What amperage should have an 6 volts 1936 ford?

If you are truly trying to restore this car you will need to find the correct year and make etc. of parts.

If on the oyher hand you are just trying to make a running car of it, I would suggest a few simple modifications.

You can install 12 volt lamps in place of the 6 volt stuff. Replace the 6 volt generator with a 12 volt alternator and of course change the battery to 12 volts.

I have done several of these and was able to retain the 6 volt starter. It just spins faster and consequently works better.

If you have some accessories you want to keep 6 volt such as perhaps the radio, you can install a voltage reducer (usually just a big wirewound resistor).

shadetree; 36 ford had radio or space in the dash.

If you convert to 12 volt you will have to reduce the voltage to the dash are you will fry all of the gauges are else you must change all of the dash gauges. I can't find my spec sheets on the old ford generators but I believe that they put out about 25 amps max. Hope it helps

Jim

The problem on this kind of starter that was very common for the era was that the coil breaks pretty often even in 6 volts so i would leave it as is for the moment.

I have most of the parts but they are not installed and i need to check if they work properly. The major concern was the radio, wich is on tubes and I know they are very hard to find & expensive if i burn something. I have open the radio with an adaptor and it works, but very fade.

Thanks for all your answers!

Ove

The auto radios of that time used electron (vacuum) tubes that used 3 power sources (all built in). 1, filament (6-8 volts), "B" supply (150-250 volts supplied by the vibrator that is powered by the 6 volt primary), and the "C" or bias supply (comes from internal resistance circuits.

If you attempt to operate this radio with a "voltage dropping" resistor you will not have acceptable results. An other problem could be happening is that the components are 73 years old and can't perform to their correct standards.

Solution: 1, buy a true 12 volt to 6 volt converter (they are not inexpensive & still may not give expected results, 2, there are manufactures (on line) that offer a 12 volt "replacement" radio that looks like original & these also offer CD's & other inputs.

check out www.kanter.com for parts

If changing to 12 volts, also be sure to check the voltage at the points!

12 volts may burn them out FAST!

I agree with shadetree. The higher volt doesn't usually hurt starter. Lower voltage burns them up. But watch out for the guages. There are a lot of companies that sell vintage looking gauges that will work. Yearone is a good source.

Hi, just my 32 cents worth (inflation) but if these Fords had a voltage regulator to the instruments you shouldn't be too far off the money. My suggestion is strip the guts out of the regulator and replace them with a modern semi-conductor type three pin regulator. I have done this on 70's cars where the regulator was stuffed. Looks original, uses the original connections and is more efficient.

If these Henry's did not have a voltage regulator in the instrument supply, put one in and disguise it as something that looks like it belongs. Just make sure the new regulator can supply the required current. Two or more in parallel work well.

You could also put a 6volt regulator in the accessory circuit to bring 12v down to 6v.

Hope this helps,

RRV

http://www.ibiblio.org/kuphaldt/electricCircuits

This guy has any part you need, and know what he is talking about.

www.mikes-afordable.com

1936 Ford - I had two of these. They were 2 door sedans w/o trunk. One was a deluxe with two tail lights and a passenger sun visor. I did a body off the frame restoration using the best parts from each to make one really good car and an OK car. I rebuilt the engine, transmission, differential, etc. The original 36 engine had the water pumps on the heads. Most of these engines were replaced with later models with the water pumps on the block. What model is yours? Do you want to do a full restoration, or something less?

The starter in these were adequate to start the engine if the engine was worn in. You should also be able to hand crank the engine as well. After a rebuild the engine might be tight. If so, don't burn up your starter. It was common to tow a vehicle and then pop the clutch in high gear to start a tight engine. As a young mechanic, I had the opportunity to work with a few older guys that worked on these old Fords when they were new. One even had a finger missing from adjusting the engine timing. I always adjusted my statically and then double checked with a timing light as I was not about to reach into the middle of the fan belt.

The battery was under a floor board, it connected to a foot starter switch, and then a short cable over to the starter. Expect to pull around 400A when starting. I don't remember how much current the generator put out. I could ramble on, but that would be of no value.

The 1936 Ford did not have many electric parts, which ones do you need to repair?

6 volt Fords are positive ground

to change to 12 v negative ground alternator, kits available with brackets and pulleys

change all the bulbs to 12v

get a "voltage regulator" for the gauges from a '50s, or '60s 12v ford

NAPA, or other auto parts stores have them.

place this in the power supply feed to the gauges

you will also have to reverse the routing of the wire for the ammeter.

it goes through a steel loop on the back of the gauge

the starter will be fine.

you must use a 12v ignition coil

replace the starter relay with the 12v version

add a resistor for the coil, and

wire in the bypass wire from the starter relay to the resistor

Yosemite3's answer is the best so far. A couple of the others have actual mistakes in them. There is a good bit of Flathead V-8 mythology around that is just plain wrong.

