Got an original starter apart for my 61 alongside a heavy duty GM starter form some other GM model.

Looks like I could switch the heavy duty innards into my dated case.

Cases are the same size. but the hole for the field coil terminal is further forward on the HD case.

On the HD starter the field coils have two flat copper terminals and the standard starter, one. One HD terminal is on a flexible wire while the other is a flat copper bar which would have to be bent.

The armature and field coils would have to be swapped as a unit as there is a difference in the diameter of the armature and coils so they cannot interchange.

Looks like it would work if I can bend the flat bar coming off the HD coil.

Anyone ever try such a switch?
Any reason why it wouldn't work?

 

Bad idea. If you measure the length of the fields, you will see where the HT fields will partially cover the hole for the leads to come thru on the LT case restricting access to the hole. If you managed to manipulate the field leads thru the hole I am pretty sure things would get mangled and ugly. If you decide to try this be sure to use the brush pivot pins from the HT case as the LT pins are longer and will dig into the HT armature.

There is an easy alternative. There are 2 different sets of field windings that will increase the torque of the starter. One set has a shunt winding. This will give more torque, but will cause the starter to spin a little slower. The other is a set of fields that will give higher torque and about the same spin speed as the original fields. I believe the shunt field set will give more torque than the other set,but both will be greater than the original ones. Also these fields are made to be used with the original field case and the original armature. When assembled no one will be the wiser except if you use the shunt fields there will be 2 leads instead of 1 coming out of the case. You can solder the 2nd lead to the first lead internally and have only one lead showing and it will look just like the original. All you need to decide is if you want more torque with the same spin speed or even more torque and sacrifice a little spin speed, and choose your field type accordingly. If you need a set of fields or need more help feel free to contact me. Mark

 

I forgot to mention that the field shoes (the metal part that the screws holding the fields in) are of different size in the High Torque and Low Torque starters. They can also be installed upside down so make sure you know how they are supposed to be installed and only use the low torque shoes with the LT fields and armature and vise versa.

 

I recently swapped the entire field (case and all) and the armature from a High Torque unit. Also replaced the drive and bushings (bushings were the original issue).

In other words, the only thing that was "original" was the bell housing mount nose.

It did not allow me to use a dated case, but my starter was a NAPA rebuild from before I owned the Vette.

Plasticman