VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 generator

Seems I may have the wrong genearor on my car, (29 Chevy)it is a 943B anyone identify what this might be from?

Yep...as I mentioned in another posting it fits a 1928 Chevrolet.

So you say it is a 28 Generator, is that all it would fit, what would they have in 27? could this be for any other years other than 28? Also are the pulleys the same between the 28 and 29 Generator, if my spare is the correct Gen. for a 29 and a 30 but the pulleys are different than I need to find out if the Generator you say is for a 28 has the same pulley.

If your 943B generator has the correct pulley for 1928, then the pulley will be the same for 1929 as well. The 943B generator, other than the cut-out on top and the Delco-Remy tag, is the same as the 943J generator for 1929 and up.

Thats great info, now how can I tell if it has the correct 28 pulley, any suggestions?

The pulley should be cast iron with three spokes. It should have a Chevrolet bow tie on it as well as the part number cast into the pulley.

By the way, the 943B generator also fits 1926 and 1927 as well.

Thanks that will give me a referance to go by, I have the parts book now and I know that a good parts book is a mans best friend so I will have to start using it. Also that is good to know what the other generato fits.

Yep....devour your parts book page by page and you will find some really interesting stuff!

Just looking thru my parts book, trying to get acclimated to this particular book and it lists the International 29 series, the Universal 30 series and the Independance 31 series as having all the same part#s and I know that you had said that the 29 and 30 puleys had some differences, I hope that you were wrong about that because it would mean that my 30 Generator has the correct pulley. Let me know

Since this is your first experience with a parts book you still have lots to learn about Chevrolet parts books. The pulley listed in the 1929-32 parts book is a retro-fit for 1929. As was discussed in the last couple of days regarding parts books, the later the edition of the parts book the more parts are generalized and retro-fitted.

The pulley for the 1929 generator fits 1929. The pulley for 1930 and 1931 fits 1930 and 1931. The 1929, 1930 and 1931 parts books lists the pulleys with the correct applications. However, the later edition parts book that you have has retro-fitted the 1930-31 pulley to also fit 1929, thus it shows that the application for the generator pulley is 1929-31, but when the 1929 cars came from the factory they had the 1929 pulley. Basically, the 1930-31 pulley is a replacement for 1929.

As you mentioned this is my first experience with a Chevrolet parts book but is is not my first experience with parts books in general, I have learned over the years that a good parts book is a restorers best friend. I completely understand your meaning when you mention that the later the edition of the parts book the more misleading it may be as to the correct original parts numbers. It sounds like what you are telling me is that this 29-32 parts book is not much good as it is misleading me, I want to find the correct original items for my car and apparently this book can not be counted on for that, so what it sounds like you are also telling me is that they had a specific year parts book for 29, they did the same with Dodge in at least this particular year, a couple of years prior and a couple of years following, I think that it had something to do with the reorganazation of Chrysler (reffering to the fact that Chrysler had purchased Dodge in late 28 ) but I may incorrect on wether that is the true reason. So is there a year specific parts book for 29 and where can it be purchased? Would be hard to believe that out of all the literature that is being reproduced for 29 Chevrolet that this is unavailable. Especially with the # of men out there restoring their cars to 100 point perfection. I know that all of the cars that these guys have started with have not been complete original barn find autos, many of them were basket cases in which case they had to spend years of research finding the correct parts and they obviousely had a referance to go by. And I am comparing the amount of literature Chevrolet offers to what Dodge offers which is next to nill. At this point I have what you are telling me is a 28 and earlier generator on my car, this generator has a solid disk pulley on it, this is incorrect....................If your 943B generator has the correct pulley for 1928, then the pulley will be the same for 1929 as well......The pulley should be cast iron with three spokes. It should have a Chevrolet bow tie on it as well as the part number cast into the pulley.........You are telling me that the original pulley was a 3 spoke, now I also have a 30 generator that is correct accoriding to what you have told me and it also checks out with the 29-32 parts book that I have and it does have a 3 spoke pulley on it but at this point it prob is still the incorrect pulley as you mention that the 29 and 30 pulleys were different in some ways even though they were both 3 spoke.................The 1929 generator pulley is slightly different than the 1930 generator pulley.......So I guess I have four more questions, what is the correct part# for the 29 pulley? What are the differences that you mention between the 29 and 30 pulley? Where did you referance the correct part # for the 29 pulley? If it is a different parts book than what I have here where can I get a copy of that book? It must be being reprinted because I am not the first guy to want his car to be a correct car. Notice I said correct, I also realize that some of it will never be original because I cannot go back in time and get the original pulley or generator that came off off my car when it rolled of the assy. line and I am just noting that I do realize there is a difference but I like anyone else can only do the best I can. I can definately find a correct 29 pulley for my car if I have some referance to go by, one thing I have learned over the years with dealing with D.B. vehicles is that anything is available if you look hard enough, I have found parts for my Dodge that other people including the tech advisor for my car had told me that it would be literally or nearly impossible to find, persistance is the key.... This is turning out to be a very interesting topic and I appreciate your participation as I am learning a bunch about my car and it also allows me to teach others that I come in contact with the same and that is why it is so imperitive that I am clear on the details so I do not mislead anyone. Thanks

On the contrary, the 1929-32 parts book is a great book and it is very useful. It contains a world of great information, but like all Chevrolet parts books, some of the parts in that book have been retro-fitted for 1929, and the 1929 pulley is one of them. The accessories listed in the book is a good example since some of the accessories listed include 1929 but those particular accessories were not available in 1929.

