Electrical issue

Welcome to the madness.  Are you sure you have a VS with a 6 v system? They never built one that way. Do you have a generator or alternator ? Maybe you have an alternator that's only putting out low voltage . A photo will help. If you some how actually have a 6 v generator, First confirm 6v output at the  generator,  then at the light switch and headlight plugs, but instead of relying on the chassis grounds run the ground from the battery as you test. If you have a solid 6v then start confirming good grounds on the chassis and within lighting circuit. Down the road I'm sure everyone will suggest upgrading to 12v. You can retain the 6v starter but it will spin faster.

^^  Everything Alan said is right on, but if it is a 6V system then the electrical connections of the battery to the starter and a good solid ground battery-to-frame is hyper-important.  Cleaning up those connections on all wires at the starter and chassis ground often improve things greatly.  So would going to a 12 volt system, but let's get you going on 6 volts first!

If the connectors on either end of the battery 12 and ground cables are corroded, especially back into the cable itself, then replace them.  6 Volt systems need all the help they can get.

6 volts is not much to start with.  Do they get brighter when you rev the engine? (Generators don't put out much voltage at slow idle). Check the obvious - battery cables clean and not corroded, wires to headlights and headlight plugs clean, are wires to headlights a decent gauge (not 16 - more like 12)?  Run a wire directly from battery and one from a clean ground for a test - if ok then wiring is at fault. Assume battery starts vehicle - so battery ok and providing 6 volts to starter? And generator/regulator are good?  If fuse/relay in circuit, make sure they are clean too.

I clean wires/connectors with a small toothbrush size brass wire brush from HF.  Emery sand paper is good too. I like to apply di-electric grease to connectors to prevent corrosion. Bad (corroded/dirty) grounds are big issues for fiberglass cars - as you can't use steel body for grounds.

You might want to consider upgrading to a 12 volt system - starter would most likely not need to be changed. Even a stock 12v incandescent head light looks like a candle.

There is also a VERY GOOD possibility that the cables themselves are corroded internally. You can't see it without cutting them open. This usually happens where the terminals are crimped or just under the insulation near the ends.

If you check for voltage as Alan suggests, there shouldn't be more than 0.1 v drop from one end of a cable to the other.

Thanks for suggestions. I have done most things here but need to go through a little more. Will a bad voltage regulator cause this?  I have a new  rebuilt starter already. Grounds and connections have been checked and cleaned but they look new also. Lights do brighten a little with rpm but not much. They are VERY dim.

@Barryg Alan's request for photos of your car (engine and interior) will help us greatly.  We can tell you exactly what you are working with.
-=theron

Will do 👍

Yes, a failing voltage regulator could cause dim lights (and a slow, grumpy start, too).

The voltage regulator may be located on top of the generator, but is typically elsewhere either in the engine compartment or in the back seat area of the cockpit.  You don’t need a $$$ Porsche version.  If you can find a VW regulator one of those will do, as VW and Porsche 356 used the same generator back in the day.

And pictures, pictures, pictures!

I think I have posted pics.

.

Once upon a time, VS did sell 'roller' bodies to folks who wanted to finish their own builds. Your original 356 engine might be a clue that this is how your car was built.

The standard VS wire harness assumed a 12V system, so the wiring to the headlights was sized accordingly. (And on my VS, the headlight wiring was marginal at best.)

But with a 6V battery, the headlights need to draw twice as much current, so that wiring becomes even more sketchy. As a quick test, try hooking up direct connections between your battery and one of your headlights with some heavier cabling (preferably 12 gauge). 12 Gauge 'lamp cord' or extension cords are pretty easy to find and would work well for this test. If the bulbs are suddenly brighter, you've found the problem and should rewire the headlights, preferably using relays and short cable runs between battery and lights.

If this is Greek to you, just ask and we can provide more help.

.

Is there a specific picture that will identify the cars brand?

.

Nothing definitive if it was a VS. They did install a 'VS' badge on the front hood handle, where the Porsche badge was on the originals, but most folks replaced that with a Porsche badge, anyway. And there were no VS decals in the door jambs or elsewhere.

Post a few photos of your interior — seats, doorcards, dash, defroster vents, gauges, etc. and there will probably be clues. But, again, all of that was available as parts to private builders, so not much can be said with absolute certainty.

**Later Edit:

Just saw your interior photos. Gauges, dash layout, and heat/defroster vents consistent with VS. Seat cushions, some door trim, and snaps for tonneau are not, though.

.

I bought the car from DESSERT PTOVATE COLLECTION IN CALIFORNIA. They told me that they got the car from the original owner and they were told by him it was a VS. I have bought parts from vintage motorcars that have fit perfect.. Convertible top,dash grab handle, front convertible header bow to attach top to windshield, side curtain mounting peg brackets. Do you agree that the engine makes this car special at all?  Thanx for the help. I’m new to this sort of.  Owned a BACKDRAFT COBRA in the past.

Generators have brushes, right? Last but not least, if all the above is done and doesn't improve matters, maybe crack open the generator, clean out whatever black dust you find in there, and check the brushes. A replacement set is surprisingly affordable, given their provenance.

Is it special?  It's a costly way to get 60 hp.  Should it need service or a rebuild it will be big $.  It is valuable to a 356 restorer that needs that year motor for their restoration.  You could most likely sell it and buy a new VW engine with more horsepower that is less expensive to maintain.  Plus you'd be 12V.  That said, the square exhaust ports give it a distinct Porsche sound.

Is the engine grill a single alloy casting? Good give-a-way that it might be a FF/CMC.  Dash is VS parts - shift/brake boot too.

@Barryg posted:

Do you agree that the engine makes this car special at all?

If it's special to you, it's special. It doesn't matter what any of us think. The BaT crowd sure seems to go ape for originality, so there's that. We've got members here who have gone to very great lengths to faithfully replicate originals.

As far as the value of it, a thing is worth what the buyer and seller agree upon.

I agree, nothing is worth more than you can get for it when you need to sell it. The rear engine grill is not a single alloy casting. It appears to be an aluminum assembly.  Car sounds great, it has a spaghetti looking header system don’t know the brand single side exhaust heat wrapped tubular type muffler. Not a glass pack. Don’t think 1st gear is synchro. Maybe be early VW. I will be glad to sort the car out and enjoy it a little. Just have trouble getting in and out of it. I’m 71 and 6’2”. Still having fun though.  Thanx for the help ! 👍

An early VW  transmission with no first gear synchro will be a “split case” trans ,

the left and right trans case half’s bolt together down the center  ,  

the 1961 and newer transmission is a “tunnel” type where the gear cluster  drops in the back of the tunnel trans case…

..

it could just be that your first gear synchro is worn out.

Rear seat is CMC or Fiber Fab so I assume the thicker bucket seats to also be same source, I see a few items like the defroster vents and frunk hinge carpet pieces that are VS. On the side of caution, I would relocate that plastic fuel filter out of the engine bay and to where the hard fuel line exits the left frame horn.

It also appears there is no air seal around the engine to keep hot exhaust gases from being ingested and overheating the engine.  A late model VW bus's H foam engine seal is frequently used.

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll catch up eventually.