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for all 1940-50 Packards with the 356 engine. Jim at
Antique Auto Battery
602 West Rayen Avenue
Youngstown, OH 44502-1126
1 (800) 426-7580
www.antiqueautobattery.com

AAB also, of course, can supply such bolt-in, 6-volt, positive-ground, one-wire alternators for all Packards and other cars not using the hefty fanbelt of the 356 engines.

No butchering or alteration of the car in the least. Comes with complete bracket. If you miss the dim head and taillights at idle at dusk and night, you can easily reinstall your original AutoLite or Delco generator, with its 35 peak amps only when your engine's turning 2,000 or more rpm, anytime, should you tire of having 55 amps at idle, faster battery recovery, etc.

This tip strictly for those of you who like me, have long since made your purist bones, and aren't aghast at such a simple, wee upgrade that doesn't harm our cars in the least.

Should it make the rest of you feel better, some taxis and other vehicles in the '50s had six-volt alternators.
If you don't say anything, few will ever notice your upgrade. Our cars look sleeker with the hoods closed, anyway, and those complaining at the local shine and show might get lives or go work on their own cars.

I've seen some of those early alternators. They were as big as a lawnmower engine. Actually I find the chrome wire wheels, painted radiator shells, and accessory fender lights on the Senior cars far less attractive.

If you could come with a new carburetor you'd really have something.

Nice to hear a bracket is included. Is a wiring diagram or instructions for the regulator bypass included also? While neither is a big issue, those two items seem to get the most questions or concerns from the people contemplating a change. Hopefully you will soon know how the 1" pulley situation works out and then anyone can just order a "kit" from the source.

The alternator is, again, a simple bolt-in proposition.
One-wire. You use one of the existing generator wires, tape off the other two and you're done. Of course, instructions come with it. They've been offering 6V, pos-ground alternators for 20 years. Their contact info's above.

Dr. Cole, couldn't agree more about chromed wire wheels.
Hideous. A friend gaga over ancient Italian barouches showed me a photo of a Bugatti aero coupe Ralph Lauren campaigned at the Pebble Beach tournament of credit lines and ego a few years ago. The wire wheels were, of course, originally body color, but Lauren had them chromed. To their credit, the judges didn't give him best in class, but i think he still placed.
Packardite Phil Hill, despite the many Pebble restorations his Santa Monica shop turned out, summed it
well: "I've seen more beautiful original cars forever ruined for the sake of another few points."

Twits. I've been a hardcore "old car cuckoo" as Jean Shepherd called us and himself all my life. But if i never attend Pebble 'twill be fine. I've friends who've taken best of class, and best of show, so i know what i'm talking about.

But i disagree about painted radiator shells. I remember the first 1930s senior Packard i ever saw up close and personal when i was on my way home from college. A huge,
canary yellow '36 Packard Twelve phaeton and what most impressed me was the understatement of the radiator shell painted body color, only the grille bars chromed. This really underscored Packard's genteel elan, quiet class, and made a '30s Rolls-Royce or other highend car look crass and vulgar in comparison.

What's really sad are the bozos who two-tone 1935-40 Packards, which the factory, of course, never did.

The above shop in Ohio, AAB, uses a 1972-78 GM Delco alternator for their 6-volt, positive-ground conversion. A couple of us have already ordered ours simply as we like the idea of 55 amps at idle as opposed to NO amps from a generator,
and i like the idea of getting rid of another 16 lbs. from the front end, as i've already jettisoned 100 or so from the rest of the car. If only Packard had made those effing heavy seat frames out of aluminum instead of steel!