No big deal.


Dave

 

Thanks Dave. It does have a thru the firewall coil, but has 2 wires like any other conventional coil.

 

Before you give up on the starter, pull it apart and clean it. My 218 starter wouldn't spin that great when I first got it. I pulled it apart and the shaft the bendix rides on was caked with old hard grease. Cleaned it up and regreased it. Has worked like new ever since.

 

I changed out my 6 volt '36 Dodge starter once because it was barely working only to find it was corroded cables on the under floor battery!

Dave

 

And, we need pictures. I have the same car in my garage but it's still a shell.