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Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:53 pm

I just bought a 65 Squareback with the intention of fixing it up with my (mechanic) brother. Well, since he has moved to town he hasnt been over. So, I'm completley clueless and dying to get this thing restored!

Anyways, I found a good deal for a 6volt to 12 volt conversion kit that included the generator to alternator conversion BUT it's for a 65 Beetle (I cant find one for my squareback). Will this still work/fit in mine? I know this may seem obvious to you guys that have been doing this forever but I have no clue. I am hoping after I buy the kit my other friend who is mechanic can help me out! Geesh!

Thanks,

Angie

Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:54 pm

it will work, but will require a fair amount of fabrication/work to get it fit the squareback...

you should read the FAQ/stickies uptop about your Type 3...

Fri Feb 19, 2010 4:15 pm

Do you have it running Now as a 6 Volt? Do that First! Lots of guys/gals happily driving 6Volt VW's. Buy a Bentley/Haynes Type 3 Manual and be your own Mechanic! 8)

Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:55 pm

Just consider the Bug kit not workable. If neither of you are very experienced VW workers then you'll end up performing a hatchet job on the conversion.

The 6-volt fan housing is different from the 12-volt housing in that the cradle that holds the generator is SMALLER! So if you want to "upgrade" to 12-v then you'll first need the 12-v fan housing (well, highly recommended). Then you can use a 12-v generator. But wait! There's more...
http://www.aircoolednut.com/erkson/ttt/electrical/index.html

I recommend buying a Bentley shop manual and fixing everything you can as it now sits. Once running and reliable then start converting because as it stands you could very well get part way through and then give up, creating a nightmare for the next owner...

Fri Feb 19, 2010 6:38 pm

Air_Cooled_Nut wrote: Just consider the Bug kit not workable. If neither of you are very experienced VW workers then you'll end up performing a hatchet job on the conversion.

The 6-volt fan housing is different from the 12-volt housing in that the cradle that holds the generator is SMALLER! So if you want to "upgrade" to 12-v then you'll first need the 12-v fan housing (well, highly recommended). Then you can use a 12-v generator. But wait! There's more...
http://www.aircoolednut.com/erkson/ttt/electrical/index.html

I recommend buying a Bentley shop manual and fixing everything you can as it now sits. Once running and reliable then start converting because as it stands you could very well get part way through and then give up, creating a nightmare for the next owner...

x2.

I'd like to think I'm a pretty decent VW mechanic and even I had a hard time with my home-grown alternator conversion. I'm still improving/working on the second design. It's not a simple bolt in, and the kits that are available are 1. hard to get 2. expensive and 3. still have some drawbacks depending on what your comfort zone is on the darkside.

I agree with Mike and Aircooled-- get her fixed up stock first and then go about "improving" things.

Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:47 am

mine still works... first design :P :P

and i found two more alts if anyone would like for me to send them to them...

Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:53 am

Do you have a diy on your 1st attempt?
Its on my short list of "things that need to be done when the car gets here"

Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:32 am

its somewhere in the list of crap i have.. basicly its the same design as the one can buy form somewhere... been awhile since i talked about it... but all i had to do was make a mounting starp and put a pully on it and bam it worked... i just got done painting the car and when i get it home i might try to make 2 or 3 kits and sell them cheap...

Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:39 am

Ill search through your posts. I plan on doing a mild stereo and a custom air ride setup on my square. It wont be in my driveway too long before this happens, so a little more reliable power is a must.

Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:13 am

This is all the info you need:
http://www.aircoolednut.com/erkson/ttt/engine/generator.html#custom

Sat Feb 20, 2010 10:14 am

Air_Cooled_Nut wrote: This is all the info you need:
http://www.aircoolednut.com/erkson/ttt/engine/generator.html#custom
thanks air cooled nut... thats the site i tried to find...

i have a few alts like this one and ill make the mounting strap later..

and its like a bolt on kit... no fouling around maybe one cut on the belt box so u can move the alt around but it went right one and works great...

pm me and ill talk about a deal with the alts and strap...

Sat Feb 20, 2010 10:39 am

I did alt conversion using a bracket for York A/C compressor that goes on the pass side.

Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:02 am

and we need to end this once and for all gather all the info me and a few other people have put on this site and make a sticky of how u can put alts into our beloved cars...

Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:47 am

j5josher wrote: and we need to end this once and for all gather all the info me and a few other people have put on this site and make a sticky of how u can put alts into our beloved cars...

not a bad idea. get some pictures going and all that.

what alt did you end up using? I've used 2 that were supposedly "bolt in" but didn't like the fitment and decided to do more. both of mine worked, flawlessly, I just like them to look original and full adjustability as well.

Sat Feb 20, 2010 12:01 pm

I did one of Tobys "first generation" conversions- about 6 or 7 years ago. the original set up/alternator is still running fine. As far as i'm concerned, his "how to" is the only one you need.

Sat Feb 20, 2010 12:59 pm

i used a geo metro alt... same one used in the ddb kit...

its the one off a 3 cylinder geo not the 4 cylinder...

Sat Feb 20, 2010 1:01 pm

Yeah, more stickies like this DIY would be nice. Thats probably the only thing I like about some of the forums on vwvortex.com - they sticky almost every DIY, so its easy to read the 'good, bad, and ugly' experiences, without having to search for hours.

The least amount of mods to get the same result is what Im looking for.

Sat Feb 20, 2010 2:37 pm

I have a request in to the powers that be.

Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:05 pm

So, if I went that route, and had someone weld a top piece back on to that shroud, how much room are we talking here , between the top of that cut and the deck lid?

Sat Feb 20, 2010 4:31 pm

sundog kid wrote: So, if I went that route, and had someone weld a top piece back on to that shroud, how much room are we talking here , between the top of that cut and the deck lid?

I'm using the exact same alternator he is for my second design, my first was following toby's instructions using an alt from a 97 accord IIRC.

for mine, I didn't need to cut the shroud at all. I made a strap from copper strapping but decided it wasn't torsion resistant enough.

I have a cardboard mock-up for a conversion bracket I'm going to make, that will allow the alt (for the geo) to drop right in, and be fully adjustable for tension ease of installation and removal. the problem with joshers set up, at least when I did it that way with mine originally, was that over the time the belt can stretch and the alt no longer stays horizontal. the other problem is the front of the alt(towards the front of the car) has a small amount of space vertically between it and the shroud, while the rear is fully supported-- the problem is when you go to cinch down the strap, you effectively lift the rear (with the pulley) upwards.

normally not an issue with a new, tight belt, which pulls it the other way, but over time it loosens and begins to lose that alignment. hence why I'm designing a 2 piece conversion bracket that will handle movement in all three degrees of motion.