Ove: Take that radio and put it on the floor inside the house until you are 500% sure your electrical system is right. If it is a good original 36 ford radio you're going to get an "Antique Road Show" surprise when you find out what it is worth.

And please give us some better idea of the condition of the car and how you plan to use it.

Ed Weldon

(I've owned and worked on flatheads since 1957. Always have had one either on the road or in the garage, sometimes two or 3. Back then my everyday driver for 2 years was a 36 flatback 2 door sedan with an original stock LB engine. My current project is getting my flathead powered 32 roadster back on the road after making a lot of repairs to things that needed attention 30 years after I first built it.)

Wow these guys are something eh?

If I get your drift you want to bake the cake according to the original instructions? There is nothing wrong with original restorations. I have a friend that lived and breathed 1930's Ford but he gets lost between bed and bathroom now.

http://www.lestercatalog.com/aboutus.asp kwikfinder - auto electric after market from 1930

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/44957/automobile/249047/Electrical-system

http://www.nationsautoelectric.com generators/starters vintage stuff in business since 1930

Check in with http://www.macsautoparts.com

Visit or call the auto museum at Murdo, SD

The car was in fair to bad condition, I will post some pics when will be home. It has a long story and this is the reason I want to keep it as original as possible.

It belonged to a friend of my grandfather who bought it new before the war, then it was hidden from the nazi's, and given to my grand father to take care of it while this friend refugees in the mountains. The car was sitting in the garage until russians came, and my grandfather was forced to let it go in exchange for it's family life. it was token by 2 russian officers that where going to Ploiesti. My grandfather and some friends folowed them by bicycle & horses until half way, when they stopped to eat.That was possible because the road was very crowded with refugees and trucks and wrechs from bombing. They did something so the car didn't start, and the officers after hiting it stopped a truck and left. Then the car was then carrefully driven to a friend's ranch and burried in the ground partly disasembled. It stayed there untill 1960, when was reasembled buttail lights and other small things were replaced with parts from the soviet cars of the era. In 1978 that guy died and the car was sold. I found it in an dismentling yard and I recognised the plates.I bougt it for all my money, $500 at that time, after a big argue with an italian.

I don't know how I will use it, I don't know how it resists in everiday traffic. Usually 12 miles to work and back and maybe more sometimes. But this seems so far I don't have the courage to think.

What is this "Antique Road Show"

Will check those links

Ove

Ove,

Thank you the story of your connection to the car is most interesting.

I believe is 100 amps at generator, 2.63A / .75A but you should check that against a more knowledgeable source.

The links will get you a rapport with those hobbyist's.

http://www.pioneerautoshow.com

Ed,

A GA from me for that one. I don't know how you could nail it any more solidly.

Ove,

Photos? Yes please.

Your profile does not state where you live.

I'm 76 and have driven old V8's since early high school. Here are some tips on your '36:

Leave this car as original as POSSIBLE. Do NOT convert to 12v. Take your very expensive radio out and have it rebuilt. You cannot use a tube radio with a negative ground (as is 12v) Tubes MUST have positive ground. Take apart your starter and clean. Bearings must be good. Put in new brushes and it will spin your V8 easily. Battery cables must be large, for 6v. Ground the positive to the frame AND the transmission or engine. Generators are about 18 to 24 amps. The third brush is adjustable for voltage (charge rate). 50 & 32 cp headlight bulbs will give bright lights, but will pull about all the generator can put out. 32 & 32 cp bulbs are standard and take less power, but lesser light on the road.

Parts are available from many suppliers. Mac's in New York, Kantor's and others. Go online and order catalogs. Most are free.

I am restoring another '36 as we speak. A working 85hp '36 V8 will last forever on today's engine oils. I use a mix of 10-40 and 15-40 diesel oil.

Again... do NOT 'update' or modify your very original '36 Ford. In condition, these cars will take you anywhere, at 70 miles per hour.... endlessly.

Your radio is a valuable item. Do not damage or change it in any way.

54warren

Thank you very much for your reply. If you will be available, I will ask you some more questions on the way.

I am indeed trying to restore the car as close to original as possible. I will print your answer and put in on the garage wall for reference, as i did with other good answers. This way it really makes searching faster, not to mention cleaner things

Good luck with your restoration!!!..