If you really want to get into the research aspect of your '29 to make it as correct as possible, then you will need to locate all of the literature that you can get your hands on, like all of the 1929 parts books (no, they are not being reprinted), all of the sales, service, and prospect filmstrips, the dealers album, 1929 Engineering Features, and etc.

Back to the 1929 pulley; the part number for the correct 1929 pulley is 346745, and it also fits the four cylinder models. That part number is listed in the January 1, 1929 edition, the August 1, 1929 edition, February 1, 1930 edition, August 1, 1930 edition, and the February 1, 1931 edition of the Chevrolet parts books. The 1929 pulley was retro-fitted in the August 1, 1931 edition of the parts book and the part number was changed to 836256 and the application was also changed to fitting all 1929-31 models. By the way, that book also makes a notation that the retro-fitted pulley fits the four cylinder models as well.

The difference between the 1929 and the 1930 pulley is the diameter as I remember. The difference is slight so that is why the 1929 pulley was retro-fitted in the August, 1931 edition of the parts book.

As I mentioned above, the 1929 parts books are not being reprinted. You will have to contact vintage literature dealers to try to find one or you could run a free ad in the G&D since you are a member of the VCCA. The 1929 parts books are out there but they are not plentiful.

Once your VCCA membership is active you will be able to contact the Technical Advisors. There is a page in each issue with contact information. Many of them have extensive collections of literature and experience. Others not so much. Just remember they are volunteers and don't have unlimited time. Several of the TAs frequent these forums so some of the advise you have already received has come from TAs. Maybe not the one for 1929 models.

I highly support the accumulation of literature on any model being restored or maintained. It is much more effective and timely to look it up yourself than wait for someone else to get the information to you. Also remember that every piece of literature has errors in it. So verification in several sources, if possible, is recommended.

Two excellent answers thanks, that clears up the confusion completely, the tech advisor for 29 as listed in the G.D is evidently very sick and prob. will no longer be avail. to help any further I have been told. It seems that the biggest flaw in the resto buisness wether it be Dodge or Chevrolet or whatever is that there is a large amount of info that is usefull still avail ( such as the parts books you refer to ) but there is no networking of that info so that it is avail. to everyone which is a crime because isnt that what clubs such as this stand on, the preservation of old cars in any means possible. Well as I have been told before I will just have to find my own info wether that means to beg borrow or steal. Thanks again

I am a bit troubled and confused by your post, part of which is quoted above. The VCCAchat.org site exists as a major part of the "network" to disseminate information for the preservation and restoration of Vintage Chevrolets. To date the information is given freely to those that ask for it. Are you suggesting that is not enough? Valued?

You missed my point or I wrote incorrectly, the meaning was that there is so much information that men such as yourself or Skip and many others ( including the current 29 Tech advisor ) have but it is not being published or reproduced as far as I can tell and correct me if I am wrong. I also realize that anything worth anything does not come easy but just think how many more older cars would and could be restored to absalute correctnes ( which is a club such as this trademarks) if that info was made avail in print ( and I also realize that it is and has been in spurts throughout the years in the G.D ect ) so that whenever a question arose such as this pulley question I or anyone such as myself have the information in front of us in the same format that you have. I do enjoy searching for original literature but am aware that sometimes the info is just plain unavailable or may not be avail for a very long time and that can be discouraging to many people. ( not so much to myself as I enjoy the challenge) There are specific websites online that I see pop up more and more that tailor to people that have alot of this original literature and are willing to freely give and share with others in entire formats,( not referring to a questions and answers format that we have here) I guess they scan and download what they have and there it is. fantastic. What I should have done initially and was planning to do even as I sat here was to ask you or skip if you have any desire to reproduce some of that info that you have. I realize that it has prob taken you and others years to accumulate the info and I respect that. I know that it takes some money and time to do all of this that I reffer to and I have no problem with either of these. In my opinion this is the ultimate sacrafice a car fanatic can do for his hobby and the cars he loves so much and that is to share and make avail every bit of knowlege that he has in his grasp by whatever means are avail to him to do that so that others may share the passions he has. You may not feel the same way and everybody has different opinions and just because I feel differently I most certaintly do not condemn any different thoughts or beliefs. I am only expressing my thoughts because you had asked me for clarification on a comment that I had made and I appreciate the opportunity to do that here and I am hopefull that if our thoughts do not coincide you will at least give me the right to have my opnion as I have given you the right to do the same. Hope this clears it up but I also want to add that I am well aware that your position and mine position or anyone elses position whatever that may be on this chat site or any others is a nonpaying position, I hope that one day I will be the guy that has all the answers,I know that any time tech advisors give to people is at their own loss of time and that is very much appreciated I am sure by everyone that partcipates on any of these sites or is just working on an old car. I do also realize though that if the answers were made so readily avail than everyone would have more time to do what they truly love and that is work on their old cars and hopefully do what is correct and restore the car correctly so that is why I feel so strongly on publishing what is avail for all. Again thanks Chip and skip for two excellent answers to a most complex question. I cannot speak for anyone else but the last thing I desire is to make any sort of confronting remarks and although I am quite sure I have not done that I just hope that anything I may add in the future will not be seen in that way


Are you suggesting that is not enough? Valued?.....Definately not in any way shape or form, making suggestions on a more streamlined way that things could be done so as to lessen the comlications, I was thinking out loud as explained above,maybe you misunderstood this and took offense...Well as I have been told before I will just have to find my own info wether that means to beg borrow or steal... it is an old saying usually made in joke whenever something is unavailable or hard to come by such as this literature, hope this clears it up, I was in no way referancing the material that is given out here