The story I heard was Ford saved $4.00 a car on smaller gauge wire.

  Dennis in Lititz PA

And the beat goes on 🤣

1955 312 T-Bird Warwick, NY

And I "heard" Ford paid $4 more for 12v batteries.

My dad said that he had experienced difficulty starting his 55 Tbird/w original 6v system, particularly after the engine had been running for a while. For that reason, and after he read Gil Baumgartner's (CTCI-Gil's Garage) instructions for converting to 12v, he asked me to convert his car to 12v. When converting to 12v, I followed Gil's instructions to the letter, changing only those components necessary for the conversion. I did not adjust the carburetor; I did not adjust the timing; and I did not adjust the valves. In other words, other than converting to 12v, the engine was left untouched. After the 12v conversion, my dad never complained about hard starting again.

My dad passed away in 2011. His 55 Tbird is now mine. Although I kept all of the 6v components I had removed, with the exception of the battery, I will never go back to 6v. However, if I ever sell the car, the 6v components will be included in the sale.  

One more 12V bennie ELECTRIC CHOKE 🚙

1955 312 T-Bird Warwick, NY

I have an electric choke on the more modern Holley carburetor on the 292 engine (which I dressed up to look like the original 256) in my '54 Mercury convertible and the choke works just fine on 6 volts.  Alan

Does anyone want to convert their 12v system to 6v?

Does anyone want to convert their 12v system to 6v?

Not a chance.  A 12 volt conversion has been the best upgrade my TBird has ever had.  I am old enough to remember when keeping a jug of water in the trunk was standard operating procedure.  I run an electric fan to keep my car from overheating.  My old 6 volt generator is sitting in a box in my garage with an alternator keeping my battery fully charged. I still have the 6 volt starter in my car and it starts first time every time and my headlights are brighter than two candles in the dark. How improving a car can be a negative is beyond me? 

Phil I’ll never understand either. Unless I have a perfect 100 pt show car I only trailer to purest shows and judging I don’t get it. These cars are meant to be driven and enjoyed just like when they were new and to make them safer and better can only be a plus for the masses. Most “spectators” like these Fords look and for 75% or more of us keep them stock appearing for the most part with minor changes and get great compliments. I like my stock appearing radio with AM-FM-Bluetooth, disc brakes and other upgrades parts. 

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

Likely only those who have inherited a car full of ‘band-aid’ fixes, and care about history.
 Sure, when it comes to safety issues, no one want to take unnecessary risks. But, where do we draw the line?  Should we all rip out our steering columns and install modern collapsible units with airbags?  Phill needs an electric fan.  Was that the traditional remedy for a car that overheats? If I remember correctly (?), Henry was a proponent of positive ground electrical systems.  Of course, he was just a senile old man (who only happened to have put the country on wheels), and when GM went 12V/neg grd., by then his ‘know-it-all’ grandson was running things.  But then, Henry wanted to keep making the model T. (which by now, would likely cost less than the gas needed to fill my expensive SUV😁).  Just saying.  Everything in perspective.  The big $ spent now at vintage car auctions are for ‘resto-mods” (likely none that still have Y-Block engines). That’s the way to go if you want a car that only looks vintage, but has all the conveniences & reliability of modern vehicles.  12V conversion offers many advantages (electronic ignition/sophisticated stereo systems/computerized fuel injection/etc.,etc.).  I just happen to think it shouldn’t be the ‘knee-jerk’ fix for everyone who acquires an old car that was improperly maintained. Kids in the 50s seldom kept their cars stock, and along with mag wheels, body customizing, speed equipment, etc., a 12V conversion would have probably been in order,  ‘I’ have blue-dot taillights, an aftermarket dual-point mod. & glasspacks, so I’m no purist.  I wouldn’t go back to bias tires, wet batteries, or non-detergent motor oil for the sake of ‘originality’ either.  Some people just get satisfaction from making old things work as designed, and want others to know that it’s still quite possible. It may be more work than the ‘band-aid’ (I AM sick of rebuilding generators), but possibly rewarding nonetheless.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA