Headlamps

<!-- s:idea: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_idea.gif" alt=":idea:" title="Idea" /><!-- s:idea: --> Excuse me--is that the sound of a front axle universal joint breaking? Or is it one of those unreliable spur drive gears....?

All Cords, foibles and frailties notwithstanding, are real in this man's world.

<!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: -->

Rick,
You can park your Cord with the Real Cord's in the park. We allow any color!
CORDially Mike

I kept the six volts and did the modifications that have appeared in the Newsletter. Namely, oo welding cable for all connections, ground connected directly to the starter and changed the field coils in the starter. It now cranks just great. Also converted to an alternator.

Tom Georgeson

Hi! In 1968 my phaeton won a second primary. I was tickled pink! I drove the car home and dropped in a 12v battery. I new that if I turned the lights on or hit the brakes, I would have a basket of burned out bulbs. I knew the ammeter would work almost perfectly. ( If you are putting in a 12v system, you will probably go to a negative ground. This means you will have to change the wires to the ammeter or understand that it will read backwards) I figured the clock, being an impulse wind, will just wind better. The solenoids in the shift system will react much more smartly. I figured the generator would probably fry, who cares! To my surprise it worked beautifully! I learned from my physics background and fellow colleagues, what you feed into the field of your generator determines the voltage you will generate! The generator will work well! BUT, it was designed to put out about 25 amps @ 6volts. That equals about 150 watts of power. When I started the car, it put out over 35 amps @ 12volts equals 420 watts! Fortunately the battery was new and very quickly the original regulator dropped the charge to about 3 amps. If you stay with the original generator, you could overheat it if you use it to charge a dead battery, or defective one. I have been told that my Rolls will put out over 100 amps into a dead battery too! The charging apparatus is to maintain a good battery, and look after lights etc. I didn't use the original generator very long because in order to get a decent output, you have to have the engine running about 2000 rpm. I went with a new Ford Alternator given to me then or perhaps even earlier. It puts out about 60 amps even at idle. I know the original system works very well. My Saturday morning job from 1940 to 1950 was to take the battery in my wagon to the local garage to be charged up for our Sunday drive to church. My father finally got his own battery charger in 1950. As I drive through the country almost every day in my 12vg neg ground, GPS and CD player equipped, using my extra powerful halogen lighted Cord look-a-like hotrod, I am confident that if I have an electrical disaster, I can buy a battery at every Walwart, or service station that wll fit. I can use my portable battery device, or get a jump start from anyone. (I changed the coil too) I can hardly wait to be driving again. Just put a new dash panel on, exhaust is done, my colour is drop dead gorgeous! As I tell anyone who asks," It is an original colour, only on Canadian Cords using epoxy, clear coat over colour, with pearlessence, and was so gorgeous that Toyoto copied it as an optional extra on the 2007 Hybrid Camry" Perhaps I won't be allowed into Eckhart Park next year. Cordially, Ric.

I have an old tractor that I converted to 12 volt. To run the gages and coil on 6 volt, I simply mounted a resistor that drops the voltage from 12 volts to 6 volts. From the resistor, I supply the coil and gage lights with the correct voltage. As stated earlier in the posts, I don't know about starterix system--I won't make any assumptions about it.

On my dad's Cord replica, we use 12 volt lights (we found euro-style tail lamp bulbs from Autozone work well) behind the original instrument panel. The clock does not work, but could be powered in with the resistor as it only needs 6 volt power and is non specific on the source. The Amp meter is wired directly, as amps are amps no matter the voltage. The only other powered gage is the fuel/oil level gage, which I believe could be powered through the resistor as well.

It is just my opinion, but if you already have a working 12 volt system in place, I would probably leave it alone. The only reason my tractor was converted was it needed re-built anyway and 6 volt parts were not readily available. The Cord replica is already 12 volt, so we adapted both the instruments and the car to work together.

Four Cords drove 2700-3800 miles from the West Coast to Auburn this year, all on six volts. Converting to twelve is a convenience, but hardly a necessity.

There is no need to go thru all the hassle to convert to 12 volts. you can have your generator converted to a alternator, that will give you all the power you need.....Don Allen in Oregon converted my, and it works great
Don's # (541) 902-2255 .......Lee Titus

I'm new to the forum and ACD but have converted other 6 v cars .
What i usually do is just put two 6 v batteries
and connect it serial. replace or rewind the generator for 12 v and ad a modern charger-relay then connect those things run with 12 v ( Generator, Headlamps, Cigar-lighter etc.like a 12v battery and others like the dashboard hook it only on one of both batteries ( 6 V ). The starter engine you can leave like it is, as it will turn a bit faster but can take the load. I'm not familiar up to now with the Starterix so get advise with someone who knows.
Best regards, Oldbanger71

My Cord was converted to 12-volts in the early 1970's. Whoever owned my Cord was going to turn it into a hotrod.

