Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

I want to upgrade my 1949 Packard to 12 volts. I have read several magazine articles on generally how-to-do this on a Ford. I would want to replace the wiring with modern insulation, any sources for this wiring loom? Are there any lessons learned in doing this upgrade on the Packard? Any archived information somewhere? The information on alternator upgrades I have read look very straighforward. Phred

OMIGOD, another 12-volt conversion. Oh for the good old days when folks wanted to save a piece of history and experience what it was like to own, maintain and drive cars of a prior era. When I started in this hobby longer ago than I want to remember, it was all about preservation of cars of an older era, learning to maintain them, and getting the driving skills needed which were often different that we had learned. And preservation meant authenticity. Sure there was some restoration, but not to the standards we see today, more often than not a "restoration" was a home paint job, some reupholstery done by a handy owner or wife, and some plating. If you didn't have the mechanical skills to do your own work, you probably weren't in the hobby in the first place. We felt like we were preserving a piece of automotive history for future generations.

Today it seems the goal of so many is to have a Packard skin covering as many of the modern features as we can cram into it, A/C, disc brakes, alternators, 12-volt conversions, replacement transmissions and engines in some cases, tilt steering columns, etc. And of course a rationale for all those things. Nothing historically significant in that kind of a vehicle, and in some cases it certainly detracts from future value, but it's your $, just don't call it "restoration" - (from Webster's Unabridged - bringing back into a former unimpaired state)

I don't mean to rub anyone's nose out of joint with this, just reminiscing about how the hobby has changed. And in some ways, not for the better.

Every day reliability is my goal so people will see this example of Packard styling and superior automitive engineering on the freeway and roads daily. Not sitting on the grass at a park on Sunday with a Do Not Touch sign on the windshield. I have one of those all ready.

Just my 2 cents but I don't understand why you think that changing over to 12 volts will improve "everyday reliability". This ground has been covered before so no reason to repeat it now but when the components are in good condition the 6 volt system is just as reliable as the 12 volt. Maybe I'm old fashioned but I concur completely with Owen on this point.

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ME TOO.

The usual procedure goes something like this:

1) The car won't start, or develops some other fault.

2) Spend hundreds of $$$$$ and hours converting to 12 volts

3) It's still not right

4) Fix whatever was wrong in the first place.

Nowadays I prefer to skip directly to #4 and save my time and money.

The only exception would be if the car was already butchered by a previous owner who tried to "fix" it and failed. In that case it might be easier to go 12 volts.

Changing a car to 12 volts and doing it properly is a lot more work and expense than you might think. Especially if you have been listening to people who have never actually done the job themselves.

6 volts worked OK for 50 years and they will still do the job if everything is in good shape.

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AMEN to that too.

That is a rationale that I hear a lot when strolling around the weekend car shows in Southern California at some park with all the shine and Do Not Touch signs on the windshields. See all the "trailer queens" with their trailers parked around the corner or actually drove to the park from 25 miles away. What drive the Packard to work daily (night on the freeway, rain?),use it on a vacation more that an hour away from home, not travel in a caravan, no 6 volt jumper from AAA, reinstall the fabric cover copper wire loom, etc. These cars are restored examples of Packards for show and shine, people admire the showroom condition of these cars, but not to be actually driven as a family sedan for transportation because you do not want to risk it...it is so original and it cost a fortune and years to get it to this level of restoration.

I want my son and grandson/daughter to experience the enjoyment I did in my fathers 1950 Packard sedan driving to visit relatives, feeling the engine pull hills in igh gear without a sound, taking trips to the state parks, as the Packard was originally designed to do when 6 volt systems were new and plentiful. Today 12 volt systems and accessories (AM-FM & CB radios, GPS portable devices, cell phone chargers), bright headlights, powerful alternators..the very reasons you will drive you Jap luxury car instead of the Packard.

People will see your Packard in the park 2 maybe 3 times a year. Mine will be in the employee parking lot... each day.

with out a doubt, the worse monkey business I have seen on old cars is committed to the electrical systems. Every shade tree Joe and Roddin' Ricky has to bring the car they find down to their level of understanding. The V-8 Packards really suffer from this, apparently the systems Packard designed for those cars is electrical Greek to the "not into reading books" crowd.
I woulod only ask one thing: if you are going to convert the car, for whatever reason, document what you did. Draw a schematic like the shop manual has for the OE set up. I have had to waste a lot of time doping out someone else's (Il-)"logic" trying to fix something as simple as a charging circuit.

I drove a 6 volt car to work every day, in Michigan, in the winter. I didn't have, want or need any of those techie toys, I like them in my modern car, rely on them. But my Packrd is my time machine, a chance to get away from constant communication, to take the road less traveled and not have a systhisized woman's voice tell me where to turn left.