!959 Alternator Upgrade

[59tailfins]

Hello all and thank you in advance!

I have a 1959 Series 62 4 door with the stock generator. I am considering changing over to an alternator for reliability and higher output. Please tell me the do's and dont's, what is involved, do I need a separate voltage regulator, if so which one, What spark plugs should I use?

I am also considering a Pertronix Ignition Module. Pluses, minuses please.

Thank you,
Brian

[J I Garner CLC # 23406]

I have a 1962 Eldorado with factory ac and I installed a single wire Power Gen alternator which looks like a generator. With an alternator you will remove your voltage regulator. I have driven the car in parades and there is no sign of battery drain at low speed. I also have installed Pertronix ignition. I like the simplicity of their unit. I had another classic car into which I installed a Crane unit. The Crane requires much more time and alteration to install. The Pertronix is easy to install and very reliable. It is also invisible since it goes into the distributor cap. These changes make the car seem more reliable.
Jim

[dplotkin]

The alternator made to look like a generator as described above is a good solution for the guy who insists on an alternator which I grant you is technologically advanced over the original generator. Yet I've always felt that one of the things that makes old cars fun to have are the various idiosyncratic aspects of old-tech, whether it be stubborn vacuum wipers, goofy shifting automatics, or the wiggle of an ammeter needle caused by a generator and mechanical regulator. That my generators don't charge at idle or may last only 40,000 miles before they need brushes never bothered me much. I have the same views about original points ignition; a quality set of properly installed & adjusted points is good for 15,000 or more miles easy. You can always use a match book striker on a set of points. All you can do for Pertronics is call a wrecker.

You can employ the unit suggested above or either of the older Delcotrons. The original D1 needs the two element voltage regulator, both are available from any of the chain auto parts stores. You can also use the later (73-up) Delcotrons with built-in regulator. To use a D1, I would lay your hands on a 63 shop manual wiring diagram and re-wire your existing charging harness to match, simple job.

Sorry for the long-winded opinion, I can't help myself sometimes.

Dan

[Dan LeBlanc]

Here is a step by step guide. 59 will be pretty much the same.

http://www.61-62cadillacs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39&page=5

[David Greenburg]

I know lots of folks like to make this upgrade, but I had my generator rebuilt over 20 years ago, not long after buying the car, and have never had any problems with it.  And I do a fair bit of low speed city-suburban driving.  But I don't have a/c or modern stereo.   

[62droptop]

the stock generator does get the job done on a stock car


i  installed a alternator because i would be using the car a lot
i have an electric cooling fan for the radiator,pertronix ignition(which i would recommend to anyone) i drive in the rain and in cold weather and use the heat and wipers,and now have electric fuel pump, and i pull a trailer ,further adding electrical load.
i also upgraded the factory candles(t3 headlights) with some 55 watt halogens and 60 watt highbeams, with the generator,it wouldnt keep up, of all my cars including my wifes minivan,the caddy has the best set of headlights of any car i own,they are awesome

i also do a lot of long distance high speed driving ,something that a  generator is not too happy about, i like the reliability of the alternator
i would be replacing the generator every couple years the way i drive my car

i guess it all depends on how  and how much you drive your car
a generator like most everyone is aware,does not charge at idle and only marginal at low speed
total output is at best 45 amps if yu have the heavy duty a/c one
my alt is 110 a or so, i install a heavy gauge wire from the alt to the battery as a precaution to handle the extra current
if you went with a standard 63 a unit,probably only need a 10 gauge wire


i also like the idea that  there is very little current being carried across the brushes of an alternator
i know of at least 2 people personally who had their wiring harness under the hood melt down because of a generator internal failure after parking their car for the night after a good day driving
luckily in both instances the owners were lucky to have checked their cars before they went to bed ,and both found them smouldering under the hood and needed complete underhood wiring replaced and one needed to repaint the paint burnt off the hood
both cars now have alternators

the link Dan L posted is a very good play by play describing everything involved and even gives a alternator part #

[62droptop]

Steven
i agree the stock set up correctly rebuilt will be adequate for most people driving their stock classic car ,and last for many years,specially since many classics only go a couple thousand miles max a year
i put between 7-10000 miles annually on my car ,unfortunately seems like half that in the rain
i just need more power than the old genny could ever hope of giving ,
my electric fan draws almost 20 amps
high output headlights 12amps on low beam,20 more  on high beam
another 10amps or so for the amp and radio
add the heater and wipers in the rain,

when i hook up my trailer i have another 10 amps worth of running lights alone to light up
doesnt take too long to out power you 43 amp generator once you start adding extra electric load
that wasnt there from the factory

even if i didnt have any other load from factory,i still would run an alternator just to have brighter headlights the alternator would allow ,specially at idle and low speeds

by keeping the battery on the tender ,the battery is always perfectly charged and that makes a huge difference