Testimony to 6 volts in mid-winter
terraplane8
Senior Contributor
It's deep winter here in the South Island of NZ with day after day of hard frosts (-6 to -12 celcius) and snow on the mountains, and my '36 Terraplane had been parked in an open carport for the last two months untouched.
I suddenly panicked about whether it had enough antifreeze as well as the battery going flat, so I took a walk down the hill to the stables where it lurked. After getting in, turning the key and hitting the starter button, with a fair bit of that distinctive Hudson "GGGGGRRRR....RRRRRRR......RRRRR....RRRRRR......RRRRR" at a respectable rotation rate considering the temperature (about -1 C) it fired up beautifully as if to say "what's the problem, don't you trust my 1936 technology in the middle of winter even if I have been sitting unused for two months?
OK, so one problem had evaporated, but what about the radiator water? Well, it looked like pretty solid ice in there when I looked, but on dipping a finger in it was just half-solid slushy ice. After warming up for a few minutes, it turned back into water with no leaks apparent. A nice drive later followed by a longish drink of anti-freeze plus a battery charge top-up it was back into hibernation until spring.
I suddenly panicked about whether it had enough antifreeze as well as the battery going flat, so I took a walk down the hill to the stables where it lurked. After getting in, turning the key and hitting the starter button, with a fair bit of that distinctive Hudson "GGGGGRRRR....RRRRRRR......RRRRR....RRRRRR......RRRRR" at a respectable rotation rate considering the temperature (about -1 C) it fired up beautifully as if to say "what's the problem, don't you trust my 1936 technology in the middle of winter even if I have been sitting unused for two months?
OK, so one problem had evaporated, but what about the radiator water? Well, it looked like pretty solid ice in there when I looked, but on dipping a finger in it was just half-solid slushy ice. After warming up for a few minutes, it turned back into water with no leaks apparent. A nice drive later followed by a longish drink of anti-freeze plus a battery charge top-up it was back into hibernation until spring.
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Comments
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Yup, I think these people converting to 12V are just covering up problems that should be fixed.
I remember one morning back around 1958 at -20F shoveling snow off the 49 so I could find it and getting in, pulling the choke out and it firing up on the first turn.0 -
Whenever someone queries me about converting to 12v, I ask them why they're considering it, and offer the comment that "so it will start easier" isn't a valid reason. These critters will crank and start just fine on 6v if they're maintained properly. T8, one of my fondest memories from high school days is from one cold northern Indiana winter morning, when my dad's '41 Chevy wouldn't crank, so he had to drive the '37 Terraplane to work.0
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Park W wrote:
I'm leaving everything on the '49 6 volt, just to confound the masses at Rod shows.Whenever someone queries me about converting to 12v, I ask them why they're considering it, and offer the comment that "so it will start easier" isn't a valid reason. These critters will crank and start just fine on 6v if they're maintained properly. T8, one of my fondest memories from high school days is from one cold northern Indiana winter morning, when my dad's '41 Chevy wouldn't crank, so he had to drive the '37 Terraplane to work.
They may not whip the engine over as fast, but they turn it over longer than a 12 volt. As Park said, if everything else is maintained properly - they'll crank and start just fine.
Mark0 -
With so many 'would-be-12-volters', I think the main problem is that someone has installed 12-volt cables on their batteries and they're none the wiser. This was my self-inflicted problem. When I first bought the car the cable was bad. A nearby garage had a derelict '57 Plymouth out back and they allowed me to salvage the plastic cable from it. "Hey, it's 12 volt', I thought; "must be twice as good as a six volt one!' Of course the darned thing practically melting its sheathing every time I hit the starter.
Yes, 12 volt is ultimately more practical in modern cars (and 24 volts might be even better), that's why they've been using it since the mid-fifties. For one thing, it's more forgiving of 'weak points', whereas on a six volt system you have to keep right on top of things and have everything pretty much working perfectly. But I enjoy keeping things original (with antique cars I like to go with the whole nine yards; also, if I want the latest in technology I can drive my new 2007 Ford). And for my limited driving purposes in the Terraplane, it doesn't seem to be cost-effective to redo the electrical system....especially when the car runs and starts like a champ with six volts!0 -
It just isn't necessary for an engine to rotate as fast as some people think in order to start. I've hand cranked a '33 Chrysler six in the middle of a Minesota winter and had it fire up quickly.0
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To take the "12 v. 6 volt cable" issue one step further, I have several old diesel tractors, all 12 volt, and I routinely put 6 volt cables on them if I have starting difficulties. Doesn't always solve the problem, but with diesels, starting is simply a function of how fast you can spin the engine.0
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My 49 C8 came to me with a Hornet motor and 12 volts. ( 2 six volt batteries
in series actually) And while I'm quite sure it would start and run fine with
6 volts, I would be hard pressed to give up my 12 volt halogen headlights.
