<VV> need help! electrical type issue

[Ray R. (aka Grymm)]

Well I stayed up all night trying to get the 65' ready to start for the first time since its been apart...  The car hasn't run for about 4 years now but the engine (engine only, not the trans or accessories/starter etc.) was running beautifully in the 66' till I swapped it out for my hotrod engine last summer. 

When I turn on the key I get a very dim gen light... turn the key to crank and get nothing but a slight electric hum from somewhere in the dash area... the starter doesnt make a peep.  The car is still largely apart, the dash is out but I plugged in its main plug (nothing else so far).  There is also nothing in the center part... cig lighter is out, radio is out, ignition switch is dangling by its wires.  The plug that goes to the turn signal/horn is not connected to anything at the moment cause the column is naked.. I didnt think that would matter so I didnt bother with it but I can easily get the parts and connect the plug.  The car also has no lights installed etc. yet.  I did look around pretty thoroughly to make sure there werent any disconnected wires dangling that might touch ground and cause a short.  

I wanted to make sure it would at least crank so I took a screwdriver and jumped the main power wire on the solenoid to the bottom wire/plug....  when I do this I hear the solenoid go off and the motor groans but doesn't sound like its turning.  I pulled the starter and jumped it, it engages and spins fine when the snout is pulled out of the bellhousing (4 speed trans).  The engine turns nice and easy with a wrench on the harm balancer bolt and I checked and made sure the trans is in neutral.. it is.  

The battery is suspect, but I made these attempts to crank with a fairly powerful charger connected.. still its possible that lack of amperage is the reason the starter engages but doesnt turn the engine... but it really sounds like its got plenty of power.. its humming like mad... just not turning when engaged.  

I was worried the two little wires might be reversed on the solenoid so I switched them, no effect.  It's a 65' car and the wires are red and black... can anyone tell me for sure which color wire goes to the top of the solenoid and which goes to the bottom?  


Ray "Grymm" Rodriguez III
Lake Ariel, PA
CORSA member
66' Corsa 140/4 coupe
65' Corsa 140/4 coupe (under construction and almost done!)