My goal with my 57 wagon is to have a road trip car. I want reliability for long trips, moderate power for pleasurable driving, and reasonable economy. I had planned on an alternator conversion, but turns out I'm doing that sooner rather than later. I've been searching through old threads to find all the info I can before diving in. If I switch to a Delco 100-amp 1-wire alternator, what happens to the "GEN" idiot light in the dash? Can it still be functional or is it just disconnected? And if functional, are any wiring changes needed? How do I wire in the alternator. I get that it is internally regulated and you just take the 1-wire and connect it to the battery. But what about the old wiring, voltage regulator, starter relay, etc? What needs to change and what should be removed?



As for the conversion hardware, it seems there is general agreement on two possibilities. Either an L.D.Becker bracket plus alternator, or a John Mummert bracket and supply your own alternator.



L.D. Becker Auto Electric

P.O. Box 624

Norwalk, Ohio 44857

419-668-5986



http://www.ford-y-block.com/alternatorbrkt.htm



The photos of the Mummert bracket look awesome. But the convenience and price of L.D.Becker seems very attractive. Does anyone have photos of this setup?

Jim - Erie Colorado, 1957 Country Sedan

I've heard that some one wire alternators do have an output for the GEN light. Also, Ron Francis wiring have a thingy that will illuminate the light if it voltage drops below 11v. Otherwise, it will not be functional.



http://www.ronfrancis.com/products.asp?dept=302



The one wire will go to the positive side of the starter relay. The regulator and other wiring can go on the spare parts shelf. Then you have a nice place to mount an aftermarket ignition box!


Lawrenceville, GA

http://www.oldengine.org/unfaq/10si.htm has some info, and a really good write-up can be seen at http://bob_skelly.home.comcast.net/~bob_skelly/alternator_conversion/wiring_alternator1.html and http://bob_skelly.home.comcast.net/~bob_skelly/alternator_conversion/wiring_alternator2.html. Turns out I actually want a 3-wire alternator.



Thanks for the pointer to Ron Francis. They have an amazing selection.

Jim - Erie Colorado, 1957 Country Sedan

Just put a Ford external regulated alternator on it and use the gen light wire to activate the regulator,thats what I done to my 55 and the light works like it should.

Butchering up everything I can get my hands on in Dayton Ohio

Two of my projects for over the winter are to put alternators on both the Tbird and the Mainline.

This article and others have convinced me to go with the 3 wire set-up.

http://madelectrical.com/electricaltech/onewire-threewire.shtml

Also going to use the Ford alternators.

Another good article there on "Voltage Sensing".

http://madelectrical.com/electricaltech/remotevoltagesensing.shtml

Jim
Norfolk, VA

"MABLE"
1956 Thunderbird Green / Brown Interior (ZE-XG)

"MEAN GREEN"
1956 Mainline (FG-BE)

This is the "elcheapo" mod that I just used with a single wire GM alternator

http://web.archive.org/web/20080513185243/http://www.ranchwagon.com/Tech/alt/alt.htm.


Gary - 1958 Star Customline and 1940 Ford Deluxe Hotrod

Keep your Ford all Ford, use a ford alternator.
This applys to wiring a late model, small case Autolite Alternator in the 56 ford car, I beleve that 54,55 and 57 use a similar harness but keep in mind  that the 54 and 55 where 6 volt so other changes will be needed. These Alternators have a Brush holder/Voltage Regulator mounted on the back of the Alternator.

My choice is the 91 thru 97 Escort 1.9 engine as it has a split mount that makes mounting a snap. You will need to change the pulley to a "V" belt type to use this alternator. The pulley can be from just about any alternator as long as the belt grove width will work with your belt. I am sorry to admidt my pulley came from a GM alternator.

I would recommend removing the entire Generator harness back to the regulator as well as removing the original regulator. This will leave you with a 10ga Battery wire (may be paired with a 12ga that goes to the horn relay) and an 18ga that is the Gen Light Circuit. Insulate the 10Ga as you will not need it in the conversion.

At the alternator your best bet is to obtain the first 6 inches of the regulator harness from a salvage yard (most fords 80 to 97 with a small case alternator with 3 terminal intergral regulator will have this harness. If the Harness you obtain also has the Output lug terminal and 8Ga wire, Discard the wire and terminal as you will not need it.

This harness will have 2 connectors, 1 will be a 3 terminal that plugs into the regulator, the other connector is a 1 terminal that plugs into the alternator. When this harness is mated with the alternator you will be left with 2 unconnected wires coming out of the regulator connector.

A 14Ga Wire from the "A" terminal and a 18Ga wire from the "I" terminal.

Run a 14Ga wire from the "A" Wire to the Battery side of the Factory Starter Solnoid.

Run an 18 Ga wire from the "I" terminal to the Factory Voltage Regulator location, connect this wire to the 18ga Gen Lite wire that is left from the removal of the original regulator.

From the Output Stud on the Back of the Alternator run an 8Ga wire to the Battery side of the Factory Starter Solnoid. This wire will meet up with the wire you previously ran from the regulator "A" terminal, do not be tempted to make this
junction at the alternator and only run 1 wire. The "A" wire is used by the regulator to sense battery voltage and should be run separate.

In summary, you should have the following connected

(1)  Alternator output stud with 8Ga wire to the Starter Solnoid (battery side)
(2)  Regulator "A" wire with 14Ga wire to the Starter Solnoid (battery side)
(3)  Regulator "I" wire with 18Ga wire to the Factory Gen Lite wire.
(4)  Reguator "S" wire to Alternator "S" terminal (should be part of the salvage harness)

The "I" wire to the Gen Lite and a good Gen Lite bulb are required to insure that the Alternator "Turns On" at low RPM. The Output Stud should not be run to the factory harness, go directly to the starter solnoid, I would not want to push 70 Amps thru 10 ga factory harness, you will smoke the harness!

It looks like a lot but in the end it's only 3 wires, 2 of them going to the same place (solnoid) and 1 connection to the factory harness for the Gen Lite.

Mounting is simple, the top mount of the alternator is a split design that will stradle the original top engine mount. Use a 3/8 threaded rod with nuts and washers to set the alternator in position for proper belt alignment. The lower adjusting brace is from a small block ford, it's about 14 inches long in stock form. Cut about 4 inches off the engine side and drill a new 5/16" hole, bolt it to a waterpump bolt and your done. The lower brace is commonly avaiable at most speed shops in chrome as a dress up item for the 289/302 series engines.

Quote "Keep your Ford all Ford, use a ford alternator." Quote



I would've but in Australia - New GM alternator $100, Ford Alternator $250

They both make volts

Gary - 1958 Star Customline and 1940 Ford Deluxe Hotrod

There has to be a reason the GM volts are cheaper, make sure you drain the Ford volts from the battery before you try to put them GM volts in there.

Being serious, for the savings I would go with the GM alternator also. You may have trouble finding the Escort alternator anyway.

If you go with a GM and want to retain the GEN light get the 3 wire (internal regulator) style, It will wire up almost like I wire the Ford, 2 wires to the solnoid  (output and voltage sense) and 1 to the old regulator location for the GEN light

Mine will be easy as I don't even have a wiring loom in the car yet (it's a rebuild from scratch)

Just rebuilt the 272 and it's still on the stand and I finished rebuilding the fordomatic at the weekend and it's sitting on the garage floor behind the motor.

Rear end of the car is assembled so I just have to start installing the driveline and then the front end of the body.

The suspension is all done.

Having fun with it but my missus is giving me grief for ignoring all the things around the house that I promised I would do if I could just buy a Customline.

Gary - 1958 Star Customline and 1940 Ford Deluxe Hotrod