After just returning from a 2 week 2845 mi. roadtrip I've noted that the deer
love to come out of the woods just to see and old Hudson drive by. That or
the header and twice pipes draws them out. Either way,it sure is nice to be
able to see them too.0 -
TwinH wrote:My 49 C8 came to me with a Hornet motor and 12 volts. ( 2 six volt batteries
in series actually) And while I'm quite sure it would start and run fine with
6 volts, I would be hard pressed to give up my 12 volt halogen headlights.
6 volt halogen lights are a joy to drive behind also !!0 -
My '33 T8 has 6v standard bulbs and throws a great light out probably a function of the large diameter of the lights and the fact that the reflectors are very shiny. Not even sure if it has relays fitted.0
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terraplane8 wrote:My '33 T8 has 6v standard bulbs and throws a great light out probably a function of the large diameter of the lights and the fact that the reflectors are very shiny. Not even sure if it has relays fitted.
For the speed the '28 Essex travels at I have no problem with the 6volt lighting system and have travelled at times for several hours at night without a problem. To date have never had a starting problem either (not that we have the extreme cold temps that T8 has in Queenstown!)
I have no plans to change from 6volt.
Alistair
NZ0 -
i really wanted to convert to 12v to have halogen lights, but i rewired my lights and noticed some one added some old delco relays and i also have some different headlights that use sealed beams, they looked pretty bright to me. i was kind of surprised.0
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The 6v system still works on all 3 of my Hudsons. The 46 truck starts like a dream no matter how long it has set and the headlights with a relay are almost as brite as the 6v halogens in the 53 Hornet. The 53 has a stroker engine with about 45 mins on it of breakin. The 6v is slow but it only takes one revolution and the engine fires and is running. The 6v halogens have a small parking light in the reflector just like my 37. I have a purple light in them and they look cool with just the parking lamps on and the headlamps glowing purple. It was that or green, maybe I will try the green later. The 37 Hudson also starts a easy as can be and it has 12v wires but the headlighs are dim. I think that is more a function of the painted reflectors than the bulbs and the 6v system although the wireing to the headlights is not the best shall we say. I think 6v is just fine, a little hard to find parts for at times but so much better than the new cars and all the computer crap.
Jay0 -
6v's fine unless you live in the desert and want FM stations! lol
Jay0 -
Jay, My 54 Hornet Special is 6v, it has a 6v FM converter and until 6 weeks ago, I was cruisin with the FM stations. I think I may have a problem with the power supply for the radio as it just quit working altogether. The converter was in the car when I got it so I don't know where it came from. It also has a 6v cassett player!
Bob0 -
BJ__TN wrote:Jay, My 54 Hornet Special is 6v, it has a 6v FM converter and until 6 weeks ago, I was cruisin with the FM stations. I think I may have a problem with the power supply for the radio as it just quit working altogether. The converter was in the car when I got it so I don't know where it came from. It also has a 6v cassett player!
Bob
Well Bob, I've never heard of a 6v FM converter or a 6v cassette (where did you find that?) before, but thats great that they make them. So were the Hudson a/c units 6v then? Bet they cost a bundle if you have to find one!
Jay0 -
a guy on ebay sells a 6v-12v converter. people are using them, i guess for things liek stereos, i dont know how well they work.0
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The biggest reason I can think for converting is just for ease in replacing things on a car you drive a lot. So that when you're miles away from home on Sunday afternoon, the Advance Auto that's actually open, will have what you need to fix, while the Napa, that would have had the 6V parts, is closed.0
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My '40 with original 6-volt system and original wiring was in storage for 3 months while I moved. My friend who owns a hot rod fabrication biz went down to pick it up and move it to his shop to make it easier for Jim Guinn to load it on his trailer. He went down a day early to put it on a charger so the next day, after some messing around (he thought) he could get it started. Just for the heck of it, he tried starting it without charging it and it fired right up without even a prime. Of course, it has an Optima battery. He couldn't believe it. I've never had a problem with 6 volt. As everyone has said, the right battery cables and clean contacts throughout makes a huge difference. :cool:0
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Jay, There is no brand name on the FM converter or on the Cassette player. Both run on 6volts, and were in the car when I got it. The converter looks just like the 12 volt ones that came out in the 60s, early 70s.
Bob0 -
You can get a 6v inverter fron secret audio for $59.00. This will take the 6v pos and convert to 12 neg. I just put one of their systems in my hornet with a CD changer. As long as you don't crank the tunes or have a lot of bass it can handle the load with the engine off. With the gen working and the volts around 7 you get more amps out of the little device. I am going to run two in paralle to get more juice..
Jay0 -
Jay G wrote:You can get a 6v inverter fron secret audio for $59.00. This will take the 6v pos and convert to 12 neg. I just put one of their systems in my hornet with a CD changer. As long as you don't crank the tunes or have a lot of bass it can handle the load with the engine off. With the gen working and the volts around 7 you get more amps out of the little device. I am going to run two in paralle to get more juice..
Jay
That would be handy for something like a cell phone charger and those other cigarette lighter/power port thing-a-ma-jigs we all are addicted to these days.
I'll look one of those up.
Mark0
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