Ran my car with a electric temp gauge and found that it varied with the voltage, same things you are seeing with the lights and so forth. I got a mechinacal cheap $10 meter at flaps and mounted it in the engine compartment and used it to calibrate the electric gauge.
I replaced my electric temp gauge with a mech. Autometer gauge and trust it.

try to back off your ignition timing to crank the engine over easier.
Mark
72 914 5.0L

Back to the starter ... I mounted a relay and it reduced the voltage drop to the solenoid from 3 volts to 0.4 volts. That's significant improvement. Here's a picture of how I mounted it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1088369517.jpg

I have had no problem with the starter cranking the engine over. It cranks easy with those friction coated bearings and piston skirts. The only thing I had happen, just once, is the starter chattering from the gear not engaging. Maybe it was a fluke. I'm thinking of putting some heat shielding between my exhaust and starter as I have about 2" clearance. Maybe the solenoid getting too hot.

I have operated my car with NO rear deck lid and saw no difference in water temperature. If I was suffering from vapor lock due to high engine bay temps., I would give the GT lid a try.

John

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1088387955.jpg good, because I just made this one

John, how long have you been driving yours ? do you put a lot of miles on it?

Sean, that looks good. I assume you took the grille material off another lid?

yup

September will be two years and I have about 5000 miles on it. Ambient in Ga. runs in the mid 90s during the summer.

John

does your engine get very dirty?

Not really, but I don't drive it in the rain or on dirt roads. I have hosed it down twice in the last two years to keep the new appearance and use towels to wipe dust from all the chrome parts fairly often.

John

Sean just needs to stay off those unclean roads...

I stick to paved roads but it just gets so dirty in there. GA must have cleaner roads...and AZ