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question on old electrical system

E

ericlb

Well-known Member
posted on the truck forum with pics, but for coverage im putting ti here too, working on a 1957 chevy 4400, 235 6 cylinder the truck is factory stock era 1957, it has a 12 volt generator,[ the riveted tag is clearly marked] and points and coil ignition, how do i determine weather its a positive or negative ground electrical system, the battery isnt present and i figure to fire this truck up for the first time in a few days since it was put in a barn in 1976
 
Now not being a Chebby expert here . That it being a 12 volt system i assume that it is neg. grounded .but don't hold me to that . I know that my 56 ford was 12 volt Neg. ground and my one friends 55 ford was 6 volt pos ground .
 
Now not being a Chebby expert here . That it being a 12 volt system i assume that it is neg. grounded .but don't hold me to that . I know that my 56 ford was 12 volt Neg. ground and my one friends 55 ford was 6 volt pos ground . and oh my mom's 57 Cheve Belair was 12 neg. Never liked her car , it handled like the queen Mary on high seas . as my 56 Ford handled a lot better and my 292 was faster then her 283 .
 
Hello ericlb,
How about the generator wire? is it still there.
Take an OHM meter reading form the wire to a good ground. If you get continuity that it is positive groung. BUT..... the 56 Chevy model year was 12v so i'm thinking negative ground as well.
Guido.
 
The negative terminal of a battery is smaller than the positive. So, the size of the battery clamp on the ground cable should give you a clue how it was wired.
 
Chevys where negative ground from the start of the 12v era. As a matter of fact, I don't think Chevy ever used a positive ground. GMC did, but not Chevy.
 
It will be a neg ground system, wire from the switch should go to the + on the coil. Clean the points really good, set gap at 018, check to see if you have fire there, if so, and gas in the carb, it should bang right off.
 
I had a 56 Chev. small school bus 6 cal. manual trans. with 12 volt battery back on the passenger side firewall - It was negative ground.
 
(quoted from post at 12:36:45 12/25/12) Chevys where negative ground from the start of the 12v era. As a matter of fact, I don't think Chevy ever used a positive ground. GMC did, but not Chevy.
Click to expand...
t least as far back as 1932 (as far as my chart goes back) all Chevys were negative ground, including your 1957.
 
My grain truck is a 1958 GMC. Still has the original 12 volt generator. It is negative ground. I keep waiting for the generator to die so I can quit worrying about it but it never does. Truck only has 77K miles, though.
 
Well, I think it has been pretty well covered, but the majority of the major manufacturers went to negative ground when they went to twelve volts. I read somewhere the reason for the change, but danged if I can remember it now. Consensus being, "If its twelve volts, it is negative ground".
 
MY 55 Chevy wagon was 12 volt negative ground. I don't know when they went to negative ground on eveything, but as another post suggested, when the mfgs shifted to 12 volt the shift was usually made to negative ground also.
 
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