Dynamos offer a perfectly serviceable system for classic cars that are used infrequently, but if you use your classic car often – and especially if you drive at night, have added accessories or even use things like sat navs and mobile phone chargers – that system will start to struggle. An alternator is the modern answer to classic car electrical charging problems and can be fitted easily either with a proprietary kit or with a little fabrication. This Skill Shack video tutorial will show you how to upgrade from a dynamo to an alternator and will share hints and tips along the way from fitting brackets, wiring and other considerations like fan belt size and ignition coil positioning. We recommend for owners of older classic cars, that you first view our video on converting from positive to negative earth before undertaking this project.
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10:48Discover the basic set of tools you’ll need to complete a number of electrical jobs on your classic car. Ed Hughes introduces these necessary tools and then demonstrates the quick methods he uses to join two wires.
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18:26In the previous class, Ed showed you how to clean the valves and prepare them for reinsertion into the head. Now, you’ll learn how to lap in the valves using grinding paste and then decoke the engine in order to increase its efficiency and ensure top-notch engine performance for another several thousand miles. Ed introduces the tools you need to complete this process and then shows you how to use them.
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1:58Any capable restorer of classic cars ought to know how to decoke an engine. Over time the engine on a classic car becomes backed up with carbon, which causes the efficiency of said engine to drop. When enough carbon builds up, it might be time to decoke the engine–but how do you know whether it’s the right time?
Throughout this course, Danny and Ed will teach you some of the basic tips any car restorer needs to correctly maintain cylinder heads and gaskets, focusing on how to decoke an engine once the head has been removed.
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7:46In the final class of our course on classic car electrics, Ed teaches you about the ignition system on your car. He discusses the two halves of the ignition system, explains how the system is wired to the rest of a car, and then shows you how to trace faults.
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