Quote:
Originally Posted by blucar
In theory, your assumption about 6v systems being adequate to power the pre 1956 cars sounds good, however, in the real world of everyday driving, especially in climates with severe temp swings, the "common" use of 8v batteries in cars/trucks was a must...
Reading up on automobile history will reveal that the vast majority of European cars, even those exported from the U.S. to Europe were equipped with 12v systems prior to 1941..
Of course it can be a challenge adding an 8v battery to a pre '37 Ford, the under floor battery case has limited space..
|
I respectfully disagree that 8V batteries are a must, however I concede that they serve as a band-aid for bad connections and cars that are out of tune. I'm a fan of 6 volt originality, but I still believe that a full 12 volt swap is better than an 8 volt patch job.
If you're talking about starting the car it's the cranking amps that matter to get it spinning. A 6 volt starter will always spin more slowly, but if your engine is well tuned the car will start. If your engine is out of tune, spinning it faster with 8 or 12 volts will help it start quicker. I'd rather see a 6 volt car get maintenance and tuning before swapping in an 8 volt battery.