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

Are you keeping the car 6 volt or changing to 12 volt? It does make a difference.

In case you don't know, it is easier and better to stay totally stock 6 volt.

It is possible to change to 12 volt but it's a lot more work than just fixing the 6 volt system. Although people who have never done it, seem to assume the opposite.

Excellent question, Rusty
When I bought the car in 2008 it had a new 12 volt battery negative ground in it and I assumed, incorrectly, that some things had been done to convert it to 12 volt. It did not help that neither the starter nor the generator had any metal tag indicating the maker, model number, or voltage. I originally owned this same model (but a different car)as my first car in 1973 when I was 18 so I knew it originally came with 6 volt positive ground. After investigation I decided that the only thing about the car that was 12 volt was the battery so I replaced the battery with a six volt battery and the car ran fine with the six volt until recently. So, although it had a 12 volt battery when I bought it, and I ran it with a 12 volt battery for a while until I figured out what had been done, it is now and was last running as a 6 volt vehicle. I figured since everything in the car was apparently 6 volt, why should I go to all this expense if the car would run as a six volt with little additional expense. The polarity had been switched to negative on the coil and I went ahead and kept it as negative ground since the 6 volt voltage regulator I bought (thought the original one was messed up by the 12 volt battery since breaker points were burning) worked with both negative and positive ground. With my first Packard I had bad experiences with ignorant battery installers reversing polarity and messing up voltage regulators. Also, I did not know of anything that would be hurt by the polarity switch, the radio not working anyway.
Ken Dunning
kens53clip

Another thing to watch for is the wiring to the carb starter switch. On my car the insulation had worn through from laying over the throttle linkage and would periodically give me "the click". An extra layer of high heat resistant cloth electrical tape was a cheap quick fix. Good luck!

Excellent suggestion, Chuckltd,
The recommendation of high heat resistent cloth electrical tape is very good as I bet that wiring near the carb does get really hot. I'll be sure to check that out.
Thanks,
Ken Dunning
kens53clip

If the insulation is so bad that you need a tape job to fix it, then just replace that run of wire and be done with it. Wire is cheap, a car fire is not.

Big Kev,
A good point. I guess it depends on how bad the insulation on a particular wire is. If it is a fairly small fix of a wire not in contact with others and the insulation is otherwise OK, I would think a tape job would suffice. But if the insulation is coming off in chunks in multiple places that could contact other wires, a tape job would probably be rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, so to speak. Thanks!
Ken Dunning
kens53clip

The carburetor starter switches are generally extremely reliable, and also easy to clean and repair. You should check the stroke of the accelerator pedal and linkage to make sure that the switch is firmly contacted just as or before the accelerator bottoms out on the carpet. Some folks with these switches have made a short little jumper with alligator clips and a push button to keep in the glove box just in case.

For minor repairs of insulation on otherwise sound wiring, Eastwood's liquid insulation works well, though when I last bought some it was available only in black. Doesn't necessarily make an attractive repair, but effective.

Took a quick look at the carb starter switch on the way to work this morning and it looks like somebody has done a pretty thorough job with electric tape already but one never knows, maybe the job was not as thorough as it looks. The accelerator linkage also needs a look. Do not have to worry about carpet. The car still has the original black rubber mat, although torn and brittle. The Eastwood product sounds useful. Kanter sent me an Eastwood catalog with my last order. Have been pretty tied up with work lately but hope to do testing of carb switch, ignition switch, wiring, etc., and otherwise work on the car over the holiday weekend. Thanks! Happy 4th of July everyone!
Ken Dunning
kens53clip

Good News!! Was able to get my 53 Clipper started over the 4th of July weekend. I reinstalled the starter and the solenoid (which tested O.K.), put a little bit of electrical tape on a couple of wires in the starter system, and retightened connections to the starter and solenoid. Afterwards, it started. So I guess you would have to say it could have been connections that needed to be tightened or wires grounding out that were fixed by a bit of electrical tape.
Thanks for all who helped!!
Ken Dunning
kens53clip

Congrats! That must have been exciting. Good job....