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1939 Packard Super 8. I am going to install an electrical fan to aid in cooling. h efan I am considering requires 13 amps. I believe this may be to much for the generator. What is the typical output for thestock generator on this Packard?

Thanks

Max output 28 amps at 1850 generator rpm, per the shop manual which you can view online on this site.

Does the fact that you're considering an electric fan mean you've tried but been unsuccessful in finding and fixing the existing problem with your cooling system?

I have had radiator boiled cleaned and pressure tested, new water pump and engine descaled. I am running a 7 psi cap and a 160 thermostat. The car in 80 to 90 degree temp here in southern CA and I have max temp of 210F sometimes. Car has not boiled over and I have an expansion tank.

I have engine out of car now and decided to install an aux cooling fan as it would be easy to do. I do cross country tours through Nevada and Utah and would like the back up if I need it.

Not sure if this will be useful, but perhaps someone else has tried this on an older Packard with the 6 volt positive ground system.
I recently secured an alternator housed in an original looking case from Summit Racing and installed it on my 1955 Cadillac.
My generator needed replaced and the cost of a rebuilt generator was about the same as the unit from Summit.
The unit looks essentially identical to the generator it replaced and uses the same belt size. The only required modification was installing a heavier gauge wire from the unit to the starter and a heavier gauge ground wire.
The unit puts out around twice the amps of the original generator and does not require a voltage regulator.

There were units offered for 6 volt but I did not determine whether there were specific units offered for the older Packards....but the case on the unit I purchased looks quite similar to the generator on the Packard.

My engine is at the rebuild shop and I have been considering upgrading to halogen headlights and electronic ignition when/ if the car gets put back together . I have given some thought to doing the alternator replacement if it is as simple as the install on the Cadillac and I can avoid cost of replacing the voltage regulator.
I did notice in the instructions that the higher amps from an alternator may not be comparable with older analog voltage gauges. My friends expressed concerns for whether the older wiring might be inadequate but so far things seem to be working out.
If anyone has gone this route with an older Packard and has run into any problems, I would appreciate the imput.
RJR

You can upgrade the generator to one of 40 or 45 amps out, if lacking power. These are common in the late '40-early 50s.
A local electric shop may also be able to rewind yours for more output.
Fan speed is proportional to power draw, so the slower it turns the less amp draw by power of 3. If available in 6V, consider a thermostatic or two/variable speed unit for less draw when not needed.
I assume you've checked your temperature measurement, all the front air deflecting sheet metal is intact, and '39 is not the thermostatic louver year.

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It sounds like you have bought a Powergen unitqualitypowerauto.com/catalog.php?category=145 which is essentially the same electrically as a typical alternator but housed in a generator style case. Many have installed a modern looking alternator on the Packards but mostly in 12v neg ground conversions. There have been a few 6v positive ground versions of the modern looking unit as well as one or two installs of an alternator custom built into the original generator case.gener-nator.com/index.htm To the best of my knowledge only the heavier wire from the alternator to the battery connection was required. Not sure what has typically been done with the old regulator but it is not used with an alternator. They could have been jumpered around or removed. If the car has an idiot light instead of an ammeter then sometimes a couple of other changes were needed.

With the selection of stock pulleys available I believe the Powergen will be able to fit most Packards except those with the 356 engine having the extra wide fan belt. As far as I know, there is only one alternator vendor that has been willing to custom make a pulley for the wide belt providing the alternator was bought from them. I don't believe they sell the Powergens though and last I heard the cost of the custom pulley was approximately the same price as the alternator.

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My '39 Junior car has thermostatic louvers Jim; assume the Senior car would as well??? Chris.

My 1939 Super Eight is pretty stock and it has thermostatic shutters, I'm pretty sure all Supers and V12's had them and also the 120's. Not sure of the Sixes though.

Steve

The 1939 Six that I bought as a teenager in the '60s had them.

In-head thermostats can be fitted to the 120s and Sixes/110s in addition to the thermostatic controlled grille louvers. Don't know about the Senior 8s and 12s.