While you may or may not actually need to change your vintage car’s earlier 6-volt battery system, the 12-volt charging systems established themselves well in later years, becoming the industry standard in 1955. While the increase in horsepower is great, the 12-volt system can be especially beneficial if you’re having trouble starting your vehicle. The 12-volt system has superior compression ratios over the 6-volt, helping start your car when the engine is hot due to increased cranking power. 12-volt systems are also a necessity for many later accessories such as certain radios, air conditioning or halogen headlights, which cannot be run on 6-volt battery systems simply because they don’t have the power to run such accessories.

CA Residents: WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.P65Warnings.ca.gov