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by **Phil H** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 8:33 am

Hi,

I have an original 6 volt restored 43 Ford GPW. Now that the 6 volt battery is dead I want to convert the electrics to 12 volt. I want to keep the jeep as original in appearance as possible. Can I use the original generator and voltage regulator as I have heard that the genny will out put to 24 volts and you can reset the voltage regulator to charge at 13.8 volts. Can I also just instal a regular 12 volt ignition coil without any other mods? Do I need a resistor in series with the fuel gauge and what value and where does it go in the fuel gauge circuit? I am told that the original 6 volt starter motor will be OK and also the horn. Are there any problems leaving these two original components on board. What size 12 volt battery is best used ? Are there any other tricks I need to know about.
I hope some one out there can help(':idea:')

Thanks in advance... Phil H.

by **Guest** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 9:46 am

Generator and regulator will need to be changed out or rebuilt to 12 volts. Talk to Herb Tate about a 12 volt radio upgrade. He posted many neat pictures of his jeep. All of your bulbs will needed to be replaced with 12 volt. Most 12 volt sparkplug coils require a ballast resistor (earlier posts say a coil and ballast resistor from a '55 Chevy Belair 265 V-8 works very well, it is what I used and works great). JC Whitney sells a 12 to 6 volt knockdown http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... reId=10101 or use this homebrew knockdown http://www.geocities.com/vk3cz/gauge-repair.html for the fuel gauge. The horn will need to upgraded to 12 volts. The starter will be ok, consider rebuilding it to 12 volts in the future if you have a need to replace it.

Good luck!!!

by **Bob N** » Sun Nov 16, 2003 8:37 am

You can use a coil with an internal resistor and this cuts down on the cobbled together look.

While this is the mod section I would ask you to reconsider converting from 6 to 12 if all you need is a new battery. That would keep your jeep as original as possible.

My jeep was converted to 12 volt long before I had. It had a 12 volt generator alledgedly from a Dodge but I replaced that with a Delco GM alternator, internally regulated (had the pulley split and widened so that the stock belt would fit). As guest says you will need to replace all of the lights. The BO driving light will remain 6 volt (unless you can take it apart and find a bulb that will fit) and you can use a 12 to 6 volt stepdown (JCWhitney) to make that work. Any other 6 volt accessories like an original heater will need to be accounted for. You can purchase a 12 volt repro horn so that isn't a big deal.

Finding a suitable 12 volt generator and regulator may be a problem. Original 12 volt gennies were a lot bigger then the 6. Later 12 volt gens are about the same size as the wartime 6 so you might get that to work. Then you will need to replace the regulator. You might be able to gut the original and install some sort of electronics package that will make it all work.

by **Omar** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 8:47 am

Phil,

If you can find a 6 volt regulator body yhen you can get a 12 volt solid state rebuild kit from Daryl Bensinger. (610) 286-9545

http://www.dlbensinger.com/frametest.html

http://www.dlbensinger.com/

Here's the ad description:

"Voltage Regulator Rebuild Kit. This kit includes solid state circuit board and gaskets to replace your mechanical unit. Also includes data plate (specify 6 or 12 volt) and a can of crinkle finish paint. You must supply your own core to rebuild. $200.00 each."

I've got one ordered but haven't gotten it yet, I talked to Daryl and he said he was shipping soon.

Omar

by **chris** » Wed Nov 26, 2003 7:41 am

Just a reminder,,,,,,,,,we won the war using 6 volt vehicals.I always wanted to make my jeep 12 volt,when i was restoring it.......Go and buy a good complete BOND strap kit.........Then your problems will be solved.

by **johnnybravo** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 10:29 pm

Consider a 6 volt Altnator (Sp?) this elimates the regulator. I have one on my 1947 Truck and it has not been started for about three months and it cranked the yesterday during the cold morning of about 22 degrees.
It keeps the 6 volt battery like a 12 volt. I think is amazing? Any good eletronics shop should be able to provide you with the "wigit" that plugs into the Alt to convert the output to 6 volts. You install the belt pulley from the generator and run one wire to your battery and you are done. No more Voltage Regulator, just a six volt that will start like a 12 volt.
I found that the Alt from a Chevy S10 series will accept the pulley and is not expensive. Good luck....

by **Herb Tate** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 6:49 am

Here's my two cents. If you aren't going to run radios ot other 12V items the 6V system will work fine. Clean all contacts and have good grounds. However, if you want a authentic military conversion you will need to change the following: generator, all lamps, fuel guage, regulator, coil, all pulleys ( 12V uses bigger pulleys ), ant the battery gets relocated in a rack between the seats. The rack holds two 6V batteries, but I use an Optima 12V which will be upgraded to 2 Optima 12V batteries. Radios take a toll on batteries :shock:

The one lamp that stays 6V is the fender blackout drive lamp. It gets a resistor that is mounted n the firewall. If you would like I can email you some more detailed photos of what is needed. Don' t forget to get the manual for the conversion. MWO ORD G503-W7 which is available at Army Jeep Parts.
Here is what the generator looks like ( and why the battery no longer fits under the hood.

by **Herb Tate** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 6:55 am

Almost forgot. Brent mullins has lots of stuff like battery racks, brackets, conduit and other parts even the radio supression covers for the plugs, coil and distributor. Bensinger has a nice 12V solid state regulator that fits inside the 6V shell and it comes with a data plate and wrinkle finish paint.

by **Guest** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 4:20 pm

Herb, what did the military use during WW2 for a 12V regulator when installing this conversion?
Chuck.

by **Guest** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 4:21 pm

Herb, what did the military use during WW2 for a 12V regulator when installing this conversion?
Chuck Lamb.

by **Herb Tate** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 5:44 pm

The 12V regulator looked exactly the same except for the green data plate. I will have to see what correct numbers go on the dat plate. Originally they were mechanical and had 3 big relays.

by **Mark Tombleson** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 1:37 am

The generator for the 12v MWO-ORD-G503-W7 Ford conversion that Herb appears to have should be a AL-GDJ-4808 and the regulator a AL-VRH-4101C.

by **Herb Tate** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 6:22 am

Thanks Mark. I couldn't remember the regulator numbers. W7 doesn't mention that.

by **Mark Tombleson** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 9:51 pm

Ah, Herb, indeed W7 only has the part number and the 1945 SNL is no better. :shock:

Wes K cross referenced these numbers for me from the Autolite/Prestolite Service List Cross Referenced (5" thick sevice manual) when we were looking for all of the generators used on the standard MB/GPW and radio jeeps.

by **Herb Tate** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 6:36 am

Do you know the size or measurements of the pulley for the GDJ-4808?

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