Hi, I am getting ready to ship my 1951 Flathead V8 and transmission out to be rebuilt. I am going to convert it over to 12 volt. Can anyone out there give me a list of other parts I will need? Example:

Starter
Distributor?
Generator?
Anodes?
Other?

I am not sure how these ignitions and wiring works on this truck. Also, is there a good manual that shows this type of information?

Mike

 

In order to eliminate two sources of problems (points and condenser) I replaced both with a Pertronix ignitor. My truck ran great after I did that. The unit fits right inside your distributor and is easy to install and hooks up just like the points did to your coil, which you might want to replace too if the truck has not run for a while.

Amazon seems to have the best prices but you can check around:


Your 6V starter will work fine. No need to replace it.

You have lots of choices on 12V power generation. I switched to a one wire alternator which fit right where the generator was located. I bought a Y bracket to make it easier to adjust. You probably have a wide belt (actually look at the grooves and not at the belt as someone may have put on a narrow belt by mistake. Also so you may need a wide pulley depending upon what your new alternator has. Just make sure that the pulley is the same size in diameter as the one that you take off. Too large and you may have a problem generating enough "juice" at idle. Stay away from the chrome alternators from Speedway as the chrome peels after a year or so.

Not sure what you mean by "Anodes"

Also take the top off your carb and check the bottom of the bowl. If it looks like what you see in the picture you will need to clean it our. Also remove the fuel pump bowl and clean it. And check the bottom of the tank and please use a flashlight not a match If it has junk in it you should remove the tank and send it out to be cleaned and checked for leaks. Many radiator shops will do that for you. Also flush all the lines.

That should be enough to get you started. Good luck,

 

Do a Google search on 12v conversions, you'll find hundreds of articles. A big part of it is the gauges, which still need 6v. To handle them, there are many different types of devices to reduce power down to 6v, among them "CVR's" (constant voltage regulators also sometimes called instrument regulators), Runtz regulators, and some other electronic devices.