Starter and solenoid.

So on my super c project I want to have a ignition with a key. Where would be the best place to mount a solenoid? I need to buy a new starter as well. It is a 12v system from what I can see. Do I need a ballast resistor? Had sleepless night trying to figure out the best way to wire it.

The original 6v starter is fine. Take it to a good Auto electric shop and have a threaded 5/16 stud put in place of the contact stud in the existing
starter. Run a ford 12v solenoid from a 1960 full sized Ford Fairlane 500 with 292. fasten the solenoid to the gas tank support. Run a 14 gauge wire
from you Key switch S terminal to the solenoid small "S" terminal Connect the Stud on the S side of the solenoid to the battery non grounded side.
Connect the I terminal to the coil side of the ballast resistor. Connect the last stud to the new starter terminal. Connect the Key I terminal to the
Ballast resistor. Connect the ACC terminal in the switch to the #1 terminal i=on the alternator, and the #2 terminal to the output stud on the
alternator (6 inches of wire. All small wires are 14 gauge, but different colors. Make a diagram!! The cable from the battery to the solenoid
(actually a relay) and to the starter should be #1gauge. Coil with negative to the distributor if negative ground alternator. Jim

Thank you Jim for the great detail. That's exactly how I'm gonna do it. I don't want to pour a bunch of money into this thing until it fires. I have a starter off another farmall I can try first. Thanks agsin

After reading around is a ballast resistor necessary with a 12 volt coil?I'm usually better at this kind of stuff than I am with this tractor. I know it is simple but I can't grasp it for some reason.

After reading around is a ballast resistor necessary with a 12 volt coil?I'm usually better at this kind of stuff than I am with this tractor. I know it is simple but I can't grasp it for some reason.

My 1970 F-100 pickup has the same solenoid,as do all Ford pickups from the 60s. Mount the solenoid any handy place. Location really doesnt matter.Make a small mounting plate/bracket to mount to bolt to the tractor. Then the solenoid to that You could even mount it in the instrument box,but it would be a tight fit.Wire it as Jim describes.

Let's take this a step farther. Now would be a perfect time to convert to a one wire (delco) alternator.The cost of this would be less than 70 dollars. First,completely strip out the entire
dilapidated old harness and start fresh.Easy to rewire.Heat shrink crimp on terminals is easiest to use. First,run a 10 ga wire from alternator to amp gage. Then comtinue on to the bayyery cable
where it hooks to hot side of the solenoid.Then pull power from the amp gage to the iginition switch.14 gage is adequet for this..Then wire up as Jim describes. . Useing black electrical tape,wrap
the whole thing up into a neat clean sanitary harness. Done.If you want lights or other accessorys,pull power from the amp gage at the same terminal as the ignition is pulled from.Be sure to run a
seperate ground from the alternator to the engine block.For some reason unknown to me,it seems to function better than just relying on the the bolts/bracketry for ground.I have done atleast 10 old tractors like this and have NEVER had any issue of not chargeing or a drain while sitting for prolonged periods. They ALWAYS work as they should.The first,a Surper M nearly 20 years ago,most recent,a
friends SuperC and his wifes A last week.

A coil can have 1.3 to 1.5 ohms across the small terminals an be used directly on a 6v system. That same coil can also be labeled 12v for use with a
ballast (external) resistor. Making a total of about 3 to 4 ohms. There are no internal resistors in coils, the coils labeled for use on 12v no
external resistor requires are just wound with the correct size and length of primary wire to operate on 14.6 volta (running and charging). The value
of using a ballast resistor (as my description) Is the bypass wire I describe going from the Relay "I" terminal to the coil side of the ballast
resistor. This bypass allows starting voltage (maybe 11 volts while cranking) to go directly to a 1.5Ohm coil. this increases the current through the
coil while starting making the engine start quickly. Once started, the I terminal is not connected any longer, and the coil now operated through the
ballast resistor. Jim

I'm about 90 percent positive I have a one wire alternator. The number 3 plug on side has about 6 inches of wire on it. Where does that go?

A one wire alternator will not have any wires sticking out. There is one wire, but it is a #10 wire going to the ammeter. You have a 3 wire
alternator. One just described going to the Ammeter, the one now sticking out (should be hooked to #2 spade terminal in that socket, and the other end
goes to the Big terminal where the first wire is attached. A third wire goes to a diode, or a bulb type clearance light bulb, or to a 10 ohm 10 watt
resistor. Each of these prevents elecrticity from flowing back to the coil when the engine is turned off, but you are using a wire (my instructions)
that goes directly to the ACC terminal on your key switch from the #1 terminal. Jim

Sorry I don't think I was clear. The wire was on the 2 prong. It goes to the big lug on back correct? And #10 to ammeter. It only has one lug on back of alternator and 2 prongs on the side. I believe it's a 10si delco.

Yes it has a #1 spade terminal in the slot on the edge. It has a #2 Spade terminal in that same slot. The short wire connects to #2 and to the log for
the heavier wire to the ammeter. The excite wire connects to #1 spade and to your ACC terminal on the ignition switch. Jim

(quoted from post at 17:21:25 01/13/21) Sorry I don't think I was clear. The wire was on the 2 prong. It goes to the big lug on back correct? And #10 to ammeter. It only has one lug on back of alternator and 2 prongs on the side. I believe it's a 10si delco.

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If the two prongs on the side are exposed it is probably a "3-wire" alternator. Not much more work to wire up than a 1-wire, really. On a 1-wire, those prongs are usually covered up by a plastic cover.

Ok. Hopefully last question. I'm starting to wire today. What I've got so far is 10 gauge from alternator lug to ammeter. Does it go on positive or negative terminal? Negative ground system. Then I have a loop from terminal2 to alternator lug. Then wire from terminal 1 to acc on 3 position starting switch. Does this sound right so far?

Yes. The - or + on amp meters are often confusing, and some are different here is how to make sure it is correct. One big wire from that ammeter
should go to the starter switch battery + big terminal. it should be all by itself. The other side should be connected to the lights, through a 15 amp
fuse, and the ignition switch (B terminal) and the alternator big wire. If you turn on the lights, the ammeter should show discharge. It is connected
correctly. If it shows charge, it is backwards. They do not care and cannot be hurt connected wrong, so try it. The coil should have the + terminal
connected to the ballast resistor, the neg side connected to the distributor. Jim

Well guys. Thank you for all the help. As of today I have a 1954 farmall super c that 1 week ago was off to the scrap pile, that runs perfect. Hydraulics and pto all work. It starts right up at a soft touch of the key. Sorry for all the questions. Ammeter still doesn't work but I might just replace it with a voltmeter. I still have a long road ahead on it but it is functional. I know rear end has water in it. Oil was clear and pretty but after driving around became milky white. Thanks again.

You are welcome. The ammeter could be stuck. Because it runs, the ammeter must be conducting current, so no problem diagnosing it. An ammeter
replacement will have the insulated lugs to put all the wires. a supplementary volt meter is a good idea, hooked to ground on its- terminal, and to the
ACC on its + terminal. Jim