Reproduction Parts for 1916-1964 Chevrolet Passenger Cars & 1918-1987 Chevrolet & GMC Trucks


Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,906
Likes: 8
Former ChatMaster
ChatMaster - 5,000
OP Offline
Former ChatMaster
ChatMaster - 5,000
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,906
Likes: 8
All Chevrolets are grounded NEGATIVE.
None of them were ever positive grounded.

Note: Some GMC trucks were positive ground, however.


Bill Barker
Previous VCCA CHAT Administrator
(VCCA Member: 9802)
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,178
ChatMaster - 1,000
Offline
ChatMaster - 1,000
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,178
I owned a 51 Jimmy PU for a short time. it was a positive ground but the previous owner had installed the battery incorrectly, took me a little time to figure out what was going on. talk

Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,906
Likes: 8
Former ChatMaster
ChatMaster - 5,000
OP Offline
Former ChatMaster
ChatMaster - 5,000
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,906
Likes: 8
Ha ha.... Good story. And that's why I left this thread (announcement) unlocked!

--I didn't mean to laugh at your misfortune, but it sure was educational. bonk

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 825
ChatMaster - 750
Offline
ChatMaster - 750
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 825
mine is negative ground and its an Australian 34 standard, so there for all you disbelievers the America's and the Falkland islands..

Goose Green lives forever... :aust:

Peter




never give 100% unless you are giving blood.

Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,620
Likes: 5
ChatMaster - 3,000
Offline
ChatMaster - 3,000
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,620
Likes: 5
Originally Posted by blueyAU
mine is negative ground and its an Australian 34 standard, so there for all you disbelievers the America's and the Falkland islands..

But then again,your toilet water "grounds" wrong too!! flush


Those accustomed to the finest...find it in Chevrolet.
1953 Belair Convertible
1951 2dr Deluxe Sedan
2015 GMC SLE 4X4
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,441
ChatMaster - 1,000
Offline
ChatMaster - 1,000
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,441
25 years ago I bought a 50 GMC off a neighbor and was suprised it was positive ground,I was used to that in the Fords and Mopars I had at the time but was the first with a GM product.


VCCA #45194
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 160
Shade Tree Mechanic
Offline
Shade Tree Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 160
When I asked this question in November, last year:
Is the battery in a '32 Chevy negative ground or positive ground?
Is the same true for '29, '30 and '31?
Why is something so basic so hard to learn from period manuals?

MrMack suggested that I was an idiot not to know that Chevrolets are always Negatively grounded. As proof he mentioned that GMCs were positively grounded.
MrMack and Bill are correct, Chevrolets are all negatively grounded.


Heart of Route 66 Region (Okla) VCCA
Chevys: 1929 LQ 1.5T; 1930 LR 1.5T; 1932 BA 5 pass coupe; 1941 Chevy 1.5T US Army Fire Truck, my vintage '82 Chevy Motor Home
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 238
Backyard Mechanic
Offline
Backyard Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 238
I'm running a 946C Chevy genny with a positive grnd on a '31
Model-A {you know what} and it works great! nanana What I want to know is can I convert to 12 volt without any problems?
The coil, bulbs & horn will be properly changed or converted. crazy

I still have my '29 Chevy when I want to drive somewhere and when I want to work on something, well, ya'll know the answer to that. freak

Capt. Harley Agrin


Capt. Harley
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 194
Shade Tree Mechanic
Offline
Shade Tree Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 194
My 1941 Chevy 1 1/2T cargo truck is positive ground. but it is a military truck and they were only this way for a very short time.

Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 30,699
Likes: 141
ChatMaster - 25,000
Offline
ChatMaster - 25,000
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 30,699
Likes: 141
Does it have a GMC egine? That could make the difference.


Gene Schneider
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,049
ChatMaster - 1,000
Offline
ChatMaster - 1,000
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,049
my 53 Packard is positive ground

Last edited by Ken_Naber; 12/08/14 05:50 PM.

