I was taught that the battery is there only to start the vehicle (though it also provides power for emergency situations), but the generator is there to operate the vehicle's electrcial systems once the vehicle is running. Then, any surplus ouput from the generator is used to replenish the battery, which shouldn't take much in a vehicle in proper operating condition. I think the whole CCA thing is highly over-rated EXCEPT for gagdet-laden late-model vehicles.

After I acquired my first '56 Patrician, back in 1987, I installed Group 60 Allstate battery, and did nothing to the generator. A couple of years later, I drove that car to a cruise-in about 20 minutes away one summer evening. Though it was still light out, I liked to run with the headlights on, but I must have forgotten to turn them off when I parked and went in to eat. When I came back, some guy in the parking lot sneered and said, "hey buddy, looks like ya left yer lights on - tough luck". He was probably waiting for me to ask for a jump-start, but I sneered right back at him and said "don't worry - it'll start" - and it did. Also, I used to leave the Pat parked in the driveway at home during summer months. On more than on occassion, I had to use the Packard to jump start one of my late-model daily drivers.

Alas, that Allstate battery bit the dust after 10 years and was NLA from Sears, but I never got more more than 2-3 years out of any other brand of Group 60. Mebbee the problem isn't so much generators, voltage, or ground as it is the quality of today's batteries.

Unless you just drug a car out of a piece of bottomland, why would you need a NEW 6V generator? There are very few cases where an generator is so badly damaged where it cannot be affordably rebuilt - provided parts are available.

Yet, I just checked rockauto.com and found STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS brush set EX-57 available for a whopping $3.32 - fits a lot of Autolite 6V generators. They also have RX-51 for only $2.80, which fits Delco-Remy 6V as used on Packards 1950-53. Any local parts store that's worth doing business with ought to be able to get 'em, too.

Now, try to get ANY internal parts for an alternator in any GM vehicle built in the last 10 years. You better know who made it and what the amperage output is as the choices are more than you might think. I'll be surprised if you can get anything other than a complete unit. GM wants at least a couple hundred for a reman - parts stores are slightly less.

Newer doesn't necessarily mean better, but - again - if ya gotta upgrade, the Delco SI is a good choice if only because of servicablity. However, don't forget that the original equipment on these old car was built to be renewed and parts are out there in most cases.

I agree with your last sentence, Tim. Though the availability of repro parts keeps our cars on the road and allows us the enjoyment of same, many of them sure don't match the quality of the originals. For example, king pin kits with bronze bushings instead of caged needle bearings, pistons without autothermic struts, and a host of other examples. But I guess we have to be pleased that those parts are available at all, what would we do without them?

Not to belabor the point, but I'm not convinced that just because a battery has a higher amp-hour capacity, it requires more charging. I always thought the amoung of charging required was based on the amount of current drawn, not the size of reservoir it came from.

And yes, new generators are hard to find, but so are new engine blocks, and a lot else. But unless subject to negligence or some other unusual occurance, a set of $10 brushes every 50,000 miles and a few drops of oil annually should keep a generator going almost indefinately. And of course if needed field coils can be rewound and armatures repaired, though those eventualities should be extremely rare.

And of course the major advantage is that you keep the vehicle's historic originality.

Packard did use a red primer. I remember it on the 52 and I also see it on the 56 Caribbean and 400. That also causes the final color coat to look different. The underlying primer will affect the final hue.

Thanks for the advice Brian. The door paint under the trim was closer to the rim paint after I gave it a little buffing.

Also the paint chip I was referrering to was an original Duco paint chip page I have, and not a scan. Also the paint may change a little bit after it cures. That picutre was about 10 mins after I sprayed it.

As far as a repaint, not sure what previous owners may have done. Parts of the engine were also painted the same color as what is currently on the body color. So at some point someone was spraying that color.

I question I have is that my car appears to have used a red-oxide primer under the blue. Was this the common primer that Packard used?

This is great ! All opinions can be correct!

I just want to point out that the charging system has 2 functions- 1- maintain storage 2- operate loads within its capacity.