He took out the Lycoming engine and put in a Olds 455 V-8. At that time, everything was converted to 12-volt.

I am in the process of trying to undo a lot of these changes. The last thing I am going to do is to restore the engine compartment.

I am a new member, and as such, I am near the bottom of the food chain. Some of the older club members can probably shed some light on this.

However, I thought from Al Hatch's comments in the newsletter that ALL cars were welcome whether you had to push, pull, or drag it. Nearly all cars are works in progress, so my 2 cents says your car should be in the parade.

I hope to meet you in Auburn this year. You can look under the hood of my car at that time to see how they did my conversion.

Bill Hummel wrote: I have sealed beams in my Cabriolet. I dont recall that there was all that much to putting sealed beams in an 810.

I will try to take some pictures of how mine is set up. Maybe that will help you fabricate something.

I don't think it is that big a deal. (I am running 12-volts and Sylvania Halogens.) I can get the model # of the light for you as well.

Hi Bill,

I am interested in your 12-volt comment. While re-doing my 812 sedan, I have been considering converting to 12 volt. Questions: How did you deal with the generator/charging system and the instruments? I have considered putting a 12V battery in the trunk to run radiator fans, but have been stymied by the charging and instrument quetions.

Thakns for your comments on the site--they are always welcome.

Yours,

Tom

Tom Parkinson

Fully indexed and searchable .PDF's of past Newsletters are something that we are looking into.

If you want something like this, post a message in the NEWSLETTER section of this site.

What a great idea, could the back issues be available at a website in .pdf files so we could do research?

I have learned so much from the few issues I have. There are so many interesting articles in every issue.

There could be a small donation to the club with every download.

balinwire wrote: In the lens/reflector/bulb arrangment the lens is a seperate single piece.

Is there a part# and was this lens shared with any other vehicle?

My left one is cracked and has a different part no. from the right one. Is this lense available?

What is the correct diameter? 7" or 71/4? I am worried I will drop it during disasembly.

Any ideas before demolition, I will put a foam pad down under the fender so if the lense does fall it may survive.

<!-- s:arrow: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_arrow.gif" alt=":arrow:" title="Arrow" /><!-- s:arrow: --> This lense is not shared with any other vehicle.
Measures 7 23/32" to 7 3/4" O.D. 2 1/16" or 2 1/8" deep.
Cord part numbers:
K11144 is 2 1/16" deep or convex and has curved flutes.
K11224 is 2 1/8" deep or convex and has more or less all straight flutes

See ACD Newsleter No. 5 1991 for a good tech article on Cord headlamps.

<!-- s:!: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" /><!-- s:!: --> Do not follow the factory service bulletin, you will destroy parts.

Stan

In the lens/reflector/bulb arrangment the lens is a seperate single piece.

Is there a part# and was this lens shared with any other vehicle?

My left one is cracked and has a different part no. from the right one. Is this lense available?

What is the correct diameter? 7" or 71/4? I am worried I will drop it during disasembly.

Any ideas before demolition, I will put a foam pad down under the fender so if the lense does fall it may survive.

If you choose to go with sealed beams (6 or 12 volt) rather than the original lens/reflector/bulb arrangement, check with Gail Shaw at (707)569-9511. He's making new shells that accept sealed beams. And, the design has been modified to set the bulb unit back a smidgen, so the little glass projections can stay, and be used for aiming. (Some earlier conversions projected so far that these had to be ground off.)

When your headlamp lids are closed, nobody knows what you got in there, and at night who can see?

Thanks to all of you who have responded so promptly to my plea.
I know that with your help I will get those parts and the solution.
John Sands
619 298-1050 work
619 224-8558 home

John-

Please email us if you have a email address. I think we may have some parts for you. Are you looking for original type parts? If so, I can send you a couple pictures so we know exactly what you are looking for. If I don't hear from you we'll give you a call.

Auburn/Cord Parts
<a href="mailto:[email protected]][email protected][/url]

I have sealed beams in my Cabriolet. I dont recall that there was all that much to putting sealed beams in an 810.

I will try to take some pictures of how mine is set up. Maybe that will help you fabricate something.

I don't think it is that big a deal. (I am running 12-volts and Sylvania Halogens.) I can get the model # of the light for you as well.

I recently purchased an 810 Westchester (1468A) and have been inventorying the pieces thereof. Amongst the several parts missing are the headlamps. While I have the lids and the raising mechanism and cables, the rest of the headlamp systems appear to be missing. I consulted Auburn/Cord Parts, and Gwen says that they no longer market the sealed beam conversion sets. So, here I am flat on my back at thirty thousand feet and flat out of ideas. Maybe someone out there has a spare parts list that includes headlamp systems...and some ideas. Otherwise I'm restricted to daylight driving and no judging.
John Sands
619 224-8558