I want to make the '40 Chevy 12 volt to start it and keep all else at 6 volt. I did the '37 with a 12 volt alternator and resistors for the gauges with 12 volt bulbs.

Can I do this:

add the 12 volt alternator and battery and get one resistor to keep all else at 6?
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1937 Chevrolet 2 door master deluxe sedan

1940 Chevrolet 4 door Special Deluxe

No....as the load (resistance) varies the current will vary which means the voltage drop across the dropping resistor will vary quite a bit.


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Steve Jack
Marketing Technologies Limited,LLC
ConceptOne Brackets and Pulleys

You can pretty much change all bulbs to 12 volts....add the coil resistor to the coil..... starter will operate on 12 volts...use 2 step down resistors in parallel for the heater...1 step down for the instruments and 1 step down for the radio and you are set. I am talking about 12-6 volt step down resistors sold at your local parts store.
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JIM member of "Critiques"
"We've upt our standards, so now, up yours"
"You build em, we rip em apart"

I'm in the process of changing my 50 ford to 12 negative ground, since we're putting a late model chevy engine and tranny in. I just ordered the stepdown resistors from JCWhitney, and am changing out the lights and radio with 12V replacements.
I am also planning to completely rewire the car at this time. I'll be using 12 circuits with newer type GM fuses, and color coded wires. Should make tracing problems alot easier than the 53 year old all one color wires with the assortment of wire po's have added.

I'm thinking about using a SBC in my 48 F-3, but I am using a Volare suspension which I understand is hard to fit a Chevy into. What suspension are you running?
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Keep on Truckin'

Vern

I'm still running the stock front end in my sedan

As was mentioned previously, resistors don't work for instruments. As they heat up, the resistance changes.

If you want to run your instruments, use a RAdio Shack heavy duty DC Auto voltage adapter. part number 2731815. Set teh slide switch to 6 volts. ut the wires off and wire the input to your ignition switch and the output to your instruments. Been using these for years and they're rock solid.
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Early hemi s.m.e.
Street rod wiring consultant
Free lance rod & custom journalist

Hey Skip does that part from Radio Shack come as a lighter socket plug-in? Do you just cut the lighter plug-in off and wire it as you explained? Also they told me they discontinued the item so anyone that wants to get one better hurry before they are gone

If you know some technicians they can buy the components and make them up....they are called regulators and only use a few components. There are generally circuits for them in most basic electronic books.

see ya
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see ya
Pep

Doing somewhat the same thing and have a further question to yours. My '38 Dodge is 6 volt positive. Changed harness to a 12 volt negative system. Would "like" to run the original gauges but means not only a stepdown but reverse the +/-. Anyone do something like this?
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"At least once in your life...Own a car that will make your butt put a death grip on your seats upholstery"

there is a post a good ways down, titled "Am I Making This Too Difficult". I posted questions about doing this a week or so back, and got some really good answers. Check that thread and I think you'll find a lot of help

Rob

I forgot to mention in a previous post that ammeters do change indication direction when the ground polarity is changed since the current flows in the opposote direction after the polarity change and will indicate so when charging or discharging..Virtually all meters in older cars are inductive like a small motor and changing current flow direction in a small dc motor will also cause it to run backwards...
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Fred P.

I added a 12 volt battery and generator to the '41 Chevy last year. Did noting else to the car. Maybe this is why the gas gauge ran backwards?
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1937 Chevrolet 2 door master deluxe sedan

1940 Chevrolet 4 door Special Deluxe

Forgot to mention again that I sent an E Mail to Dean last night with some ideas on what you're trying to do to the '40 as far as the voltage and starter etc. are concerned. You might be able to reverse the leads to to the fuel guage unless the case is the ground side..Don't know how to cure that one..
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Fred P.

Thanks again Fred!
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1937 Chevrolet 2 door master deluxe sedan

1940 Chevrolet 4 door Special Deluxe

At 6:30 pm New York time the '40 Chevy arrived. Passport Transport brought it to us. The car started right up and that seemed odd to me. The sound was amazing too. The parking lamps look like they have high intensity bulbs. When it got into the garage we looked at it. It is already 12 voted. It has high intensity of some sort bulbs for the parking lamps. The headlamps have visors on them that have red lenses on the top that light up. The car has a split manifold with dual pipes out the back. I bought a little hot rod without knowing it. I am believe it or not.... Very happy!
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1937 Chevrolet 2 door master deluxe sedan

1940 Chevrolet 4 door Special Deluxe

Sounds like you got yourselves a nice little rod there :) Lotsa luck with it!
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http://46driver.bravepages.com/Page1.htm
Drive it!
46 Ford Sedan
37 Packard Super 8

Pictures! Pictures!! We want pictures!! I'm very happy for you. Congrats on the purchase. :)
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Your "top-less" cruzn buddy, Denise

www.loboys.com

Thank you... All we have are the pics from the seller. In the daylight we will take more;

http://www.alklb.com/1940.htm
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1937 Chevrolet 2 door master deluxe sedan

1940 Chevrolet 4 door Special Deluxe

Alan go to ebay and put streetrod in the search engine and you'll find what you're looking for ! It's the last item on the search,sounds like he has more than one!!
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Mike,Charter DRSA Member

Mike, thanks! I bid and also emailed the seller to see if he or she has more. The auction says dutch, yet shows only one. Alan
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1937 Chevrolet 2 door master deluxe sedan

1940 Chevrolet 4 door Special Deluxe