Saving your old alternator

[Timbbuc2]

After putting a new wire harness through out my car, I was looking at my old alternator and I was afraid to run it, so I went to the local auto parts and bought a rebuild/new one. It ran about $75 . There were no markings on the case, so I decided in order to keep it as close to original as possible, I took mine apart and both the new one and old was identical.

[Timbbuc2]

Once you have the old housing cleaned, I laid them side by side. You first remove three nuts that holds on the coil winding. remove it. then remove the brushes, they are the last to go on. On the top outside there are 3 small screws, remove them and the condenser on the left side. Be care to install the insulators in order they came off. Then remove the nut on the lead on the outside where the main wire connects. Be sure to put the insulators back on this .

[Timbbuc2]

The brushes are the last thing to install, Last picture is the same alternator as the first picture with all new parts.

[Cuda Cody]

WOW!     Turned out really nice.     That seems like a great idea for those that want to have an original stamped alternator but do not have the desire to pay the money to have it restored.   Looks like your original case was from 1978, but still really cool.  I think the 1970 alternators have the round backs, but I bet the same process would work on them too.  Thanks for sharing.   

[usraptor]

What technique/process did you use to clean your old housing?  That's a real improvement!

[HP_Cuda]

What would be really cool is to have a brushless alternator!!!!

No more brushes to wear out and a more efficient all around, albeit more expensive but there is always trade offs.

[Timbbuc2]

What technique/process did you use to clean your old housing?  That's a real improvement!

I used medium media(coal chips) first, it was clean but it left it kind of dingy, then I used glass beads (fine) this thing was nasty.

[Timbbuc2]

WOW!     Turned out really nice.     That seems like a great idea for those that want to have an original stamped alternator but do not have the desire to pay the money to have it restored.   Looks like your original case was from 1978, but still really cool.  I think the 1970 alternators have the round backs, but I bet the same process would work on them too.  Thanks for sharing.   

@Cuda Cody You have a picture of a 70? This is the one that came with my car, and I told the auto parts store what year model, I guess this is all they offer. O well another part to look for

[Cuda Cody]

The 1970 & 1971's were all round backs.  You can always look for the date wheel (has the year with a pie wheel showing the 12 months / weeks)  Each dot on the pie wheel is a week.  There's also a part number and date stamped on the top.  What's cool about your alternator is it must have been a replacement in 1978.  Still really cool to have an original replacement part with that date.  I would just use the one you have (unless you're going to be judged) and that gives you plenty of time to find a date coded one for later.   

Here's a sample of a round back one.

[ebay]232216447760[/ebay]

WOW!     Turned out really nice.     That seems like a great idea for those that want to have an original stamped alternator but do not have the desire to pay the money to have it restored.   Looks like your original case was from 1978, but still really cool.  I think the 1970 alternators have the round backs, but I bet the same process would work on them too.  Thanks for sharing.   

@Cuda Cody You have a picture of a 70? This is the one that came with my car, and I told the auto parts store what year model, I guess this is all they offer. O well another part to look for

[Timbbuc2]

I remember reading a post that Allan mentioned about the square back and round back. Yes I will use this one but I will be on the look out. I will check to see if the round back are available but reconditioned, the same process would work to restore it. Thanks Cody

[usraptor]

What technique/process did you use to clean your old housing?  That's a real improvement!

I used medium media(coal chips) first, it was clean but it left it kind of dingy, then I used glass beads (fine) this thing was nasty.

Thanks Timbuc2

[erik70rt]

The 1970 & 1971's were all round backs.  You can always look for the date wheel (has the year with a pie wheel showing the 12 months / weeks)  Each dot on the pie wheel is a week.  There's also a part number and date stamped on the top.  What's cool about your alternator is it must have been a replacement in 1978.  Still really cool to have an original replacement part with that date.  I would just use the one you have (unless you're going to be judged) and that gives you plenty of time to find a date coded one for later.   

Here's a sample of a round back one.

[ebay]232216447760[/ebay]

Wow!  $475 for an alternator?

[Chryco Psycho]

Oddly just for a laugh I asked for a 70 alt @ Canadian tire assuming they would just sell me a square back as it fits exactly the same but no they actually had the correct round back & a different part# for the later years so i bought a few of them there .