6 Volt Troubles (dang 12-v battery)

[PoochyCor]

Here's the deal: The guy that had my '64 Kadett years ago put a 12 v battery and 12 v headlights in it. No surprise - all other bulbs are out ALL OF THEM Where's a good place to get 6 v bulbs (including headlights)?

[opelbits]

JC Whitney might have them, but if you find a VW supplier, they will surely have them. Probably decent quality, too.

[PoochyCor]

...she raised a complete idiot (guess I should look close before I start drawing conclusions). The bulbs are all 12 volt. I'm 99.9% sure the car was 6 volt from the factory but the old battery and all the bulbs are 12 volt.

It has the original starter and generator. Would they work on a 12 volt system?

[namba209]

You may smoke the starter, eventually, by putting 12volts to it. It will surely spin the engine faster. The coil should be changed, no old style coil is designed to operate under sustained 12 volt operation. For sure the generator will not keep your battery charged up or be able to maintain the 12 volt lights for long, before the battery goes dead. The good? thing is, you won't have to change any wiring, if it is good right now, 6 volt wiring will handle the 12 volt system because of the lower amperage 12 volts operates on. HTH.

[PoochyCor]

Is this sound thinking (trust me, at this point I wouldn't reconize such a thing)? Switch the bulbs back to 6 volt and go on like nothing ever happened. Seems cheaper than replacing the starter, generator & battery.

And can anyone confirm that the '64 was originally 6 volt? I'm almost positive it was but I'll have another look in the Chilton's manual.

Dang, I gotta lay off the NyQuil.

[PoochyCor]

According to the owners manual, shop service manuals and Chilton's manual it was a 6 volt from the factory. Again: any reason not to go back to 6-volt?

[namba209]

What's the cost difference in going back to 6 volts, versus the cost to upgrade to 12 volts? It may not be possible to find a 12 volt starter with the same configuration as original, a one wire 12 volt alternator is a fair easy upgrade, as long as you have a generator light, and a 12 volt coil is fairly cheap, but it has to be used with a resistor wire or ballast resistor. a battery is gonna be pretty much the same price, 12 volt or 6 volt. Balance that against the cost of replacing all your lights back to 6 volts.

[opelbits]

You might check out the VW 6 to 12 volt conversions. Since most everything was Bosch for both cars, it may be easier than you think to convert.

[kevinfier]

12v starters for the 1.1l are available at ORiellys for $14.99.
Should be the same configuration as in a 64 Kadett.

[Gary Sullivan]

If you stay with 6volt, tractor supply houses still have to stock a lot of 6v. lamps and related electrics.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by PoochyCor Is this sound thinking (trust me, at this point I wouldn't reconize such a thing)? Switch the bulbs back to 6 volt and go on like nothing ever happened. Seems cheaper than replacing the starter, generator & battery. And can anyone confirm that the '64 was originally 6 volt? I'm almost positive it was but I'll have another look in the Chilton's manual. Dang, I gotta lay off the NyQuil.

Yep, look here . . . '64/'65 were powered by "single one-barrel carb" 1.0 engines too, the 1.1s began in '66 . . .

[markandson]

Don't forget about the wiper motor, you have to put in a power resistor, in series, or you will smoke it the first time you turn it on. My Karmann Ghia is 6v and there are kits available to change over, but I kept my car all original so I never bought one. Corvette & Air-Cooled Volkswagen Parts & Accessories from Mid America Motorworks or Karmann Ghia Parts

[namba209]

Now that you mention it, the heater blower motor may need to be addressed too, and probably the radio as well. Darn, can't see the forest for the trees.

[opelbits]

Don't need a forest fire, though!