I have a '59 3800 that hasn't gotten driven a lot recently. Last fall it got called into service when I wrecked by daily driver. It developed an electrical problem; it wouldn't charge the battery and actually seemed to drain it. Lights wouldn't stay on and truck would run like crap with them on - turning heat or defrost on made it worse. I was busy in the middle of a big job (or 3), got frustrated, and put it back in the garage as soon as my daily driver got fixed. Never got back to it...
Until recently. I'd been advised that the voltage regulators regularly experienced problems - so I got one off ebay and put it on. Threw the trickle charger on it for about an hour then jump started the truck. Seems to run well - HOWEVER, the voltmeter goes all the way to D when you give it gas. At idle, its just on the D side of the middle. Turning on the lights, heat, defrost, and hazards makes the needle tend toward C at idle, but still goes to D with acceleration.
Thoughts? Ideas? I'm frustrated and the Shop Manual (I have both the manual for the 58 and the supplement for the 59) doesn't seem to be helpful.
