6 to12 volt conversion

B

B-ster

Senior Member
I've been debating whether to convert my 54 Lincoln to 12 volt. I know there are some out there saying it causes issues but we want reliability, easier part availability and ability to have headlights that allow me to see at night. A lot of the wiring has been chewed by rodents and many connections are tattered so it is in need of a new harness. Because of these reasons, that's the way we're going.
Now, my engine is missing the carb and since I'm not too concerned about keeping it original, I'd like to hear from others about what I need to do to get a more modern carb on this old 317 motor. I also want advise on headers for dual exhaust. I heard that they're out there.
Does anyone know if the ac unit in this car will run on 12 volts? I also want to know how I can find these things out for myself, cuz there's power windows, seats that I'll need to figure out.
Please don't chastise me for my decision to convert, thanks in advance for that and the help y'all will be giving me.
 
I’ve really got a soft spot for those Capri’s. First car I can really remember is the 54 Capri my dad bought used in 55. Ours was a 2 door, he didn’t trust us boys in the back of a 4 door. He was probably right. As I got older, he got a lot smarter.

The seats and windows are not a problem on 12 volts. The one’s in my 55 bird have been fine for years, including the relays. Just don’t play with them-like run continuously. They’ll build heat and burn up. Proper usage they’ll be fine.

I’d assume all the wiring is toast. Just from the years if not from damage. Even up in damp Seattle the insulation is brittle on every mid 50’s car I’ve dealt with. You’ll need to decide if you want to pay the price for reproduction harnesses or do a more modern rewire. I don’t know if the Lincoln had a fuse panel, I know the Fords didn’t. You’ll have to decide what you want to do. Either way, check all the ground connections. That can be problem on any old car, and often overlooked when troubleshooting.

If it’s got King Seeley gauges, and I don’t know, I don’t think they are either voltage or polarity sensitive. Here’s a starting point for those. Really old post, go all the way to the end.

http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/Topic22135-1.aspx

Hopefully someone will know if the a/c compressor was ever offered in 12 volt, or the load for a drop resister. But given the change in Freon, that’s probably a more complicated subject.

Nice find. Enjoy the ride.
 
B-ster said:
I've been debating whether to convert my 54 Lincoln to 12 volt. ...
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Here's a link to a 12 volt conversion page. Yes it's for '55 T-Birds because if there's one for '54 Lincolns I've never looked for it.
https://www.ctci.org/battery-for-6v-to-12v-conversion/

Most of the info should be applicable, or let you know what you still need to ask about.
Locating a few 12v parts from a '56 may be necessary. ??? Especially for the air conditioning.
 
I grew up in 6-volt cars so I never worried about fixing something that isn't broke but more about maintaining things in good order. Most problems related to voltage are caused by deterioration in the conductors which include wiring and body/chassis grounding. The 12-volt 6014 sealed beam headlight bulbs aren't much brighter than the 6-volt types.

Folks that convert usually want to run more modern accessories or pay less for batteries. That point is almost moot in the modern era since all batteries are expensive now. Odd sized batteries could be a problem though for 6-volt. All bulbs would need to be changed. The King Seeley instruments are voltage sensitive and would need either a runtz type cvr per unit or a larger cvr to handle three at a time. Motors run faster on 12-volt so a person has to worry about longevity on motors used in continuous operation. Dropping resistors can be used but they get hot so they have to be mounted to prevent damage to surrounding materials. Radio sets are voltage sensitive and those with solid state vibrators are polarity sensitive. Horn ******** coils work faster and give a harsh sound. Ignition coils either need to add a ballast or change to a 3 ohm type.

Changing to 12-volt negative ground gets more complicated when the vehicle has more accessories than average.
 
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A lot of old car guys swear by their 6 volt cars and they have good reasons. However, I believe a switch to 12 volts is a good idea. More reliability, easier to service, batteries are easier to get (and probably cheaper too) and you have the ability to use all the modern stiff out today (if you want to do that).


54 and 55 cars were at the cusp on the factory change to 12 volts. The factory realized the need to change back in 54 when they were setting up for 56 production.


I don't know Lincolns and if the 54 and 56 are sililar, but if you decide to go with a stock type wire harness, take a look at a 56 Lincoln harness to see if it is close to a 54 and will work. If you decide to go that way, get a Electrical Installation manual for a 56 if there is one available to show you how it is hooked up.


Yes, certain things need to be changed - radio,coil, bulbs and the other items mentioned above.
 
You'll want to rewire it, if it's anything like the wiring was in my 54. Mine was already converted 12 volt. Don't let that bundle of wires intimidate you, just remember, it's 1 wire at a time.
 
I guess I had it relatively easy on my old '55 Club Sedan, the only things that had to be replaced were the light bulbs. I had to get a dropping resistor for the radio but didn't have a/c or power windows or other things that might be alergic to 12 volts. Of course that was the car I put a 428 ci engine in along with other things like an alternator instead of a generator so YMMV.
 
It was a great car but I wasn't much for taking pictures back then, this is one of only two that I still have.
 

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Looks like it started as a 6 cyl. I had a '54 mainline 6 cyl. that had NO options when I was in HS. First thing to go was the 6, replaced with a 272 from the boneyard, then came the upgrade to the 312 from a '56 Merc. w/cam, tri-power, etc.

Street raced a lot. Painted the car every 6 months so gendarmes would not recognize it.
Started out seafoam green, then champagne gold, yellow, bronze, and black.

Long story I won't bore you with..still too well known, had to sell it.
 
I started to dig into the greatest unknown. Or. Opening up the engine. Took a valve cover off and black thick sludge was covering the innerds of the head. Took the radiator out and the neck to the intake had quite a bit of chunks of rust inside the hole. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get the head off and see what's under it. I'm not thinking too positive about the possibility of having to just do the top end. No idea what it'll cost to do a total rebuild on this 317 since parts to rebuild are probably hard to find. Anybody have an idea what I'd be looking at?
 
If you haven't yet found a good machine shop near you familiar with that engine please start looking. Your search results may have direct effect on the path of repairs to your '54 Lincoln.
Asking for 'ballpark' price quotes from the shops in your area may get you some answers.

I very was surprised to hear today that three of the most well known and highly regarded machine shops here have closed in the last few months or are in the process of closing.
Apparently the current state of things is making 'older' parts harder to get and knowledgeable employees harder to find. Shop owners who've been in business for decades and technicians with the skills needed for these classic engines are retiring and their businesses closing.
.
 
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B-ster said:
Ted said if rebuildable, $6000-$6500 including run in. Don't know what that means
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They put your rebuilt engine on a test stand, fire it up & perform all the adjustments and proper break-in procedure.

With the appropriate high-Zinc lubricants this conditions the cam and lifter surfaces, helping assure longer life of those parts.
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