Ok swimmers its spring again and we are all working on the Amphi's

I have decided to go with the Alternator after having some electrical
problems last year. I have it all apart and I remember that there was
a web page with all the how to for the conversion but,I can't find it
again (or maybe I was in some amphi dream).

Has anyone done this and is there any instructions beside the fuel
gauge and sending unit?

What about the wiring on the volt regulator etc. Windshield wiper
motor?

I know Scott talked about the Gm 60 amp single wire is this better
then the spitfire alt.?

What about the starter is there anything that needs to be converted?

Which wire goes where 8-)

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Doug




        
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GORDON IMPORTS INC.. The world's largest source of Amphicar parts and accessories. Visit our new website today.

Doug,

This single wire system is negative ground based. You must change from
the factory positive ground to negative ground.

http://www.vtr.org/maintain/negative-ground.html

The starter does not care which way it's hooked up.

I found after three blown fuses, that the pin that holds the contacts on
the wiper motor closed short to ground. I glued a piece of plastic to
the spot where the pin pushes on the contact. Problem solved. While your
in there you can fix those wipers that stop in the middle of the
windshield when you turn the switch off.

Oh ya, one more thing I just found after some wet feet swims. You have
to change the BILGE PUMP wires around also. My Walmart special was
running backwards.

Take a GM alternator from a 74-83 car to your favorite shop. The guy who
did mine said it did not even have to work. They replace all the guts
and use only the case. It cost me $42 for the conversion to a single
wire alternator. The new regulator on it's own is about $15. The farmers
are buying these things like crazy for their old tractors. When the car
first starts the alternator is off. A rev up to about 800 rpm and the
unit kicks in, runs even at idle. 14.7 volts

I think these two projects took about four hours total. three and a half
hours of which were making the top bracket for the alternator.

Scott Moses
Kansas




        
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GORDON IMPORTS INC.. The world's largest source of Amphicar parts and accessories. Visit our new website today.

Doug, et al.:

In response to the posting below, David Chapman's page at
http://www.amphicars.com/actgen.htm briefly describes the generator to
alternator conversion process. One can also mine through almost 40 or so
past postings to this List concerning "alternator" (also "alternators",
"alternater" [sic]) by clicking:

http://www.escribe.com/automotive/am...ry=alternat*r*

or, do the same sort of search for "generator" (also "generators",
"generater" [sic]) by clicking:

http://www.escribe.com/automotive/am...ery=gen*r*t*r*

You will find David Chapman's fairly definitive posting to this List on this
topic through both of the above searches, or you can view it directly at:

http://www.escribe.com/automotive/am...x.html?mID=479

One of these days I might do the same swap.

~Bilgemaster~

[...snip!]

I have decided to go with the Alternator after having some electrical
problems last year. I have it all apart and I remember that there was
a web page with all the how to for the conversion but,I can't find it
again (or maybe I was in some amphi dream).

Has anyone done this and is there any instructions beside the fuel
gauge and sending unit?

What about the wiring on the volt regulator etc. Windshield wiper
motor?

I know Scott talked about the Gm 60 amp single wire is this better
then the spitfire alt.?

What about the starter is there anything that needs to be converted?

Which wire goes where 8-)

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Doug




        
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
GORDON IMPORTS INC.. The world's largest source of Amphicar parts and accessories. Visit our new website today.