I have a 1927 Chevy Capital AA 4 Door also a 1927 Chevy Touring car, a 1936 Chevy 1/2 ton and a 2010 Corvette LT3 Convertible and a 1953 Packard Caribbean. My tow car is a 2011 Suburban.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 29,847
Tech Advisor
ChatMaster - 25,000
Offline
Tech Advisor
ChatMaster - 25,000
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 29,847
Right......but a Packard is not a Chevrolet!

laugh wink beer2



The Mangy Old Mutt

"If It's Not Junk.....It's Not Treasure!"
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,441
ChatMaster - 1,000
Offline
ChatMaster - 1,000
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,441
It seems like most non GM were positive ground until they went to 12 volts.


VCCA #45194
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 194
Shade Tree Mechanic
Offline
Shade Tree Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 194
Hi Gene it is the stock 235 The big voltage regulator on the firewall has 6V positive ground on the tag. They military did switch in 42 to negative ground.

Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 35
Shade Tree Mechanic
Offline
Shade Tree Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 35
New guy here so bear with me if the title of the thread hasn't quite sunk in just yet.

I've got a '31 5-window coupe that is currently wired positive ground. The ammeter shows discharge when hooked up this way, it turns the starter, and the lights and horn work.

Upon turning the battery around thereby hooking it up negative to ground the ammeter shows charging.

SO my understanding is that it is hooked up correctly as positive ground.


1931 5-Window Coupe # 1,406 of 28,379
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 29,847
Tech Advisor
ChatMaster - 25,000
Offline
Tech Advisor
ChatMaster - 25,000
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 29,847
Quote
Upon turning the battery around thereby hooking it up negative to ground the ammeter shows charging.


Is that with the car running? If so, since all Chevrolets are negative ground and not positive ground, reverse the wires on the back of the amp meter.

The amp meter should show a slight discharge when the ignition is on and the car is not running. When the car is running down the road the amp meter should show a charge.


Quote
SO my understanding is that it is hooked up correctly as positive ground.


Are you talking about the battery or the amp meter? All Chevrolets are negative ground so the battery is hooked up correctly if it is negative ground.

laugh wink beer2



The Mangy Old Mutt

"If It's Not Junk.....It's Not Treasure!"
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 35
Shade Tree Mechanic
Offline
Shade Tree Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 35
Junkyard Dog,

First, thanks for the quick response.

No, we have not actually started the car and run it yet. It sat for about two years since it last ran, just got a new battery and got the starter to turn over this weekend and now we are going to drain all the old gas. Need to pull the carburetor and clean it up and rebuild the fuel pump before firing it up.

But, it has had a healthy dose of Marvel Oil and everything that should move seems to move just fine so once those tasks are complete we will try running it.

Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, maybe not. I never even thought of reversing the wires on the amp meter.
^To that point, is there a check list or something of things I ought to be doing and in what order?

Thanks


1931 5-Window Coupe # 1,406 of 28,379
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 29,847
Tech Advisor
ChatMaster - 25,000
Offline
Tech Advisor
ChatMaster - 25,000
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 29,847
With your battery hooked up to negative ground as it should be, reverse the wires on the back of the amp meter and it should read correctly.

laugh wink beer2


The Mangy Old Mutt

"If It's Not Junk.....It's Not Treasure!"
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,262
Likes: 6
ChatMaster - 2,000
Offline
ChatMaster - 2,000
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,262
Likes: 6
You asked about a checklist for starting a long-idled old Chevy. Here's one that I posted late last year:

https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/357085/Starting_a_long-idled_old_Chev#Post357085

Hope that helps.

All the Best, Chip


"It's wise to choose a SIX"
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 35
Shade Tree Mechanic
Offline
Shade Tree Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 35
Originally Posted by Junkyard Dog
With your battery hooked up to negative ground as it should be, reverse the wires on the back of the amp meter and it should read correctly.

laugh wink beer2

Before I get there, when the car last ran, the battery was hooked up positive to ground (negative to starter) and everything worked just fine.

Now, I know since it last ran that the starter was rebuilt and the battery was just replaced this month.

Will hooking it up negative to ground, as it should be, cause the starter to turn the opposite direction? I would assume so but I don't know.

