65GS.com - Buick Gran Sport Enthusiasts!

Projects & Restorations => Projects & Restorations => Topic started by: cwmcobra on September 28, 2016, 12:39:39 PM

Title: Alternator restoration
Post by: cwmcobra on September 28, 2016, 12:39:39 PM

Planning to start my restoration of the alternator.  Am I correct that both the alternator fan and pulley should be silver cad plated (or painted)?  The dual shiv pulley on mine is not original to the car and is plated with gold iridite.  But I suspect the correct color for both is silver.

Thanks for your advice!

Chuck

Title: Re: Alternator restoration
Post by: Brian on September 28, 2016, 02:07:00 PM

This is what I have observed over the years--may or may not be right--maybe I will learn something here too:

All the original alternators I have seen the housings were bare aluminum, so I just bead blast them and put the VHT satin clear on them.  The fan should be the clear/silver zinc as you stated.  I have seen different things on the pulleys.  The cars with a single groove pulley had a stamped steel pulley that I think was gray/black phosphate coated.  The double pulleys were machined out of bar stock and the ones I have seen were painted black. 
  I also always paint the laminated steel part of the winding assembly that shows between the housing halves.  I paint it flat black, but that may be incorrect.

Title: Re: Alternator restoration
Post by: Mark Ascher on September 28, 2016, 06:00:07 PM

Single groove alt, as correct as I could make it.

Mark

Title: Re: Alternator restoration
Post by: cwmcobra on September 28, 2016, 08:14:56 PM

Thanks guys.  Anybody have confidence in the color of the 2-groove pulley for the A/C cars?  Mine appears to be gold iridite, but I see others online that are either silver cad or black.  The single groove pulley is definitely black.

Thanks,

Chuck

Title: Re: Alternator restoration
Post by: cwmcobra on December 23, 2016, 11:25:36 AM

Just to follow up on this, my restorer friend has a special dark brown colored paint that he uses on the laminated steel part that shows.  He's found that to be most correct and uses it in all his restorations (all Pontiacs and all award winners). 

Another question: what fasteners are used to attach the alternator to the combo A/C compressor bracket on an air conditioned car?  Since I'm converting to A/C, I don't have a basis to determine those fasteners.  About to place an order with AMK and would like to include these.

Thanks!

Chuck

Title: Re: Alternator restoration
Post by: Loren At 65GS on December 23, 2016, 02:59:30 PM

Chuck,

 I'll try to get a picture of the bolts that were used.

 Loren

Title: Re: Alternator restoration
Post by: cwmcobra on December 23, 2016, 04:27:35 PM

Thanks Loren!

Chuck