52 Olds 6V to 12V conversion and new wiring harness

[R_CK_R]

hi Folks,
I´m about to convert my 52 Olds from its original 6V to 12V.
I bought a complete conversion Kit on ebay and I must say it´s great!
But as I started to replace all old parts I thought the old wiring (I think its original) should also be replaced. I don´t want my car to catch fire.

 

[MercuryMac]

Hi R CK, did you get a booklet with your conversion kit that explains things like using the six volt gauges and senders with 12 volts or do you have to change everything. Six volt stuff is positive ground and twelve volt is negative ground. If you do a half-baked job of conversion like I do sometimes, [like 6V sender running a 12V gauge], the gauges will read backwards. Hopefully you'll enlighten us along your journey to electrical bliss.

 

[Torchie]

Good call on the wiring.
The original starter can handle 12 volts and not have problems.
Torchie

 

[OddRodsGarage]

Hi R CK, did you get a booklet with your conversion kit that explains things like using the six volt gauges and senders with 12 volts or do you have to change everything. Six volt stuff is positive ground and twelve volt is negative ground. If you do a half-baked job of conversion like I do sometimes, [like 6V sender running a 12V gauge], the gauges will read backwards. Hopefully you'll enlighten us along your journey to electrical bliss.

Not all 6 volt is positive ground , they started changing it over about the time his 52 was built ..my 53 Chevy truck for example is negative ground , to change see below

If your wire harness is in good shape you can keep it as 6-volt systems carry twice the Amps of 12-volt systems, which means their wiring is considerably heavier than required.

Now to go from Pos. to Neg. ground
Simply reverse the wires on the Ammeter. (The previous "in" will now be "out" and vice-versa).

Also reverse the wires on the coil. Ignition will be on (+) and (-) will go to coil.

Finish by reversing the battery cables. POS will now go to the starter, and NEG will go to the ground. also if you are leaving it 6 volt move "ground" from frame to a starter attachment bolt. it will start much better

Go drink a beer you are done

Oldog

 

[R_CK_R]

Hi R CK, did you get a booklet with your conversion kit that explains things like using the six volt gauges and senders with 12 volts or do you have to change everything. Six volt stuff is positive ground and twelve volt is negative ground. If you do a half-baked job of conversion like I do sometimes, [like 6V sender running a 12V gauge], the gauges will read backwards. Hopefully you'll enlighten us along your journey to electrical bliss.

Yes, I got a very detailed description. I ordered the kit in the US and there is everything included. Also included was a new magnetic switch for the starter.
My Olds should be negative grounded because the negative from the batterie goes directly to the engine and the positive goes to the starter.

But there is one thing I was wondering about today... The there is a reducer for the gauges included but I had to connect it to IGN contact at the gauges, why do I have to connect all gauges to the same positive point? Are they negative controlled?

 

[Torchie]

Ford is the one that had positive ground 6 volt volt untill they went with 12 volt in 56 I believe. 52 Olds would have been negative ground 6 volts.
Torchie

 

[Skip]

I'm having a dyslexic day.

First I thought, where did he get a V12? That sounds cool.
Then I thought, where did the V6 come from. The first update maybe?
THEN I thought, That Olds Rocket engine ain't a V6! Is this guy slow???[S

Then I finally figured out that the "V" came after the numbers.
Now it all makes sense.


Thanks for putting up with me today...

 

[MercuryMac]

I'm such a Ford guy that I didn't know GM started to fiddle around with electron flow direction in 1952; just one more reason to hate all GM stuff.
Yes R CK, you have to put a resistor in on the IGN contact side, because the electricity will go through the gauges and then out to the senders to ground. You may need even more ohms resistance than that one resistor, but wait until you've test driven the car a bit to decide that.
Torchie is right about the 6V starter living with 12V, but I think you maybe got a 12V one in your kit. Your heater motor will last a long time too and turn the right way. In the winters of the late sixties I lost a few good girlfriends because I couldn't warm them up in my 12V '56 Ford. I completely blame the Ford six volt heater motor that really screamed but was turning the squirrel cage fan backwards. No heat entered that car, for any reason.

 

[Skip]

I'm such a Ford guy that I didn't know GM started to fiddle around with electron flow direction in 1952; just one more reason to hate all GM stuff.
Yes R CK, you have to put a resistor in on the IGN contact side, because the electricity will go through the gauges and then out to the senders to ground. You may need even more ohms resistance than that one resistor, but wait until you've test driven the car a bit to decide that.
Torchie is right about the 6V starter living with 12V, but I think you maybe got a 12V one in your kit. Your heater motor will last a long time too and turn the right way. In the winters of the late sixties I lost a few good girlfriends because I couldn't warm them up in my 12V '56 Ford. I completely blame the Ford six volt heater motor that really screamed but was turning the squirrel cage fan backwards. No heat entered that car, for any reason.

Ah yes, truing to generate heat in a '56 Ford. I remember it well.

 

[R_CK_R]

I'm having a dyslexic day.

First I thought, where did he get a V12? That sounds cool.
Then I thought, where did the V6 come from. The first update maybe?
THEN I thought, That Olds Rocket engine ain't a V6! Is this guy slow???[S

Then I finally figured out that the "V" came after the numbers.
Now it all makes sense.


Thanks for putting up with me today...

Haha!
A V12 would be nice...

 

[R_CK_R]

I got a little time on saturday and removed the old wiring harness.
Also I replaced the old speaker in the original Radio with a new one.
As i removed the original Radio last year, I broke the heater/blower hose which I also replaced on sat.

I also got a question, can you tell me what this switch is for?
Its mounted on the steering column.

thanks and best regards from Germany

 

[Old Iron]

Looks like a neutral safety switch if it's an auto tranny.
Could be a backup light switch if it's a manual or auto too
If it's an auto move the lever from drive to neutral to reverse to park and see where it engages the switch.
If it's a manual tranny then it's for the backup lights.

 

[R_CK_R]

Looks like a neutral safety switch if it's an auto tranny.
Could be a backup light switch if it's a manual or auto too
If it's an auto move the lever from drive to neutral to reverse to park and see where it engages the switch.
If it's a manual tranny then it's for the backup lights.

its a auto transmission and it has neutral safety so that you cannot start the engine if the tranny is not in N...
oh man... I shoul´ve marked the cables before ripping them out [S

 

[R_CK_R]

wow... long time since I was posting here.

did something more on my Olds...
As I was ripping out the old harness I unfortunately damaged the old kick panels
so me and my girlfriend built some new with holes for little speakers.
I´m very proud of the new panels

 

[soltz]

Nice work on the panels. [cl

 

[Skip]

Panels. Like.[cl

 

[sc5080]

Those panels look pretty professional to me. Nice job.

 

[R_CK_R]

Thank you guys!

was the first time I did something like that and I´m very proud of the results

 

[sgtpontiac]

Yes sir!!!

Very nice work....[cl