JH
I have run a 9v battery in a 6v system. It makes lights brighter, and horn stronger, it also spins the starter faster, and can some times, depending on year and regulator setup cause a lot of grief.

Heaters are fairley easy to install, although I would look for a water heater, and not an old gas fired one. If you do stay with an old gas fired one, There was a guy in ontario who was rebuilding them and resupplying them to the market with original instruction manuals. I can't find his name right now, but will look again if you are interested.

As for advise, I would say just to be patient. It take a lot of time and money to bring one to orignal condition. don't give up, one of the great things about fords is the fact that Henry tought that as an owner you should be able to work on it yourself, and there is a lot of parts and information available for them. Let me know if I can be of more assitance.
Howard

 

Jon, the accessories you want to add can easily be done in 6V. The heater will be easy if you use a vintage heater, since they are mostly all 6V. Check eBay, they pop up often, and most of them go for cheap. Just have the core tested at a radiator shop, and they should also be able to repair most leaks as well. The dome light is no big issue, just use the corresponding 6V bulb. Like Howdy stated above, using the battery with a couple of volts more will help out with light output.

 

Hey Guys;
I take it a 9v is enuf to help with more juice but not enuf to need drops? Has anyone seen or heard of the 6v halogen conversion kits?? That'd be my choice if they are for real.
Tks~Dan

 

Jon, is your '38 still running stock style headlights, or have they been converted to sealed beam? I did a quick search and found several websites that listed 6 volt halogen bulbs. Try performing a search, you should be able to get a few sites.

 

Tks Gary, I'll check them out! It's still stock. I guess there's places that have new reflectors also that I should get for a real improvement.

 

48 to 52 unit works under the dash uses a 6 volt motor and still looks vintage id have to find the book back about a year ago in classic trucks was a repo for them

 

Jon Henry

In answer to your seeking out some help or advice in keeping your 38 as original as possible, shouldn't be a problem.
First off with my own experience going to a higher voltage battery, been there and its a nightmare. You have to reset the regulator to put out 9.s to keep up with the demand, and this can be tricky, as well as a pain in the butt.
I don't know if your Generator has the cutout on top, or does it have the regulator? As far as the headlights go these trucks were useing the headlight bulbs with 32 watt output, switch to the 50 watt ones, their a lot brighter. Get yourself a good 6 volt battery, I buy mine from the Tractor Supply Outlet, and I get the 925 Cranking Amp one. Make sure that all your battery cables are the good 6 volt type. I make my own from 0/1 welding cable and use the soldered terminals.
Make sure that you have good clean contact at all ends where the cables are connected at. As far as running a heater, dome light, signal lights, even fog lamps, and a radio if wanted.
The 6 volt system if working properly will give you good dependable and reliable service. You can go to the sealed beam headlamps if prefered. As far as your tail-lights, brake lights go, paint the inside of the bodies white. This is a good reflector of light.
All of the above I have run on my own trucks and speak from experience on this matter, it works and works well. I forgot to mention that the headlight bulbs back in those years were the 32 watt type because of the war and 50 watt were illegal to run. This is a statement that I have been given by a few farmers who used these trucks back then.
there is a resistor that is usually located under the dash, that controls overload of the electical circuit, to prevent your trucks wireing from short circuits. Just ahead of the resistor that is encased in a square metal case with several holes in it, on the same fibre board is the hot wire.
You can run a proper jumper off that to a fused block which can hold up to several fuses, and run your accessories of a safe and protected system.
Just keep in mind that your charging system will give you good service if you maintain it, and keep the battery connections clean and tight.

 

Jon Henry

Forgot to mention that the Halogen bulbs do work, the ones in the tail-lights that is, I am not familiar with the Headlight ones though.
They do how ever draw more amperage, and run very hot, so make sure that you have metal tail-light houseings and glass lenses.

 

5 Star~
Tks for the help, never thot about changing watts. Seems they were 50 in the front and 35 in the rear, thot that kinda low to begin with. Don't know what the inside of the tail lite was painted originally but there was alum. foil in it to cover the rusty paint. I cleaned that out good & repainted it 'chrome'. Guess I'll spring for redone reflec. next yr before the price hike.
Tks again~JH

 

Jon Henry

For what its worth to you that tin foil or silver paint isn't worth the time to install it in the tail lights.
As I mentioned to you earlier get your tail lamp houseings bead blasted and paint them the brightest white you can find. It works a hell of a lot better than that old myth on the tin foil, or silver.
Keep in mind years ago whenthat truck of yours was in its prime, there were no street lamps and not to many idiots running the roads. Further to this when out on a country road in the dark of night, you could see a candle off in the distance.
So in reality these lights of the day worked good, and were visible. Take a simple test for yourself, at night look up at the sky when your ina city and see if you can see the stars. then go out to where there are no street lamps and then look up, check out the difference.

 

i have a 54 chevy im running 2 6volts in parrallel incresed my amps still 6volt

 

use two new 6 volt batteries make two battery cables connect positive to positive and negative to negative then wire to the truck as a single battery dont use a old and a new battery the old batt will draw off the new batt and decrease amperage

 

So that doubles the amps but not the volts, right? Where'd you stash the 2nd batt.?

 

yes where ever you want to hide the batt will wok and can make a battery box fit on the chevy the batt sit under the cab with a acces panel through the floor board we extended the battery tray now you sit it and slide it over and set in the second and hook them up. tie down and close the lid