I wish I'd be there, here there is a stupid mentality of old=bad, don't worth the money, etc.

Orv, the trend in thinking today in the old car world is mostly about street rods. Younger people simply do not realize how clever and crafty Henry and Edsel Ford were. They had the best auto engineers in the world at their disposal. They had metalurgical engineers that created metals still used today, and the fact that old Fords of every kind are STILL operating and on the road in huge numbers bears all of this out. I suggest you search for all the old original information and stories of the Ford Motor Company from 1927 on through the 1950's. Ford is viable and still solvent and the cars of the past have helped put them where they are today. Sure, you can change and update some minor things, but your car will serve you just fine as it is. I use modern plastic coated wire, as it is better than cotton covered, Otherwise, my '36 will be as Henry & Edsel built it and it will take the wife and I anywhere in the USA, and Canada on our first trip in the car. Everywhere you go, people will want to see the car closeup. That beautiful original dash ... the famous Ford flathead engine, and the rest. Don't worry about how many amps it takes or needs, as that's been taken care of long ago. Just take things apart and clean, repair and paint them. The bottom line is: that you can create a street rod and the original car is in effect, gone. Or, you can rebuild it original and appeal to all groups. The old line original people will pay top dollar for the car in that condition, and the street rodders can always buy the car someday and do what they want with it. If you 'rod' the car, you eliminate the original people and their money. It also takes tons of money to do a street rod the right way. Only you can decide what you want out of the car and what it will end up to be. The best of luck Orv, and I give you lots of credit for taking on this project, in perhaps a 'not so easy' location there. eBay has lots of '36 parts and pieces ... just search '36 Ford. Your generator will work just fine, as is.

54warren

Unfortunately for a Ford restorer, I live in Romania, eastern Europe. So, all the pieces have a long way to go.

The funny thing is that i learned much of the technical therms in english searching for parts and don't quite know them in my own language.

Do you need a text translator?

That would help but couldn't find a good technical english-romanian dictionary. I would definitely buy one if i run into... Thank you for the answer!

Actually it was software I was thinking of.

G'day, Excuse my sacrilege, but why not install a 12v Alternator, say 35 to 55 amps. An alternator will give you a greater choice and may be cheaper. Use the electronic regulators to reduce the voltage where necessary, their only $AU1.50 in Aussie, probably cheaper mail order from UK, Germany, etc. An alternator is a huge improvement over a generator. If you get a used one, and it has a low output, just get a new brush/regulator assembly. They were $AU25.00 in Aust, plus postage from an Ebay business trader. You may have to scour the wreckers for suitable brackets to adapt or get an after market unit from a speed shop or Ebay. Maybe search for a modified or hot rod site that deals with your particular engine. If you need assistance with the voltage reduction regulator circuits, let me know on rrvau@inbox.com and I'll send you instructions. I can also assist with the search and location of parts for your Henry.

Regards

Royce

That will work pretty well on the 36 Ford V-8 engine as long as the narrow belt pulley on the alternator is changed to fit the wide v-belt on the Ford engine. Possibly the best approach will be to find a machinist who can make a special pulley with the bolt holes and centering boss to mount the original fan on and the wide v-belt groove. Fairly straightforward lathe job especially if the right piece of aluminum is available to machine it from.

The other trick will be to use a 12 volt electric fan of the type that has become popular with hot rodders in recent years if you are willing to make the full 12 volt conversion of the whole car. If you decide that is an option let me know and I will tell you what we've learned about how it's done, which will be in some disagreement with what others have posted in this thread.

Getting a fan from the USA may be a bit of a problem in Romania; but you may be able to find a source in the UK or Australia where American style hot rods have developed a following. Possibly two or even three electric fans from some late model front wheel drive car will work if the radiator is in first class condition. Cooling those old Flathead V-8's is a problem due to the excess heat that the long exhaust passages through the block around the cylinders transfer to the coolant. If you choose to rebuild the original V-8 engine there are several simple things that can be done to help cooling. But be warned; obtaining the necessary parts for the engine rebuild could prove to be difficult and expensive. We can talk about the possibilities of adapting engines from other cars to take the place of the Ford engine if you'd like.

Ed Weldon

You guys have no respect for a restoration. Putting an alternator on top of that flat-head engine would look out of place. Yes alternators will work better than a generators. And a transistor radio will work better than the tube radio he wants to restore.

Our Romanian friend has clearly stated that he wants to restore a bit of history not obtain reliable transportation. If he wanted reliable transportation, he would have just purchased a newer vehicle.

