Alternator

[1590]

Can anyone tell me the correct alternator for a 1964 289? I assume mine would have been fitted with a Lucas generator as COB 6029 is, mine is not the original engine and was fitted with an alternator when I bought the car.

[rr64]

CSX2201 and later cars came with alternators similar to ones used in a particular 427 c.i.d. engine option package for a 1963 Mercury and Ford sedans. Evidence suggests all the ones used in production had sheaves made by a different contract machine shop because they are different than what the Mercury and Ford sedans used. Mercury and Ford sedan ones are very rare and true Cobra production assemblies are extremely rare not on a Cobra. Alternators with the wrong sheave are not all that rare. Dearborn Steel Tube sold modern interpretations of the original sheaves into the 1990s but I don't know if they are still in business. Lately ebay® sellers have wanted between around $400 and $1,000 for a remanufactured alternator, then you have to come up with  a large 427 Ford style fan and sheave assembly, and then you have to find somebody with the special tool required to remove the wrong style fan and sheave so the large diameter 427 Ford style can be pressed back on.
   
   A shop owner in California makes AC Cars style alternator mounting brackets and adjustment arms. I don't know his current pricing.

[rsk289]

I'm a bit confused - as far as I'm aware leafspring COB Cobras were all fitted with Lucas dynamos, not alternators.  As you say, COB6029 has a dynamo.  So for a UK car I don't think there is a correct alternator.  Are you planning on going down the CSX route?
   COB6029 has a Lucas C40 dynamo with smooth casing, not stepped as in some applications,  There is a tachometer drive from the rear casing.  The gearbox for this is sold for Frogeye Sprites, from such places as AH Spares in the UK.  Cables are also reproduced.  This dynamo had a fabricated support bracket, which is now reproduced by Hawk Cars.
   The fun comes, as Dan notes for alternators, with the pulley and fan casting.  A single aluminium casting can be found from (e.g.) a Sunbeam Alpine (15mm shaft), but whilst the fan is the correct size, the pulley is smaller diameter.  This will charge a little better, but will affect the tachometer accuracy.  Your tacho may need recalibrating to suit.  I have never seen an original Cobra large-diameter pulley for sale, and it was not used on anything else that I know of (even Sunbeam Tiger, which used the Alpine size I believe).

[1590]

As I said my Cobra was fitted with an alternator when I purchased the car.
   That was some 43 years ago and as its not given me any problems I will stick with this non original item. The only reason for changing is that the alternator bracket is abit of a lashup so I thought thought the CSX bracket would clean things up. I have a Bosch alternator, but it does line up with the crankshaft pulley.
   I know the bracket will fit the block the only problem being if the Bosch alternator does not fit the CSX bracket? But I suppose it's all checkable!