1963 Voltage Regulator

[Joe S.]

My original 63 Voltage Regulator is not in bad shape, but it's been blacked out along with the horn relay. I'm not sure but would imagine this was done later in it's life when there was a repair to the front right corner.

A: Am I correct in that only the cover should be black (sort of glossy) and the regulator itself has a plated finish? Same for the Horn Relay?

B: The part number is listed as 1119512 for 63 with late 63 being 1119515. There is no VIN cutoff point for these. Mine is a July build (#19761) so I would expect that the 1119515 would be correct. Right?

Thanks again,

Joe..




Joe's 63 FI Convertible

[Mike M.]

Re: 1963 Voltage Regulator

lid is gloss black, frame of volt. reg is cad plated. 515 is correct part # for a midyear regulator. there will be a date code on the same end of the reg as the part # appears. these regulators were used by other GM products so if you need a 63 dated 515, check out salvage yards for corvairs, pickups etc. horn relay also blck gloss lid and cad plated frame. good luck, mike

[Joe R.]

Re: Horn Relay

Mike,

Had too much Christmas cheer? I think the horn relay may have had a cad plated cover all thru the mid years.

You are thinking of that hard to find PG relay with the gloss cover I'll bet.

Send some of that Christmas cheer down here. We need to warm up too!

Regards,

JR

[Peter L.]

Re: Horn Relay

I think we'll all find "much to our surprise" that the horn relay cover and probably the base are zinc plated rather than cadmium. Pete

[Jack H.]

Re: 1963 Voltage Regulator

The '512 relay was indeed originally used on '63 Corvettes with the debut of the alternator! It was short lived (for what reason, I don't know) and replaced by the '515 v-reg as a running change late in the '63 MY build.

I don't know the exact changeover date off-hand, but you should be able to get a better feel by doing some sleuthing with '63 and '64 AIM books. Find the AIM page where the v-reg is being installed and look at the PN callout. You should find a 'bubble' with a number enclosed that ties to the drawing's revision history.

Going down to the revision history and looking at that bubble-number line, there should be an AIM date with annotation to the effect "was '512 voltage regulator" and this will tie the approximate date of change over. Some running changes occurred in preparation for MY change over, so documentation could appear in either the '63 AIM of 64 AIM book.

The latest '512 v-reg I've seen was a 3E (May, '63) unit. Also, bear in mind that when a given change was authorized, it was pretty typical for the factory to continue to use up existing inventory of the older part so cars could be mixed for a period of time.

On concours detail, only the stamped steel cover of the v-reg was painted. It appears to have been a dip-paint technique. If you remove the cover and look inside, most factory originals will have 'drip' lines and an inside portion that didn't get paint coverage due to trapped air....

On Mike's suggestion to go find Corvairs to serve as donor parts cars, 'close' but won't cut it as far as v-regs go. Corvair continued to use generators for a LONG time after most of the Chevy line had switched to Delcotron alternators. BUT, if you want a nice horn relay cover, Mike's RIGHT ON with the 'vair. The horn relay was installed in the front trunk and therefore protected from the elements.

Last, horn relay covers were plated AND painted gloss black. Painting over the already plated stamped cover stopped in the 1961 timeframe (cost reduction?)....

[Joe S.]

Re: 1963 Voltage Regulator

Thanks all for the information. Helpful and appreciated.




Joe's 63 FI Convertible