Help with Flathead Ford F-4 Truck

The 12 Volt Conversion isn't necessary, but it does make finding parts easier and cheaper.

At least in the case of my '48 Dodge, it was easier and cheaper to convert to 12 Volt/Negative Ground.


Instead of searching high and low and paying a massive fortune for replacement/used 6V Fog Light Bulbs (Sealed Beams), I can walk into the parts store and order a PAR36 Amber Sealed Beam (widely used on Big Rigs up to Present Day/2014) for about $8 each. It's the exact same light as the 6 Volt version (which is impossible to find), but in 12 Volt, readily available everywhere, and cheap. The same goes for the Spot Light Bulb.

Battery? Well, I can pull the Battery out of my Plow Truck (Which only really gets used in the winter) and drop it in my '48 to drive in the summer. When the '48 gets parked, the battery can be swapped back to the Plow Truck. 1 Battery, serving 2 vehicles that get used in different seasons Same goes for Jump Starting the truck, should the battery go dead in a parking lot (granted my truck does have a Hand Crank Starter, but many don't)

If my voltage regulator, alternator, etc fail. I can also walk into any parts store and buy the parts right off the shelf.

Points are my only complication at the moment (though I've heard that Pertronix makes a kit to update the original distributor for many flathead engines, including mopar flatheads). But I have a spare set of points & condenser in the glovebox until I get around to ordering a Pertronix kit for the truck.