I just bought a 51 Chevy Styleline Deluxe. She's all original and needs almost nothing. Off the bat I'm upgrading her original bias-plys to diamondback wide white radials. She also needs a battery. The battery has arrived and I'd like to install it but I've been cautioned in doing so as it's still on a 6 volt system. I have the right 6 volt battery. What's the trick? I'd like to avoid getting blown up on my first repair, of course... Yes, this is my first old car although I'm not a complete idiot mechanically. I'm a Vespa gal and so although I build scoots, I'm not expert on 6 volt car batteries. Help!? Stacey
Ground cable to neg post & positive to positive post. one post on the bat. is larger than the other anyway. hook up the positive first than the ground. Billy
Well, the only thing I can tell you is that my 6 volt system is a positive ground. (as opposed to most negitave ground systems). I am not familiar with the stock '51 Skyline electrical system, but as long as it's a 6 volt battery and you have the correct terminals hooked up, you will be fine. Tell us a little more about yourself and what you plan on doing to your ride. Posting some photos of the '51 will get you out of some trouble... HC
sure...brace yourself. Here's a link with just about everything you need to know about me. http://baltimorebombshells.actiongirlart.com/page7.html Now, onto Faye the Chevrolet. I grew up the only child of parents who are die hard street rodders. My Dad has been building cars since before I was born and I spent most of my summers attending rod runs as a kid. My dad had 31 model A for most of that time and about 15 years ago he built his dream car, a deuce coupe (there's a link to a pic of it on my page link above). My mom had a 1947 Chevy convertible that she sold years ago. When I graduated from high school my Dad offered to build me any car I wanted. It ended up being a 81 toyota Celica cause I wanted something really reliable and was worried that something awful would happen to a classic and I'd feel terrible that my Dad put so much work into it. A few years ago I got into scooters and last winter I bought a 65 Allstate (Sears selling Vespa) that I've been restoring. I rebuilt the engine and discovered that I have a knack for mechanics. My dad also was kind enough to show me how to do hammer and dolly work. Within the last 6 months I decided I finally wanted a car and my Dad and his vast network of pals have been looking we just didn't find the right car until this week. Faye, is a 51 Chevy Styleline Deluxe 2-door sedan. She is all original and has 49 of the (I think 54) options that were available. A retired GM employee restored her in 82 and she's been taken care of ever since. When I first started looking I was thinking of doing an engine swap, front-end swap, etc to get some power steering, brakes, etc. Now, we're thinking about leaving Faye the way she is cause it really would be a shame to change her so drastically when someone took so much time and care to keep her whole. So for now, that's what I'm planning to do. Phew! here's a pic of her... http://actiongirlart.com/Faye.jpg
stacey, have you pulled out the old battery yet? if not wipe the top off and see if you can find the + & - signs. put your new battery in with the cables hooked up the same way the old one was. fords back in that era used a positive ground. i don't know whether chevy used positive ground or negative ground. btw; good intro, even if it was part of another post. may i suggest that you cut and paste all your intro "stuff" into another thread as an intro that more folks will read?
In the "not original" sense or in that you think that bias plys are safer ot that they handle better? What I'm getting is Diamondback Classics wide white radials. I was told by several people, including my Mom who drove her 47 with both types that radials are a significant improvement with respect to handling. If bias-plys were better, why are they not still the standard? Not being difficult, just don't know the answer... Stacey
Chevy's had a negative ground. Welcome. I really like your new ride. A good friend of mine that died a couple years ago had one almost exactly like it except it was a hardtop. Keep it that way.
Welcome Stacy, about the most important thing with 6 volt systems is to make sure all your electrical contacts are clean and you've got the correct size cables. If you replace the cables, go to an implement or truck shop and get good 2/0 cables. Don't get the cheapo skinny ones at Pepboys. The old Chevy's will spin over just fine with clean contacts and good cables.
I'm wondering why the battery guy was so worried about me installing this thing... It doesn't seem any more complicated than any other battery i've installed with the exception of figuring out the positive or negative ground thing, which I already knew about. Maybe it's because I'm a girl... (I hate when that happens!) Thanks for you help (Everyone) Stacey
[ QUOTE ] radials are a significant improvement with respect to handling [/ QUOTE ] You are correct [ QUOTE ] If bias-plys were better, why are they not still the standard? Not being difficult, just don't know the answer... [/ QUOTE ] You know the answer. And you just answered your own question
Action Girl: Welcome to the HAMB. I have a 52 Chevy which is still 6 volt/ negative ground. Do what was stated above and you should be fine (hook the positive post up first then hook up the ground) The battery guy might have been concerned that you get the polarity right when hooking up the battery as a lot of 6 volt applications are for older cars which used positive ground. Also if you REALLY want to become mechanically savy buy a Lambretta as anyone can keep a Vespa running....
Ummm that would be Lambrattle, I used to have an Allstate I used as a chair in my second story apartment. I got some funny looks carrying it upstairs, have fun with the front suspension as those things are designed to spit you off of em! Back to cars, your Chevy looks pretty cool try to post some more pics of it.
Yea... I already swapped out the front fork on the allstate so that I won't be pogo-ing down the road. I wonder how many other scooter folks are on here? Here's some more Faye pics.. http://actiongirlart.com/1951chevy.jpg Stacey
[ QUOTE ] Vespas? Lambrettas? hell with 'em. get a Zundapp Bella. or a Heinkel. or.....a Salisbury! [/ QUOTE ]Better yet, Buy American---Cushman!
Hows this for "trad" I saw a Cushman at Turlock a few years back with Harley 45" shoved in it!! Man I wanted to buy that thing so badly..
these foolios don't know about scooters. vespas and lambrettas are the best cause they're easy to hop up. i got three bikes- 79 p200e 74 primavera 59(or60) li150 basket case that will be going together soon. tell Mike Heytens that FLCSC west side misses him. about yer 6 Volt Batterey- i think you've gotten sound advice so far. make sure which way you're car is grounded (positive or negative) then just hook it up. most old manuals have procedures on checking the regulator also. in the future- don't be worried about switching it over to 12 Volts- it's not that hard.
I will! Mike is an awesome guy. He gave me the fork for my allstate project and has been really helpful to the Baltimore crowd. Stacey
Hy Hubby is seriously persuing an Heinkel Tourist. My dad is building a Cushman. I'm all about the Vespas, but that's cause I like plentiful parts and the devastating curves. Stacey
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