first off, this is for a 59 292 completely stock.

I can see this is a very common, and seemingly easy project to do, but i just want to make sure it is done right the first time. ive been reading a lot of articles and want to know exactly what i need to buy so i dont mess anything up. a lot say just hook up a gm one wire alternator and your done, but what about a da plug as mentioned in the installation instructions from fifth ave antique auto parts? nobody else seems to mention this. so thats why i want to know the exact parts i need, and the wiring diagram to do it. i'm talking about mounting brackets, what alternator, a regulator if neccessary, everything. i know i might sound kind of snotty, but like i said, i only wanna do this once.

 

Hi eignub!

Welcome to FTE

You don't sound "snotty" at all - just like someone who knows what he/she wants and is expressing that consicely!

Ok Alternator conversions. Unfortunately, it's not quite as cut and dry as slapping the thing in. So you are prudent to ask.

First word of advice - go with a "one wire system" GM or Ford and elliminate the regulator and wiring. And they are slightly different by maker and year.

The reason there are variations (and they are VERY slight) is because of different wiring configurations in the trucks or slightly different ways the alternators are "excited" into producing electricity.

I'm going to post a tech thread link as well as a wiring/troubleshooting link and upgrade link for you, that have the installation procedure for the GM alternator and lots of other good stuff. Other Considerations there of course have to do with mounting brackets and pulley sizes as well. There are threads here that some members have posted where they have made their own brackets. I'll let the Y-Block guys jump in for that.

One Wire Delco alternator Installation In A Classic Ford Truck .: Articles

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...confusion.html

Upgrading your Generator or Alternator - FordMuscle.com Forums

Myself, I have a 51 F1 with a 390PI in it and it's all newly wired and converted to 12 volt negative ground. I specifically went with the "Tuff Stuff" one wire alternator because it did not need to be wired to an idiot light or voltage gauge to be excited. It truly is "one wire" drop in and drive. I bought the bracket from a company called C.R.A.P. (seriously).
Tuff Stuuf knew exactly what I was doing (tsch - like I did - oye), and knew exactly the right alternator to send me. It had the right clearances and pulley on it already.

Products :: Tuff Stuff Performance

http://www-link.com/cgi-bin/odbic***...?clientno=1681

So, on my installation I simply bolted the alternator the the block, bolted the bracket to the block and alternator, put the belt on and tightened it, then ran a 10 AWG wire from the "Battery" lug on the back of the alternator through the induction loop of the AMP gauge, through a fuseable link, then on to the main distrubution bus (fuse block). From that same post on the fuse block, a wire travels up to the battery terminal of the starter solenoid which is further connected to the positive battery post via battery cable....30 minutes and it still runs strong today!

Here are two diagrams. The first is the as I described above. When you are using seperate distribution busses (fuse blocks - not the ignition switch or starter solenoid) this allows the amp gauge to show a discharge should the alternator stop producing and electricity has to flow from the battery.

The second view is the more generic method for hook up straight to the Starter solenoid. In this scenario the AMP gauge only shows when the alternator is producing it will not show a discharge on the amp gauge. You will usually use this when you have an "idiot light" that the alternator hooks to to be excited - and the wiring is stock for the vehicle, and it will light when the alternator fails to produce. It's not on the drawing because they are all different, but there are diagrams in the second article I posted above.





Hope that helps! Good luck