[Geoff Mawdsley]

I have just arrived back in Latin America after 9 years back in the UK. I have retired now so want to get my old friend, the black 54 beetle going! I have had it under cover for all the time, and it turns by hand. I am going to squirt some oil in the cylinders when I take the spark plugs out. The problem here, is getting a 6V battery! I don't want to damage the starter, and I have 6V semaphore indicators as well. I have an idea of using a 12V battery TAPPED half way along....I have seen the batteries with the cells connected together at the top by big straps of metal. I can connect half way and get 6V. Anyone have any ideas about this? The batter's place is under the back seat. Regards Geoff

 

[Jack49]

DO NOT do that. You will have partial 12V and partial 6V systems running at the same time unless you totally separate the wiring systems.
Very dangerous and you are just asking for a fire. Depending on your level of expertise, I would suggest disassembling the semaphores and replace the 6V bulbs with LEDs that are set up for 12V.
The semaphores will come apart you just have to be careful since the plastic gets brittle over the years. Put in a 12V autostick starter. The best route is to just do a 12V conversion throughout or stay with 6V for safety. Be careful and Good Luck.

 

[67bug]

To amplify Jack49s comments, I would also say stick with the 6V system.

Tapping the 12V battery might work for a test but would not work over time. Switching to a 12V system has many advantages but the amount of items to change from 6V to 12V could be costly and labor intensive. Some items to change include: Battery, starter, generator, regulator, all light bulbs (including speedometer), wiper motor, radio, and probably the turn signal flasher. The generator will be a different diameter so the generator pedestal will have to be changed as well.
I would suggest you find a 6V battery, possibly associated to a farm tractor or diesel truck business that may still use them. I would also over time go through all the electrical connections, one at a time, and clean them. If the wiring/connections are in good shape, most electrical problems related to voltage drops should clear up. 6V head lights are not the brightest but if the wiring/connections are in great shape they will be bright enough for most uses. Another weak spot for a 6V system you can improve is to check the ground connections for the starter, generator, tail lights and headlights. Add additional ground connections to the body from the headlights, generator and regulator if necessary and perhaps a 10 gauge wire from the battery negative connection to the actual body of the car.