John Grady wrote almost all to be written about the mighty alternator. Here's a little more.
Alternators were used in the 1950's on emergency vehicles, big Leece Neville units the size of garbage disposers with externally mounted selenium rectifiers. This stuff was too big, expensive and unnecessary in mid century cars.
The alternator is to the generator as the vacuum tube is to the transistor. They both do the same thing a different way. Nobody will argue the vacuum tube is better except perhaps electric guitarists and Hi Fi buffs. Similarly the generator can never be argued as superior to the alternator except as a nod to posterity.
In addition to the generator commutator John mentions (that converts AC to DC) is that a generator has to conduct its full output through its brushes. An alternator conducts only field current with its brushes which ride on slip rings where its bushes last far longer and with less sparking going on.
The diodes in the alternator prevent battery current from flowing into it when the alternator is stationary or its output falls below that of the battery. A generator depends upon the circuit breaker or cutout to disconnect the generator from the battery. That's one reason why generators don't do much at slow speeds.
The generator will produce current until it begins throwing molten solder, depending upon a current regulator inside the regulator box to prevent it. Alternators self-regulate current and need only a simple voltage regulator that you should never monkey with, as John explained.
I have researched Chrysler's first use of alternators and come up with little. Only the Valiant for 1960 was advertised as having one. Not all 1960 Imperials wore them either. Some did, some did not. Some with AC had them others not. I'll bet if Bob Merritt conducted a study we would not find much rhyme or reason for it similar to F trunk lip drains and B Torqueflite transmissions. 1961 Canadian Dodge & Plymouth used generators!
Perhaps interesting to some of you is the variability of alternator introduction by other makers. At GM only air conditioned Chevrolet and Pontiac cars had an alternator beginning mid 1962. Cadillac,Olds and Buick stayed with a generator until 1963. Ford first used alternators on the 1963 Continental and T-Bird. The rest of the line wouldn't have them until 1965. Must have been a pile of generators in stock at Ford, or someone's brother-in-law supplied them.
Who would want transistors taking place of tubes in an old radio? Not me. I agree with John and Don, generators in good condition are fine for hobby car use. They look the part and belong there.
If I was to go cross country in a generator equipped car I would ideally have with me a spare belt, regulator and generator. Though no more likely to fail than an alternator generators and their related parts are harder to find on the road and in unfamiliar places.
Danny Plotkin
-----Original Message-----
From: "ROBERT HAAG" <scooter465@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, April 7, 2024 12:26pm
To: "RICK AND DEBBIE CLAPHAM" <rixpac@xxxxxxx>
Cc: "Noel Hastalis" <cpaviper@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Tony Rinaldi" <awrdoc@xxxxxxxxx>, "dan300f" <dan300f@xxxxxxx>, finsruskw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Rick Gould" <rdg123@xxxxxxxxx>, "Chrysler 300 Club International" <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: {Chrysler 300}
Strange how the economy
Valent's and Lancers had
Alternators for 1960.
And the high end cars didn't.
Bob Haag
On Apr 7, 2024, at 10:14 AM, RICK AND DEBBIE CLAPHAM <rixpac@xxxxxxx> wrote:
I have a 1960 alternator.
From: chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of Noel Hastalis <cpaviper@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, April 7, 2024 7:38:42 AM
To: Tony Rinaldi <awrdoc@xxxxxxxxx>
Cc: dan300f <dan300f@xxxxxxx>; finsruskw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <finsruskw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; Rick Gould <rdg123@xxxxxxxxx>; Chrysler 300 Club International <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: {Chrysler 300}
A couple shots of a 300-F ‘short branch’ manifold setup and motor with wide-fin ‘61 alternator, as these small handful of P-a-M cars were equipped by Chrysler. Attached here.
Note that our late friend, Burt Bouwkamp, 300 Club member and Chrysler’s lead engineer at Daytona Speed Weeks on the sands in 1960, who was in charge of the 300-F Flying Mile racing project, referred to the ‘60 manifolds as ‘short branch’ and ‘long branch’ vs. what we commonly call short ram and long ram.
If interested, we’ve included videos on our Club’s website of our ‘Burgers with Burt’ afternoon gatherings with Burt.
Noel
<img-0.jpg>
<img-1.jpg>
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 7, 2024, at 7:35 AM, 'Tony Rinaldi' via Chrysler 300 Club International <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi to all,
Grand Turismo racing 300-Fs had alternators.
Tony Rinaldi
On Saturday, April 6, 2024, 10:10 PM, dan300f <dan300f@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Rick,
As to later production F's coming with alternators, I rather doubt that. My F came off the assembly on 7/27/1960 and the VIN is near the end of production.
Dan Reitz
Sent from my T-Mobile 5G Device
-------- Original message --------
From: "Finsruskw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <finsruskw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 4/6/24 6:04 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: Anthony Rinaldi <awrdoc@xxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Rick Gould <rdg123@xxxxxxxxx>, Chrysler 300 Club International <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: {Chrysler 300}
Mounts to the head, not the block
From: "Chrysler 300 Club International" <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Rick Gould" <rdg123@xxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "Chrysler 300 Club International" <chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, April 6, 2024 2:57:23 PM
Subject: Re: {Chrysler 300}
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