[Charlie Jones]

Rusty,
Before you dive headlong into a 12 volt conversion you might want to consider the following points.

Alternator brackets will have to be fabicated and you will have to locate a wide pulley to fit your 3/4 in. fanbelt.

Six volt starters will work on 12 volts,but, it will shorten it's life drastically. Especially if it's kind of tired already.

Unless you are an expert on both alternator and generator charging systems, coming up with a workable wiring circuit will be very difficult.

Six volt systems can be extremely reliable if they are properly Restored and maintained. They are capable of starting vehicles at 30 below zero if they are in good condition and in fact did so for many years before 12 volt systems came along.

Accessories such as radios and heater fans will not work on 12 volts unless the proper voltage dropping resistors are used.

Instead of converting to 12 volts I would suggest that you restore the original system properly. Make sure to consider the following:

Battery: Be sure to use a new "long tom" battery. They aren't hard to find, especially in the farm belt because John Deere (God bless 'em) used them for many years. Look at farm supply stores or implement dealers. John Deere also used Delco-Remy charging and starting systems and may be a source for many small parts such as brushes, bushings, and bearings for starters and generators. Implement dealers will probably have mechanics with experience with generator/regulator systems.

Battery cables; The bigger the better. With half the volts you must have twice the amperage to do the same job. The main mistake many hobbyists do with 6 volt systems is to use the skinny 12 volt style cables. Use the original type braided ground strap and at least a 2/0 battery to starter cable. Make sure there is a good ground strap between the body and the engine.

Generator and starter; Have both of them reconditioned. If you want to do this yourself start by disassembling and thourghly cleaning them. Check the field coils for continuity and shorts to ground. Take the armatures to an electrical shop or implement dealer and have them tested on a "growler" and then have the commutator trued and undercut. Reassemble using new brushes, bearings, bushings, and solenoid contacts.

Wiring; Check the wiring harnesses carefully for brittleness and deterioration. Fortunately, on your model car the wiring harness is divided at the firewall.The underhood wiring, which is most subject to deterioration, is replaceable seperately.

Tools; To work on any electrical system you need at least two things, a volt/ohm meter and a wiring diagram. A factory service manual is even better.

Good luck on your project. I truely envy you for finding such a gem of an old Pontiac. I hope you enjoy driving it for many years.