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Over the years, I've seen this problem caused by poor battery contact(clean cables and ground), ignition switch(rebuild or replace) and a truly badly rebuilt starter. This starter had the field coils wrapped with some kind of freezer or masking tape, not even varnished. The wrapping disintegrated and coils started moving into the works, not good. I believe it would have kept going for a while, but the solenoid gave out. There's a disk at the rear that makes contact with two large copper lugs in the cap, that's what spins the starter after the solenoid throws the gear into the flywheel teeth. The contact here was iffy, lots of arc gouges on the various parts. In some positions, it would make up, some positions not, the reason I pulled it. I bought another rebuilt at the local Kragen chain parts place, had to do some parts swapping to make it match the old one. Looked inside at the windings, were properly done. After the ignition switch was replaced when I first got the car, I put in a starter relay, ala Berg. It amounts to a Ford starter relay bolted to the tranny case with the switched connections going directly to the battery and the starter. No more problems with starting and the wear on the switch contacts is neglible. Berg still sells a kit with good directions, if you can't find a 6-volt relay anywhere. Recommended. Hope all this helps. Won't solve your problems overnight, but some place to start . On Mon, 08 Dec 1997 14:13:02 -0800, you wrote: >Over the past couple days, starting my 1963 Notch Sedan is strange. The >ignition is the original 6V one (the whole car is in very original >unmodified condition). > >When I go to turn the key to start it, the two ignition lights come on >bright and then dim when I turn the key to start it. Nothing! Other >days, the car starts fine with the key. Here's the strange thing: when >it won't start with the key, I grab a screwdriver and lay down under the >starter solenoid and "jump" the starter to get the car started. If I >use the screwdriver to jump it, and then go to the key to try starting >again right away, the car starts up fine! Subsequent attempts just >after that work fine! However, if I drive the car for awhile (down the >street for beer), then turn it off and restart it again, nothing! I >hate intermittent electrical problems!!! > >Question: Why (after jumping the starter terminal) will it start ok and >then not after driving it? Should I be looking at replacing the >ignition or the starter? Or am I missing something completely?!! > >I'd really love some quick advice (tonight, as I've got to drive it to >LA tomorrow) or tips on how to identify the problem of ignition vs. >starter. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP! > > >LEE THOMAS HEDGES >VW T34 KG Registry http://www.type34.org >Notchback Owners of North America >http://www.ixpres.com/hedges/nona.html >Vintage/Historical Editor, VW Trends magazine > >