[rotorwrench]

The only reason I would go alternator would be to add high energy draw components like air conditioning or something of that nature. If a person is planning on leaving the system mostly stock with maybe a radio upgrade or upgrade to 12 volts so a modern radio will work then most components can remain stock with the exception of the generator modified with 12-volt field coils, a 12-volt voltage regulator, all new 12-volt bulbs, voltage drops for the instruments that are designed to work on 6-volt, and possibly a change out of the heater blower motor to a 12-volt unit if so equiped. A 12-volt battery can be installed with negative ground. Solenoids & relays will usually work on 12-volt but can be changed out easily if they don't.

The more modern 2-brush generators will charge at a low engine RPM but are not efficient at low rpms. Most of the later 6-volt and 12-volt generator pulleys had ratios that would allow them to charge adequately at idle rpm. The worst thing about generators in general is that they are limited in output amperage. If you want a gen that puts out more, it's going to have to be bigger and that's not practical.

The Fifth Avenue Internet Garage puts out a little book about 12-volt change over.

Kerby