Original regulator - not something you see very often

Drove the 71 Squire to work last Thursday, and as I was leaving the ALT light popped on. Living under fifteen miles from work and having a fairly fresh Group 27 battery, I just motored on home and investigated. After verifying that nobody was home in the charging system, I hooked up a scavenged 80s Motorcraft electronic regulator and the alternator kicked right on and started charging away as it should. The regulator on these cars is buried up under the fender behind the battery, so the 50lb battery with no handle has to come out and then you're working blind on the lower fastener. After it came out, I wiped it off and was blown away to find the original, factory installed regulator. The Squire was built 5/4/71, and the regulator precedes that by two weeks.

Quality, job 1.

I'm a big fan of upgrading to a more modern electronic regulator. But, pop off the original cover and swap it out onto the new regulator.

One of mine still has the original voltage regulator, but its not quite as mint as that one. Still works, though. I did notice the alternator has the ford part number on it, so I reckon maybe still running the stock one?

How things have changed. I have to change my auto parts regulators every few years because they won't give me anywhere near a decade of service.

I am a bigger fan of upgrading to the 3G alternator with internal regulator, but for period correct car that is cool.

giantpune said:

One of mine still has the original voltage regulator, but its not quite as mint as that one. Still works, though. I did notice the alternator has the ford part number on it, so I reckon maybe still running the stock one?

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If you are into details, Ford color coded 60 amp Alternators with a Green paint stripe over the part number on the case.