I have no respect for a restoration? Perhaps it appears that way. This gets a bit philosophical and is heading toward OT. But I submit that history is better kept alive and breathing than sitting dead in a garage somewhere for lack of a vital part. I always view beautifully restored cars sitting in a museum with a tinge of sadness. There they are imprisoned and unable to do what they were originally created to do.

It's important to note some things here. First an alternator conversion such as I suggest makes no permanent change to any other parts of the car and is easily reversible if installation of original parts becomes possible. Second, this fellow is in eastern Europe and may well have limited funds to spend on the restoration. It's not like he can simply buy whatever he needs for that car the way we can in the USA. Third, a 95 or even a 90 point restoration of a fairly common body style of V-8 fords seems out of context given the culture he lives in.

And just so you realize that I practice what I preach, my 32 ford roadster with a 48 ford engine, hydraulic brakes and a 40 Ford Columbia 2 speed rear has every original hole in it and absolutely no new ones. The only changes to it were mounting a new modified rear crossmember and spring (I still have the originals) with bolts instead of rivets to accommodate the rear end. And it is an every day driver save for the present project involving a major refreshening effort.

Ed Weldon

A variable pitch sheave is what is needed to drive the belt as you've described

Yes, but such a sheave would not make a suitable mount for the stock fan if that is the route chosen unless it were permanently locked together. That way fan vibration could not loosen it and unbalance the entire assembly with possible disastrous fan failure as a consequence. (a situation I experienced once)

Still a bit of clever fabrication might be possible to fit such a sheave to the alternator shaft if the services of a lathe equipped machinist are not available. Then small 12 volt electric cooling fans (which I mentioned before) from a modern FWD car could be attached to the rear of the radiator to replace the function of the stock fan and a special shroud fabricated to direct hot air through the fans and provide for their mountings. Also as a partial solution the fans can be attached by long screws and nuts or even tie wraps or wires through the core paying careful attention to avoid damage to the tubes and fins. Electric fans could be placed on the front of the radiator; but note the difficulty of removing the grille assembly or the radiator itself to gain access to that area.

Ed Weldon

Here are the specifications for the 1936 Ford car and truck as provided by the Ford Motor Company. This information was obtained from Ford Service Bulletin for October, 1935.

Type: 6 volts, 2 pole, air cooled, ventilated

Regulation: Third Brush

Armature Speed, car, 1.2 times engine speed / Armature Speed, truck, engine speed

Driven by, vee belt

Voltage at cut out closing, 7 volts

Car speed at closing, 10 miles per hour

Amperes to open, 3 amps

Maximum normal capacity, 15 amps

Car speed for maximum charging rate, 25 miles per hour

Here is the best source in the world to get all of your questions answered in regards to your 1936 Ford......The Early V8 Club of America. The club's website is www.earlyfordv8club.org . There is a forum that visitors are welcome to participate in and ask questions.

Ove, I would highly suggest that you keep your Ford in it's original state. The '36 Ford has a personality of it's own and with time you will develop an affection and fondness for your car. You'll want to give her a name, take good care of her and she will take care of you. The simplicity and the challenge to keep her original is what it's all about Ove. Do not listen to all of the suggestions about changing to 6 volts and replacing the generator for an alternator. I drive my all original 1936 Ford coupe on a dailey basis and have very few problems with my car. It cruises down the highway at 65 mph with no problem. You will want to buy a good grease gun and learn where all of your grease fittings are on your car. It is particularly important that you keep the water pumps, tie rod ends and king pins greased on a routine basis. There are several places you'll want to oil on occasion such as the generator bearings, carburetor and shock linkage and a drop or two in the distributor shaft's oiler cup. In regards to fuel, I suggest that you add a little Marvel Mystery Oil (about a quart per tankful.The tank holds 14 gallons). The Marvel Mystery Oil will keep your carburetor's insides in great condition and will also increase the gasoline's octane. It also helps in the heading off the problems that are caused by ethanol that's being added in today's gasolines. You can also add up to 25% Marvel Mystery Oil to your motor's oil. On an oil change your '36 Ford will hold four quarts of oil so use three quarts of oil and one quart of Mystery Oil.

Of all of the cars that I have ever owned... my 1936 Ford coupe (Her name is Lucille...named after Chuck Berry's song "Lucille") is my favorite car to drive. Keep her just like Henry Built her.

P.S. There is a part on your car that you will not be able to remove nor need to repair and I think you will like it. This particular part is called a babe magnet. All of the 1930's Fords had one.