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AngieGem
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2010
Posts: 1
Location: Milton
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 Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:53 pm Post subject: Generator to Alternator Conversion |
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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 |
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blankmange
Type 3 Darksider
Joined: July 17, 2004
Posts: 11498
Location: Bloßer Stahl-preapocalyptic MidCoast
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| Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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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...
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póg mo thóin
Certified DHS Technician
Samba Member # 24517 |
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Mike Fisher
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006
Posts: 17970
Location: Eugene, OR
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| Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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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! 
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https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey |
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Air_Cooled_Nut
Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2004
Posts: 3040
Location: Portland, Oregon
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| Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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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...
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Toby http://www.aircoolednut.com/
Did I mention that I'm an original Darksider?
'72 VW Squareback, 2007cc, GB 5-speed, rag top; '76 VW Riviera Penthouse Sundowner 2.0L; 2015 Audi S5 Cabby w/Stage II APR; '06 Ducati Sport Classic 1000; '14 Ducati Diavel Strada
The First Invasion |
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JSMskater
Samba Grease Gorilla
Joined: February 01, 2006
Posts: 5362
Location: Murrieta California
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| Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 6:38 pm Post subject: |
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| 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.
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71 Squareback-FI -- 73 Bay (subaru powered)
TOOB Member #3
I make D-jet FI connectors |
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j5josher
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2008
Posts: 778
Location: SC
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:47 am Post subject: |
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mine still works... first design 
and i found two more alts if anyone would like for me to send them to them...
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For any reason you believe me. Turn around and think differently. |
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sundog kid
Samba Member
Joined: May 24, 2005
Posts: 268
Location: Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:53 am Post subject: |
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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" |
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j5josher
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2008
Posts: 778
Location: SC
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:32 am Post subject: |
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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...
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For any reason you believe me. Turn around and think differently. |
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sundog kid
Samba Member
Joined: May 24, 2005
Posts: 268
Location: Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:39 am Post subject: |
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| 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. |
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Air_Cooled_Nut
Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2004
Posts: 3040
Location: Portland, Oregon
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j5josher
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2008
Posts: 778
Location: SC
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 10:14 am Post subject: |
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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...
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For any reason you believe me. Turn around and think differently. |
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Geothon
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2008
Posts: 153
Location: Ventura, CA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 10:39 am Post subject: |
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| I did alt conversion using a bracket for York A/C compressor that goes on the pass side. |
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j5josher
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2008
Posts: 778
Location: SC
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:02 am Post subject: |
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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...
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For any reason you believe me. Turn around and think differently. |
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JSMskater
Samba Grease Gorilla
Joined: February 01, 2006
Posts: 5362
Location: Murrieta California
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:47 am Post subject: |
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| 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.
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71 Squareback-FI -- 73 Bay (subaru powered)
TOOB Member #3
I make D-jet FI connectors |
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6T5 square
Samba Member
Joined: September 15, 2005
Posts: 1084
Location: Dover, DE
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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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.
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John
65 square 1500S (weezer) sold but always on my mind
60 beetle (Ned)
Quoting John Muir -- Open the rear boot. Get out the stool and sit down. Contemplate the air-cooled beauty before you. - How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive -- Step-By-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot |
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j5josher
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2008
Posts: 778
Location: SC
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 12:59 pm Post subject: |
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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...
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For any reason you believe me. Turn around and think differently. |
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sundog kid
Samba Member
Joined: May 24, 2005
Posts: 268
Location: Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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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. |
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Russ Wolfe
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2004
Posts: 25187
Location: Central Iowa
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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I have a request in to the powers that be.
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Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up, you end up with a lot of scum on the top!--Edward Abbey
Gary: OK. Ima poop. |
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sundog kid
Samba Member
Joined: May 24, 2005
Posts: 268
Location: Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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| 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? |
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JSMskater
Samba Grease Gorilla
Joined: February 01, 2006
Posts: 5362
Location: Murrieta California
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| Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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| 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.
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71 Squareback-FI -- 73 Bay (subaru powered)
TOOB Member #3
I make D-jet FI connectors |
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