The problem I and alot of other antique auto owners have is-the early charginging systems were designed for 100 amp or lower batteries .It doesn't take long to recharge a low amp battery (6or12 volt)But this battery is usually not used for what ever reason.So when we use a higher amp hr battery and end up with a hicup of some sorts(flooded engine,closed points ,etc..)We tax the O.E.M system,often to it's breaking point .
In a perfect world-the batttery would maintain a perfect s.o.c .The engine would start on the first try every time,and the plates in the battery would never sulfate....So as we increase the CCA in the battery we use,the time to recharge is also needed.The alternator can do this at a much lower engine speed,of course the gen will do the same but will usally require more time at a higher engine speed.The internal regulated alternators reliability is unmatched.And if you choose one of the alternators that are built into the old style generators,you have the best of both worlds.The alt I installed on my car has a ouput of 17 amps at 700 r.p.m.with the factory Delco pulley.
Just a little fuel for thoughts.

Greetings, Mr. Pushbutton,

You are the acknowledged expert on the pushbutton Ultramatic, but I cannot agree with your Packard V8 block info. The 320", 352" and 374" blocks are each completely different blocks, with different casting numbers. A 320" can potentially have serious problems if bored to 352".

I have sonic-tested many Packard V8 blocks and found cylinder walls as thin as .200" in some spots. Boring a 3-13/16" 320" to the 4" 352" bore requires taking out a minimum of .093" of this, leaving only .107". The engine will start, run and maybe last, but there are dangers of overheating, cylinder wall flex and even failures, should there be any corrosion weakening the cylinder walls from inside the water jacket. The 352" blocks are still very common and no reason to take a risk on boring a 320".

The August 1955 Hot Rod Magazine article by Racer Brown goes into great detail on this and recommends a maximum overbore of 1/8" (.125")on any Packard V8.

Yes, back in the bad old days, some racers bored the 352" a full .250" oversize, but that was before we knew any better. Current experience shows the better ring seal and power output from strong cylinder walls is preferable to the few more cubic inches gained from an overbore which would weaken the cylinder walls.

Finally, the 320" crank has much smaller counterweights and cannot be successfully used with the heavier 352" pistons. Get a late 1956 352" and start from there. It is a much better engine, anyway, with many improved oiling system parts and valve train parts.

thnx, jack vines

Owen wrote:
" The engineers who designed these cars knew how to size a generator capacity to the electrical load of the car so unless you've dramatically increased the load, what's the gain - brighter lights while standing still? And why 12 volts? Seems to be this pervasive thought than prior to the advent of 12 volt systems in the 1950s, all cars built before that wouldn't start."

WHERE do u find a NEW 6v generator for a Packard or anything else for that matter???? What will it COST????

Prior to the horse power revolution of 1955 most vehicles were geared with very high ratio axles and for good reasons FOR THAT ERA but now nearly absurd for modern day use! BELIEVE it or not, this effects the generator output if OD or lower ratio gear sets are used to sustain modern demands..

If a car is only used for driving between trailor and showing field then i don't understand why anyone needs a generator that even works. All they need is one that looks good and is correct for that model.

You are both right!

I have this piece of paper that says full flow and obviously it is not. I wondered about that given the can on top of the engine.

The last time I worked on the Packard V-8 was awhile ago. A body shop had gone out to see if the engine would start. They ran it a little and shut it off. The engine seized because of condensation in the cylinders. I freed two stuck pistons, honed it, and the car kept running until the owner died from old age. It was his only car.

Anyway I talked to an engineer about this and he feels that the big problem is that old engines are just plain dirty and need frequent oil changes. A number of manufacturers in the fifties were recommending detergent oil for cars as soon as they came onto the market. However, the switch to full flow filtration became universal very shortly because petroleum researchers were finding corrosion without enough filtration. By 1969 Chevrolet was recommending annual oil changes thanks to full flow oil filtration.

The other day I was looking at engine parts from a rebuilt V-12 that were in really bad shape. That is, it is on its second rebuild. The owner always used detergent oil and the detergent obviously wasn't helping very much. I think the biggest problem is not enough original Packard parts. These new parts just aren't as good as genuine Packard merchandise.