Given that information, is it possible that the polarity got switched when the starter was rebuilt? How would I know?


I appreciate the help! I don't know much about this stuff but I'm eager to learn! idea


1931 5-Window Coupe # 1,406 of 28,379
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 35
Shade Tree Mechanic
Offline
Shade Tree Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 35
Originally Posted by Chip
You asked about a checklist for starting a long-idled old Chevy. Here's one that I posted late last year:

https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/357085/Starting_a_long-idled_old_Chev#Post357085

Hope that helps.

All the Best, Chip

Thanks Chip this helps immensely, my granddad has gone through most of this stuff but I want to follow up everything myself (as much for the learning as the ensuring everything is right).

The car has been in the family for years and it is now coming to me and I'd like to make use of it!


1931 5-Window Coupe # 1,406 of 28,379
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,262
Likes: 6
ChatMaster - 2,000
Offline
ChatMaster - 2,000
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,262
Likes: 6
That's great! Good luck with it and enjoy your car.

All the Best, Chip


"It's wise to choose a SIX"
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 341
Likes: 6
Backyard Mechanic
Offline
Backyard Mechanic
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 341
Likes: 6
Posting on an old thread. My 41 Chevy special deluxe has the ground strap connected to the + terminal on the battery.
This is backwards, right?
I need to swap them and repolarize the regulator, right?
I then need to swap the wires on the back of the ammeter that I swapped a few weeks ago to correct the charging indication.

Anything else? Oh, track down the last person that replaced the battery and slap them.

It’s been this way for a long time. My brother who had the most experience with the car before I got it instructed me that red from a battery charger goes to the ground strap post. This works and supports the reversed diagnosis, right?

Currently no accessories in the car, but I’m planning for a radio...thus my research.

Thanks

Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 29,847
Tech Advisor
ChatMaster - 25,000
Offline
Tech Advisor
ChatMaster - 25,000
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 29,847
Quote
This is backwards, right?
I need to swap them and repolarize the regulator, right?

Yes, it is backwards. All Chevrolets are negative ground.

Reverse the wires on the ammeter.

The negative side of the coil goes to the points in the distributor.

If the voltage regulator is a positive ground regulator then change it to a negative ground regulator.

Re-polarize the generator.

The starter motor will still turn in the correct direction.

laugh wink beer2


The Mangy Old Mutt

"If It's Not Junk.....It's Not Treasure!"
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 29,847
Tech Advisor
ChatMaster - 25,000
Offline
Tech Advisor
ChatMaster - 25,000
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 29,847
Quote
My brother who had the most experience with the car before I got it instructed me that red from a battery charger goes to the ground strap post. This works and supports the reversed diagnosis, right?

The red cable from the battery charger always goes to the positive post on the battery and the black cable from the battery charger always goes to the negative post on the battery regardless if the vehicle is positive or negative ground.

laugh wink beer2


The Mangy Old Mutt

"If It's Not Junk.....It's Not Treasure!"
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Support The VCCA!

Enjoy the forum? Become a VCCA member! The World's Best Chevrolet and GMC Club!


Member Photos
1964 Chevrolet Impala SS
1964 Chevrolet Impala SS
by DreamChevy, February 17
My 1933 Chevy 2 Dr. Sedan
My 1933 Chevy 2 Dr. Sedan
by 1939Chevy1, November 24
Back on the road 79 years later
2 1927 Chevrolet Trucks
2 1927 Chevrolet Trucks
by 1927TRUCKS, June 7
Who's Online Now
4 members (ruscar, beachbum, AFMsteve, 1 invisible), 82 guests, and 35 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
NeilA, Jayhicks, Tomvanhouten, Dads29Chevy, Tractorman
18,308 Registered Users
Today's Birthdays
aristech, RalphL, tonysk
Forum Statistics
Forums58
Topics59,071
Posts429,063
Members18,308
Most Online1,133
Jan 22nd, 2020
 

Notice: Any comments posted herein do not necessarily reflect the official position of the VCCA.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5