6 volt Beetle Starter intherchange with 6volt 356 unit?

Adidas · 11-10-2009, 11:00 AM

Can a VW Beetle 6 volt starter Bosch #SR11X be used in a 356 6 volt car instead of the original 356 6 volt Bosch# SR21X. Thanks in advance. Bill

sixbanger · 11-10-2009, 06:23 PM

I don't believe so. I will say that you need to find the part # and see if it is also a vw # One thing is you also need to fine the starter # for the 6V starter they put in the 64 or so karnan ghis. It has the bushing built into the instead of being in the trans axle. If you have the factory startrt you should rebuild it. IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH HOW THE TEETH LINE UP ON THE FLYWHEEL. iT'S CALLED OFFSET.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adidas

Can a VW Beetle 6 volt starter Bosch #SR11X be used in a 356 6 volt car instead of the original 356 6 volt Bosch# SR21X. Thanks in advance. Bill

Maybe. For the most part they will work, but the VW and Porsche solenoids are mounted at different angles relative to the mounting holes through which the starter is bolted to the transmission. With the starter mounted in the car and looking at it from the front of the car, on the Porsche starter the solenoid is mounted near the 9 O'clock position, while the VW is nearer to 10 O'clock. I don't have a comprehensive list of what works with what, but i can tell you a VW starter will bolt up to a '56 coupe with no problem, but the same starter will interfere with the body of a '56 Speedster. The Speedster bodywork is different enough that the VW solenoid hits the bottom of the rear seat pan.

dvkk · 11-13-2009, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sixbanger

.... you also need to fine the starter # for the 6V starter they put in the 64 or so karnan ghis. It has the bushing built into the instead of being in the trans axle.

There's no such thing as a VW 6V starter that is self supporting with the bushing built into the starter. They were always in the trans case.

matt demaria · 11-28-2009, 11:51 AM

1966 had the self supporting starter. Only for that year.

sixbanger · 11-28-2009, 06:46 PM

Yes some fast backs and sqare backs had them. I was talking of the one off karman ghia's. Thats where I first ran into the 6VOLT starter with the bushing in the nose of the starter.

dvkk · 11-29-2009, 04:07 PM

Both of your memories are way off. There has never been a self supporting starter in any 6V VW. Not Type 3, not Beetle, not Karmann Ghia.

The only air cooled self supporting starter is from cars with the autostick trans that was introduced in 1968. Those were all 12V.

sixbanger · 11-30-2009, 02:42 AM

Go ask some one with one of those karman ghia's and you will see who know's what they are talking about.

dvkk · 10:54 PM

I don't need to ask anyone, I used to own a 64 Ghia convertible.
There's nothing special about the mechanics of a Karmann Ghia vs. a Beetle. Year for year, they both had identical drivetrains.

Most likely, some PO installed the Autostick self supporting starter in your Ghia. 12V conversions are very popular in the VW world, and when you do the swap, a normal 12V starter requires a special adapter bushing for the trans case. Many guys don't want to mess with trying to swap out this bushing with the engine in place, so they like to use an Autostick self supporting starter. No bushing necessary then.

BTW, it is spelled Karmann, not Karman.

Eric&Barb · 02-06-2010, 02:48 PM

VW 113 911 021 A
Self supporting 6 volt starter. Built by VW, not Bosch. Can be seen in the 1963 Transporter Workshop Manual, section E-6. Publish date of that section is 12.62.
Pretty sure these were originally designed for early 1960s Saxomatic transaxle which was a pre-1968 Auto Stick version and only available in Europe, and only a few got over here via grey market ways.

1966 K. Ghia used a 200mm clutch area 6 volt FW, while all other VWs of pre-1967 used a 180mm 6 volt FW. Except for Buses (and type 3?) that came with the 12 volt option (with 200mm clutch) in the 1962-66 era.

sixbanger · 02-06-2010, 07:11 PM

I was thinking of posting just what you have but I didn't think it was worth it. Thanks for posting the part number, you saved me a lot of time. I first saw this starter in a 1964 Karmann Ghia. Vw only made this type 64 I think for two yeare and I can't remember if it had a auto or a stick.