1942 DeSoto wouldn't start

[jyinger]

DD quit starting ten days ago. I tried everything. Almost. Two (used) replacement batteries, jumper cables, charging the battery night after night. One time--I think it was Thursday--she actually cranked over--uh, uh, uh--then nothing.

So night before last I bought a new 6-volt battery from Auto Zone--$99. Installed it. She started right up.

Then yesterday morning I drove her up to the shop (appropriately named Brea Auto Electric). Doug, the owner, fiddled around a little, and then told me that the battery connections weren't very solid. He took them off, cleaned them up, removed a special connect-disconnect gadget on the negative post, put it all back together. And--voila!! She starts better than she ever did, nice a solid starts after only one crank. Wow. All of those things I have read on this forum about how well 6 volt batteries work if you just check the connections, have decent (0 gauge?) battery cables, etc. They are all true. Easy, peasy.

Still, I prefer the 12-volt conversions on my other old Mopars. Never a problem. But, for DD, for now: 6-volt connections rock.

[knuckleharley]

I enjoy the 6 volt systems because the vast majority of the people you meet these days know only 12v systems,and it's a lot of fun to see their reaction to a starter turning over so slowly,and then the damn thing actually starts! They just KNOW your battery is dead.

[Merle Coggins]

You can have the same issues on a 12 volt system if you have bad connections. A bad connection won't carry enough current regardless of what voltage you have.

[insaneradio]

Yes, the 6 volt sysem works well if properly maintained.  My vehicle starts almost immediately when starter button pushed.  Glad to hear yours is now operating well. !!