Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Does anyone have a source for these?

You're better served with good grounds, 00 (double aught) battery cables ends crimped and soldered, using a battery disconnect switch--Cole Hersee brass marine grade available online or at any NAPA store is fine -- and an Optima six-volt Red Top 800 cold cranking amp battery. Don't reinvent the wheel. Your Packard started and operated fine when it left the dealer. Two words to remember: "Factory standard."

I was thinking of using a 12V positive ground alternator, 2 6V batteries in series and simply placing the cranking cable on the middle posts.

12V for an AC.

Why on earth? One (1) 6-volt Optima has enough to spin my '47's nine-main-bearing, 7.5:1 compression 356-ci engine; it will easily spin a 327, let alone a 288. (800) 426-7580, Jim's Battery Manufacturing, Youngstown, OH, has a 6-volt, 55-amp, positive ground alternator, bolt in, no butchering whatsoever. Tell Jim and Dolores that Mike, '47 Super Clipper, Walnut Creek, CA and Hans, '47 Custom Super, British Columbia referred you.

Weight is the enemy. Why do you want to drive around with a pair of off-gassing, leaky, wet, h e a v y batteries? I got almost a decade each from my last two Optimas, know of a '41 Cad that went 14 years. C-Tek UC 800 trickle charger is the one you want. An Optima tech so recommended in the late '90s, no regrets since.

Yours stick and overdrive? Had a '51 200 40-48 years ago. Good ergonomics, good road cars, esp. w/ stick/OD, drab as an ordnance vehicle within. Even w/ that lock up Dynaflow, "Uncle" Tom McCahill preferred it over the 400 Patrician. Yours is a relatively light two-door. Jettison every pound. Spray everything you can with oil to protect from Charleston's salt air.

And you don't need cupholders. Just fill the sliding metal glovebox with ice and some long straws.

I don’t have a source but I do have a 6/12 relay that was made for the purpose. It’s in the Classified Ads under Accessories on my Packard / IMPERIAL page linked below.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a centered tapped 12 volt automotive battery, but the idea of using two Optima 6 volt units is definitely one way to make one. There is some advice in this site about using two batteries in series, that is; 1) the same type i.e. group number are used, and 2) the two batteries are roughly the same age. If the battery box in your ’51 is the same as used in a ’54 Cavalier, then two Optima’s will fit just fine. . . however you’ll need to fabricate a ‘custom’ hold-down.

The comments about 6 volt positive ground systems working adequately are well founded. Perhaps you can let us know what you are trying to accomplish by switching to 12 volt positive ground while retaining the 6 volt power to the starter motor . . . and perhaps other un-identified systems, such as the OEM radio. If the voltage swap is only to run an AC, then we’ve got at least one example (my ’54) that is a 6+ car that has an AC installed. I suggest you search this site on ‘air condition’, and review the thread titled ‘Aftermarket Air Conditioning’. So far, we’ve kicked-around mounting brackets, suitability of using a 12 volt clutch coil, but have left the subject of the evaporator fans alone . . . at least up to this point.

dp

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I had one back in the '60s which was probably from JC Whitney. Relatively common then but not today! It wasn't exactly a center-tapped 12v but rather was two small 6v together in one case. When starting, the relay connected them in series and while running they were in parallel.