Talk me off the ledge

No, to convert it to 12 volts, it has to stay negative ground. The easiest way would be to replace the generator with a modern alternator which has an internal regulator. You can also use an alternator which has an external regulator. But, the last time external regulators were used on GMs was in the late 60s or early 70s. It's not worth gambling with an alternator which is that old. Using the modern type, you could bypass the original voltage regulator, by connecting the positive wires which one of them connects to the generator and the other to the battery, using a jumper. Those two are the thickest wires. The other wires you simply leave hanging, except the one which connects to the idiot light. That's the only one which you have to connect to the alternator, using a lengthy jumper. The battery wire from the generator simply connects to the alternator. That's that.
I've made my own wiring harnesses from wiring diagrams. It's not difficult and it's even fun. Since you're not making it from scratch, you could simply remove the damaged harness and then fully unwrap it. With all wires exposed, you're now prepared for copying the harness. If the other harnesses aren't damaged, I'd leave them alone, for now. In case, the connectors on your car are identical to those of a more modern vehicle which uses rubber insulated wires, you could use a wiring harness from a junked vehicle which uses these same connectors. All that's needed beyond that would be a pair of side cutters, a soldering gun and some of that heat shrink tubing

You could save that much money, doing it yourself. Can you show us the harness damage?

 

Sure! Lemme wait for the rain to stop!!! I swear it’s been every other day here. Almost like it’s March or something. The harness is there and in tact. It’s just brittle and I can’t tell what a lot of the colors and tracers are. Do they make rubber insulated wires that would be the same colors as the original?

 

There are rubber-insulated wires available in nearly every color in the spectrum. I can imagine that your car uses ordinary yellows, blues, greens etc... and not any off-beat pastel colors like older French cars used to use. If you go to a junkyard to grab yourself a harness as raw material for yours, I hope that you don't get the idea to go over to the Renault and tear its out. What you want are the connectors. Even if the colors of the wires differ, you can still mark the connectors to match the devices that are to be connected to them. In any event, we can't debate much, until we see what color wires you have and what type connectors. We'll just have to fill up page thirteen with other issues, until it stops raining

 

Probably... you'd have to check industrial supply houses like grainger.com or other electrical supply houses.

 

You can also google "Obsolete GM parts."

 

German wiring diagrams are coded according to industry set standards. I'm also sure that wires are also colored accordingly. GM also used color coding to what extent I also don't know:



The heavy guage wire going to the generator really doesen't need to get colored. It's practically no-brainer obvious that the fattest wire supplies all loads. Here's how simple the hook-up is. You simply leave the field wire hanging and jumper the Bat and A terminals at the regulator.
I forgot to mention that 12 volt horns and accompaning relay will be needed. Although, maybe not. Someone reading can correct this statement. You still have the cigarette lighter to deal with and the transformer within the radio's amplifier unit which feeds the radio which, in this case, you don't need to open up the radio. But, only solder in a 12 volt transformer which isn't difficult. Since tube amplifiers pull more watts, make sure not to solder in an underpowered transformer. A good electronics shop would know which type is suitable. The other option would be to use a Delco-Remy transformer from a 12 volt junk amplifier, if you can find one

 

Allot of 6 volt systems was positive ground till mid 50's Fords were I know . Mack trucks still had positive ground into the70's Remember if you rewire 6 volts you need to match wire guage for 6 volt systems use heavier wire .

 

Yeah so like I said, I’ll probaby be ordering the cloth insulated wires from that site. They are around $1.50 a ft. They also have the vintage style connections so I should be good. For now I just need to round up one of those 6volt batteries. I guess I can find the specs and dimensions in my shop manual. Here’s some wire shots. Up under the dash they look good and you can see what wires I’m talking about. There is no green, yellow, blue. They have red tracers, black/green tracers. On the outside of the fire wall theres no way to tell what color wire I’m dealing with. I want to keep these original because I want my wiring diagram to still have some validity annnnnd they look darn cool!!!

 

They use that type of wire, here, in electric appliances which generate heat like ovens and grills. I think, they're woven with asbestos. In the automotive industry, I can't imagine that those wires are woven with ordinary cotton. Otherwise, they'd catch fire, when a short circuit occurs where insufficient protection's the case or if someone installed a wrong fuse

 

Asbestos makes a lot of sense. That explains my mesothelioma flare ups. That or it’s cloth coated with some sort of laquer?

 

One reason the auto manufacturing industry went to 12 volts they could use smaller guage wire which mean.t cost savings and lighter and smaller wiring harness and eventually a different coating .

 

Which brings me to the question: are you looking to fully restore this Tin Indian? If not, you should consider a full 12 volt system upgrade, including a complete harness replacement. Since it's partly disassembled, now is the time to pull the trigger on that.

 

Yeah I’d like to keep it as original as possible. The 6volt system is intriguing to me. Also I’m amazed by the simplicity of everything on this car. Unlike today’s car manufacturers it’s like they actually wanted the owner to be able to understand and maintain the vehicle on their own! What a concept. But like I said I’m pretty much ingnorant to the positives and negatives of a 6 or 12volt system. My only reasons for keeping the 6volt is: it’s original to the car, it looks cool; I’ve never done a conversion before (although I read how to and it seems simple enough.)

 

OMG - shouldn't this thread move over to Cosmetic & Restoration?

 

We can't know that yet, until someone waves a 400 - 455 in his face. He can drop one of those in and still keep the asbestos harness which supplies his current buzz. I hate to admit that the cloth-woven harness does look cool