i'm a wiring / electrical 'tard . i'm getting ready to have my original generator rewound / converted to 12 volt and order a new wiring harness to get rid of my 'lectric gremmies in the 53 . i was wondering if the wiring harness for a 56 would already have the voltage reducers in line for the gauges and fuel sending unit ? i realize it'd probably have to be altered slightly for length and other miscellaneous stuff . if not anyone here ever dealt with rebel wire here in so . illinoizy ? he can build me what i need ready to fall in pretty reasonable but not as cheap as buying a stock wiring kit from one of our advertisers . suggestions , advice or ................... ?

 

The new wiring harness will work just fine if it's already made for a 6 volt system. 6 volt system operate on a higher current than a 12 volt so the wire is slightly heavier. You will have to insert your own voltage reduces for all of the items on the circuit. If the starter is 6 volt you should be able to run it just as it is, just don't crank on for extended periods of time, but the occational start won't hurt it.

I rewired the whole system on my panel last year and will be doing it on my F-4, hopefully some time this summer. I will industrial control systems for a living so I have all kinds of wire at my disposal and the electrical systems on these old trucks is a piece of cake compared to the systems I wire on a daily basis but they still pose quite a few challenges. I bought a reproduct set for my F-2 quite a few years ago and it has frayed wire insulation at most of the connectors. I wouldn't buy a reproduction set unless your going for show, I would go with a wire kit that uses modern type wire. Painless is one mentioned on he often, there are other. Do a search on wiring on this site and you will find a lot of information.

 

Ford used voltage reducers on their instruments, 12v down to 6v, well into the 70's.

 

good info bob but i'll shy away from a rewire as i'm as i said a bit of a tard on it . well we shall see and i dont wanna buy junk and got my freind bud { old wise sage much like no. dummy } coming over to help when i get to it so we'll see . dick i knew they used 'em so i was curious if a factory repop kit for the 56 had 'em already in it . one of the guys here had some gauges already wired up for sale and i had to pass , i kinda like having food to eat hee hee . the dain drop resistors ya get at the parts houses dont last very long for the freakin' price and the good stuff from an electrical outlet supply house is priced accordingly . i'd probably have as much in the reducers as in the harness if i went that route . the starter is still six volt but has worked fine withthe p.o 's botched 12 volt conversion , but will probably get it converted at the same time or buy a new one which ever is easier on the budget .

 

55F350

I thought Bessie was already running 12v altrnator? Is the alternator giving you a problem?

 

the p.o did a botched up conversion and it's been hacked on badly and is giving me some problems but not enough to keep it sidelined . i just want it done right and want to go back to the generator as i prefer the look of it compared to the alternator . it's a gm one wire that the p.o. paid big bucks for and i just don't care for it's look on the ol' girl . the gauges are getting squirelly and the fuel gauge quit working period , wipers are giving me probs , all sorts of good stuff due to the horrible wiring job . although i've attempted to fix some of it i'm no whiz kid with the lectric systems of a vehicle . it's been a bit of challenge do to some shoddy repairs and i get frustrated but all i gotta do is fire it up and drive down the road and i'm ready to go ............

 

55f350
There is an alternator for the flathead that looks like the generator. I think that I saw one on the Speedway web site. Very expensive.

 

yeah i seen it too but for my purposes no it is way to pricey .

 

Going back to a generator is a step back not forward. I'd just fix the wiring gremlins and keep the one wire. Maybe it doesn't look as cool as a generator but it far out performs one...

 

well gnwoods i've been goin' backwards a lot lately LOL . quit carrying my cell phone gave up my ultra modern cush mobile for the 53 , lots of goofy stuff . the alternator does outperform yes , but i just want what i want and the alternator doesn't do it for me . i always have been shall we say in " love " with old things but never really stayed with it . now i am and have really developed a dislike for modern things to a degree .

 

F350, I too am electrically challenged. And like you, Iretained the generator on my 53 flathead because to me an alternator just doesn"t look right on an old flathead.I just bought my wiring harness from Bob's f100 parts in Riverside CA. What's neat about it is it has the wires colored the same as the original ford harness so you can use the original wiring diagram plus it has the ford type connectors. Also Bob did a wiring pictoral with a 55 of his a few years ago for one of the truck magazines. It has photo and instructions and takes you step by step. He photo copied the articles and it comes with the kit along with astock wiring diagram. It is currently on sale for $180. I haven't installed it yet but it looks easy enough. I just wanted to wire my newly rebuilt engine to make sure it ran right before I put the front cap back on and rewired it back completely.

 

i gotz his catalog somewhere out in the black hole ...... geuss i could go out and look for it ......naw imenjoying sittin' on my back side for once !!!!!!!!!! no honey do , no work !!!