1950 Buick Battery Cables

OK guys. Here's my next question. I just put a brand new 6 volt battery in my 1950 Buick & Im trying to get it started. The gas pedal start has been bypassed & there's a button under the dash to start the car (car was Luke this when I bought it). When I push the ignition switch it slowly cranks, but seems like its under a very load & won't turn over & start. From some of my research I'm thinking that I might need heavier battery cables. What gauge should I get? Are 2 gauge enough? If not what gauge? Where can I find heavy gauge cables. None of the stores I've looked at has them. Maybe a Internet sight? Some if my research says 0 gauge.
Thanks for your help,
Josh.

 

Go to a welding supply you can buy the cable by the foot and have the ends soldered and crimped.

 

O gauge sounds right. The cables should be as big as your thumb. Twice as big as the typical 12V maybe 3 or 4 times as big as today's cars. If you have some spare 12V cables you could try using 2 of them or just get bigger cables. This is a typical fault on 6v cars that have been repaired with the wrong (too small) cables.

 

How's the ground? I like to use those big heavy braided ground straps on 6v cars.


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Have you looked at the starter brushes yet? 2 of the 4 could be bad and will cause a slow crank problem

 

Truck parts house or tractor parts place to get cables for 6 volt. Welding supply good as well. As stated above. Have your starter brushes and bushings checked. Buick straight 8 is usually an easy starting engine.

 

I was able to get 0 gauge for my '47 Ford at Bumper to Bumper. It makes a BIG difference.

 

Thanks for all the help guys. I found a welding supply place near by that has 0 gauge. Now I just gotta find time to go get it. Ha ha. As for the brushes on the cranking motor no I haven't looked at those yet. That's going to be the next thing I do. So hopefully with those two thing corrected I'll be sitting pretty. Hopefully. Ill let everyone know how it goes. Thanks again for all of your help.

 

I ran 4ga on my buick and had no problems. But I had switched over to 12v. Which made that old starter really spin quick and start the motor much faster than the 6v.
Good idea on bypassing the pedal switch. I did the same.

 

Thanks again for all the help guys. I built my own 0 gauge or 1/0 cables like you guys suggested. I bought the cable from a welding supply store (Air Gas West) & was able to get the the other components & solder pellets at (Napa Auto Parts). Probably spent close to $50.00 on these things, but there beasts. Changed the oil (which looked like mud) & disconnected the gas line & connected a tube to it & placed it in a can of fresh new fuel. Had my Old man come over & spray some carb cleaner in the carburetor as I cranked the ignition & "boom goes the dynamite". The old girl fired up ran for the first time in 30+ years. Was really rough & won't stay running (definitely needs a tune up) but I'm on my way & at least I know she runs. I took a video of her first start up & I'll try to oust it to another thread. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone again. Ill keep you updated on my progress. Thanks again fellas.