gen. to alt. conversion on flathead

I just scored a late flathead out of a '53 F100 for my '32 pu. I've heard that a late model altenator could be mounted in the gutted generator housing giving the old look with late model tech. Anyone know anything about it?

 

Yes, there's a story on it in the January 2005 issue of American Rodder (should be on the newstands soon--I got my copy a week ago). I didn't read the article, just skimmed it over.
Yellow '32 on the cover.
-Brad

 

Never heard of it, but that would be very cool.

IMHO nothing spoils the look of a flattie more than the typical lump-of-aluminum GM alternator hanging on there.


Dave

 

Swiss Mike just built one but it was a little more detaied than just slipping it in the old housing. He had to machine a lot of parts to make it work. But it can be done, and if you dont want to do the work yourself contact Electrotech in Washington state they do the conversion but it aint cheap.

 

Leave the generator and rig an alternator to run off the tranny yoke or even the back wheel

 

Hey Sweats, do you know what kind of alt. Swiss Mike used and what kind of mods. he had to do? How expensive are we talkin if I have it done?

 

It can be done quite easily with some of the Japanese alternators. HOWEVER, they do NOT cool adequately because a good portion of the heat-dissipating fins need to be removed PLUS you’re encasing it in a substantially less conductive housing.

The trick is fine if all you want to do is pick up a cruise night trophy every night of the week but if you actually want to drive it anywhere beyond your immediate neighborhood you’ll have to carry a spare in the trunk.

 

Try uncommonengineering.com they do the convertion cant remember the cost thou.

 

Why bother with all that work.
have your generator shop mount newer 12 volt coils (56 to sixties something. In the old 6V generator 59ab/8Ba type.

And you get an old looking generator the will give 35 Amp's.
yea and you ahave to change the relay to 12Volt to.

 

I'm sure Swiss Mike posted a link to his web site that detailed how he did the conversion and showed all the parts he had to machine. Do a HAMB search for it and youshould find out some info. The topic has come up quite a few times on here before.

Paul

 

I just flipped through the article a little more.
The alternator they used is a small industrial tractor alternator, and in one of the pictures it seems to have the voltage regulator mounted to the back side of it.

They machined the four mounting ears off the alternator, but that's all--it has all the fins and ribs in tact, and there is a good deal of air-flow space between it and the inside of the generator case.

When it's done, they had the stock fan at the front, and the stock cover on the rear, and the stock case has four slits going around the back of it for the airflow to escape.

Now, if I were doing it, I'd add some slots or open up the back plate to get more airflow, and I'd also cut away some of the underside of the case--probably on the dead bottom of the case as it's mounted on the engine. Somewhere almost totally out of sight. That would give the most airflow.

And if you're having machine work done anyway, I'd have the generator case chucked up in a lathe and made much thinner, from the inside out. Almost make it a sheetmetal cover, rahter than 1/8-inch thick steel. It won't heat sink as bad, and will give still more room for airflow between the case and the alternator.

In the story, they say the stock gen makes around 15 amps at idle and 30 at cruising speed, while the alternator makes 40 amps at idle and 70 at speed. This would be important if you have A/C, a stereo, air compressor for bags, etc. etc. etc. It'll also keep the lights from dimming at the stop light at night!

-Brad

 

Here are some of the things needed to do the conversion.

 

After you turn down the alternator to fit inside the housing you will need to build this spacer that connect the end of the alternator to end of the generator face plate

 

Because the alternator is shallow compaired to the generator housing it is nessisary to build and install a spacer on the output side of the alt. and to drill holes into it to mount the gen. face plate

 

And lastly to make it work on the gen. face plate install a sealed bearing.

 

That was the quick rundown on parts, IMHO the magizines are only telling you enough to get you in trouble.

 

Wow you guys ar full of it....information that is. Hey sweats is the alt. in the picture the type that they used in the mag. article. What kind is it? And what do you mean they are only telling us ehough to get us in trouble?

 

The alt. was a rebuild that no one picked up at the electric shop here in town and it looked like it would work, as for the mag thing I have not yet seen the artical in question, but it has been my experiance that the hot rod books and magazines do not put in an effort to tell the full story either for time or space limitations. They seem to give the basics, tell how easy it was and let you go at it. Not to say they do not have good ideas, just do your homework.

 

I broke the brushes taking it apart so when I go back to the electric shop I will find out what make it is.

 

Thanks Sweats. Keep us posted. I'll have to pick up that issue of AR.