Chargers for most modern devices are USB based, which is spec'd for 5v.  As long as input voltage is high enough it should work.


Lawrenceville, GA

I converted my Merc long ago to 12 volts & never looked back.  It is no trouble at all !  It is better in all respects & my starter has been no trouble all these years, And it is very easy. Like others stated start with a 12v generator or better yet go to an 12v alternator. One thing that didn't come up is your Heater Blower motor. You need to change that to a 12v one also, but they are readily available on Ebay from 56's & later. Oh, and the expense is minimal $200 to $400 including headlights and worth every penny...   Do it !!
..

Just curious - you say you don't want to reduce it's value by modifying your Thunderbird,  yet you have already have plans to highly modify it by going to later parts.   Changing to 12 volts is probably less of a modification than what you have plans for.

If you are going to use the Bird, going to 12 volts will make it a more streetable car.  Ask the guys that have stayed with 6 volts and couldn't start their car when it's hot.

But it''s your car to do as you please with.





54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Not sure where you got the idea that a generator will not keep a 8 volt battery charged. Adjust the voltage regulator will work just fine.Just put a new engine in my 55 ford and rebuilt the original generator. Have run a 8 volt for 35 years with no problems.

Ask the guys back in the early/mid fifties (who bought their cars new) if THEY ever had trouble starting a hot engine. THEY didn't yet have: aged lead acid battery/undersized replacement cables/worn out starter brushes/leaky carb (overdue for rebuilding) that floods when hot/worn out ignition points & corroded electrical ground contacts/etc.,etc.

I will admit though, my aftermarket 6V electric fuel pump saves wear & tear on the starter & battery. One advantage of faster 12V cranking is likely also the quick pressurization of the oil pump & bearings. While compression only may not be quite so hard on a dry crankshaft, priming the Holley teapot before starting is likely something guys back in the 50s would really have appreciated!

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

I am with Lou and Daniel.  If you are not adding a lot of modern equipment to your car which would require 12 volts, I see no need to do the conversion.  My three '54 Fords and my '54 Mercury are all 6 volts and I have no problem with starting even when the engines are hot.  In fact, my Ford Convertible has original power windows and power seat and both operate just as quickly on 6 volts as the windows and seats in my new Lincoln SUV on 12 volts.  Many times, owners switching to 12 volts are doing nothing more than putting a "band aid" on electrical problems they are having with 6 volt cars caused by 60+ year old wiring, poor grounds, undersized battery/ starter cables, poor generator/starter performance, etc.  A properly maintained original 6 volt car with good wiring and electrical equipment will perform just as well as a 12 volt car.  And by the way, I have had a "teapot" carb on my Ford convertible for the last 35 years and never had a problem although I know their reputation as "flame throwers"!  Alan

I for one, couldn't agree with you more. If it worked good once, then it can work good again if ALL is up to top specs.  Finding folks who can properly rebuild components and finding parts that meet OEM quality can be a challenge but possible.  As stated above, adding modern accessories can be a game changer      I am old enough to add:   I remember very well the brand new 54 Ford convertible my Dad purchased in the day.  I don't ever remember that car letting him/us down on any cold Michigan winter morning or for that matter, overheating issues either. 

64F100 57FAIRLANE500

How do I love 12volts, let me count the ways, LED headlights, AM/FM radio, AC, hi-torque starter, MSD 6A/E-Spark ignition, USB charger cigarette lighter plug in also for GPS, horns other drivers can hear, easy starts. As far as value goes the average buyer in today’s market wants all of the above and doesn’t know a starter from a stopper 😊; then there are those of us for whom originality means everything. Perception is what makes the difference, the heart ❤️ wants what the heart wants. Gentlemen start your engines 🚙.

1955 312 T-Bird Warwick, NY

LED headlights? I AM jealous! (lots of deer around here).  AC? My hardtop sits in the garage all summer.  My dual-point Loadomatic is ultra reliable, and my 6V starter (oversized cables) cranks right up every time (Optima battery). An inverter/transformer powers my FM radio conversion, and another under the dash charges my cell phone & iPod. GPS? I’ll have to admit, my maps wouldn’t be any help without reading glasses, but I DO carry a compass also. Value? Those of us who never plan to sell could likely care less (aside from updating the insurance).  Common knowledge you’ll never get back the $ spent maintaining/restoring anyway.
BTW: The vintage guitar I sold 25 yrs. ago to buy my Bird is now worth 10 times as much, but the car’s value has hardly doubled (not the best investment I ever made).  Originality?  My 1955 ‘time machine’ is a driver (100K mi. since purchased), and rides on radial tires, so SOME concessions are unavoidable (orig. jack in the trunk has never been used).  Side-of-the-road tire changing is a part of 50s life I DON’T want to revisit!

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

If Ford thought 6v was good enough, why did Ford go to 12v in 56? 

When I converted my dad's 55 Tbird to 12v, he said it never started as well; that's why I converted it to 12v. Personally, I prefer "better" to "good enough." For the Amish, a horse and buggy is "good enough."