Engine: 12 Volt Alternator Redeaux!

[Big Dan]

So, when last we talked (before Clark blew up the internet - LOL) we were discussing the installation experience all of you have with 12-volt alternators on your Champion Motors. Thanks for all your responses and please feel free to repost them.

For the purpose of helping out those who may follow, I want to repost this with the info and results the process handed me. I wanted something 12- volt for adequate charge, but also something that looked original.

I came across the "Powermaster" 82112 90 amp "one wire" alternator that advertised a bolt in fit - I was skeptical. They are available at Amazon via JEGS. (if you search Google or Amazon just type in "Alternator 82112"). They are Made in America (West Chicago, IL). There is also a Powermaster 82112-2. The difference is that the -2 has a post to direct wire a "BATT" light. The base 82112 doesn't have that

First, those come with a 3/8 " pulley. So I called Powermaster and talked to Ed (630) 957-4019 x222. VERY HELPFUL AND KNOWS HIS STUFF! He had a 5/8" pulley for the alternator and when I measured my crankshaft and water pump pulleys they were actually 5/8 as well. An 11/16 belt rides a little high in the groove of all three pulleys ( 11/16 to 1954 when I think Studebaker went with the 3/8 pulleys). So I ordered a Powermaster PMW-1135 5/8" pulley from Summit (search "PMW-1135" at Summit).

OF NOTE is that the Powermaster Alternator comes standard with a .699"/17mm shaft which was standard on just about every American (Delco, Autolite, etc) generator and alternator made INCLUDING the Autolite Generator on our Champions. So, if you order one of these alternators you can use the pulley off you old generator - if you have it.

Also NOTE the mounting tabs on the alternator are 6.68" inside edge to inside edge and should fit the stock '51 mounting bracket perfectly (about 6.65 give or take a coat of paint).

I bought a NAPA NBH-2522397 Belt designated for the stock Champion Set-up.

Now, the big question was how good the fit would be, and how much shimming I'd have to do to make it fit right. The answer - ABSOLUTELY NONE! The Alternator looked very close to the original generator (which I didn't get with the motor) and the fit in my (1951) Champion Generator Bracket was PERFECT. Alignment of the pulley was PERFECT! No adjustments necessary! Honestly, I was shocked!

So, it looks original and will provide 90 amps for my 12 volt system. Here's some pictures!

Would love any comments,
Big Dan

PS. I just noticed in the pictures I forgot to go back and tighten up the mounting bolts. What an idiot! LOL!

[jackb]

Ok - keep me guessing: what is the sprocket for ?

[DougHolverson]

Studebaker powered go-kart! = :3

[Big Dan]

This motor is being used to power a 1950 vintage "Speed Boat" I am restoring. The boat was built by my Dad back then and originally had a Champion Engine. At one point that got replaced with a Buick V6 which was too large for the boat. I've owned it since 1979 and did a "light" restoration on it in the early 1980s.

In the early 2000s I left the boat with relatives to take care of while I "performed my military duty" in the Middle East. When I came home it had been left outside and was FULL of water - destroyed!

The engine is mounted in the boat BACKWARDS and driven off the adaptor sprocket attached to the Crankshaft Pully/Balance. The propeller shaft has the mate sprocket and they are coupled by a BIG chain. The boat is direct drive. Here are a few pictures of that and the two sprockets before I put them on the motor and later in the "mock-up" test sled I built to develop and test the motor mount system and angles.

The fourth photo is of the reinforcement box I made to support the weakened hull stringers installed with the motor mount system, and photo five is the actual test fit in the boat (note the blue cross member that holds the prop shaft and shaft flat plate bearing). The alignment MUST be perfect in all three axis!

Rebuilding something made from scratch in the 1950s - even as simple as things were back then, with no plans or manuals, has been a real education in "creative thinking"

[IndStudenut]

I like that nice...... I don't suppose they have a 6v pos ground version. Do they have a web site?

[Big Dan]

I believe they do, but I'm not 100% sure. I've seen 6V positive ground Alternators (maybe generators) in my research but I didn't pay a whole lot of attention since that wasn't what I was looking for.

Call Powermaster and talk to Ed (630) 957-4019 x222. If they have one, he'll know! Honestly I was shocked that they actually had a drop in and drive Alternator that fit our engines at all! The website is a little lacking in technical info. The folks you'd order them from like JEGS and SUMMIT have much better descriptions and measurements than I was able to find on their website. But If all else fails, Call Ed!

Powermaster (powermastermotorsports.com)

[gjamesk]

I don't suppose they have a 6v pos ground version. Do they have a web site?

They do, item 82056 on page 56. It's a 60 amp and looks like it would fit to perfectly replace the generator. I've kicked around putting an electric fan(s) in my '52. and using this unit.

[gordr]

Amazing work, Dan! I admit to being confused by the title of this thread. Aren't nearly all alternators 12 volts (excluding heavy equipment and .mil stuff)? Then I saw the pics, so what we have is an alternator configured to look like the OEM generator which it replaces. Do we really have a good term for such a thing?

[Big Dan]

Thanks Gord!

Well, I named it "..Redeaux" because I had to re-write the results after the site server crash deleted the original post. So that's all that is about. LOL!

It appears that the Auto Parts Industry has gotten on board with the late uptick in the "fad" about restoring vintage vehicles, and is starting to produce a broader range of products that support it.

As we saw above they actually ARE making 6V "one wire" Positive Ground alternators as direct replacement for the generators - which I think is fantastic as long as your goal in your effort isn't to be hardcore 100% OEM.

There are a LOT of weaknesses with the 6 volt system which is why the Auto Manufacturers upgraded to 12 volt starting in the middle 1950s. And what these products do is improve on the performance weaknesses of the OEM component while "respecting" the OEM appearance. Call it what you want, I call it "SUCCESS!"

I have the luxury of going to 12 volts because I'm having to buy all the peripherals new, and do all the wiring from scratch anyway in a non-OEM application.

But if you have a car that's restored, and all put together, then it's nice to have these components that just "fit right in," and prevent having to rip all kinds of stuff up to MAKE it work.

The 6V+ The Goose mentioned above has a 7 1/4 inch base mount which means it's going to need to be "washered" in to fit on the Studebaker Champion 6 11/16" (approx) bracket. It's a DELCO replacement not an Autolite replacement. But, hey, if you can make it spin, it creates "juice" and it CERTAINLY would be an improvement at 90 amps over the old generator.

There's a LOT of really NEAT NEW STUFF out there now.

[Big Dan]

POST SCRIPT!

I may have mentioned above that with the stock belt (518641/NAPA 25-22397) the alternator hung just a bit too far from the engine for my taste. So, if you decide to do this installation and it does the same in your car, there's a fix. You can change the belt out to a NAPA NBH 25-22386 (Amazon/Gates TR-22386) and it pulls the alternator up as far as it can go next to the engine.

On my application I also shortened the Tension Arm as it was WAY too long as well (there is a good possibility that this was the Tension Arm installed on the Buick Engine I replaced as the Generator was the one piece that was not on the Studebaker Engine when I bought it). The shortening really cleaned up the installation!

I also stripped the paint off the Arm and "blued" it, so it can be tightened down better and not chew up the paint!

Photos of the two belts. Note the position of the Alternator and the shorter Tension Arm!