Testing Starter Motor

Some progress is finally made with the 1970 VW Beetle.
We have no way of testing the engines we have without putting them in the car. So that means the starter has to work so we can see what the engine will do. Now we have to have a working battery to test the starter. We picked up four batteries from various places and some of them were chargeable. So we charged one and hooked it up (under the back seat...the back seat just pulls out.. no screws or clips). We turned the key and the lights came on. But nothing happened when the key was turned further for the starter.

Just in case the battery was not working right, we hooked up the battery from our (working) car. Still nothing. So I took the starter motor off and took it to Advance Auto parts. They tested it but it didn't work. Autozone has a starter/solenoid in stock for $40 (same price as Advance Auto which would have to order it), or the solenoid by itself is $40. The next step is to test the current to the starter motor with a volt meter (so we don't buy a starter motor only to find the wiring is bad).

We also want to get ready to install the engine. The engine has two bolts mounted permanently. Another bolt goes through the starter motor and is especially designed for that location. This bolt was sitting in the opposite hole of the gear box (top left). So we have one missing bolt, and no nuts. Next step: get some nuts and a bolt. Then buy a starter, change the carburettor for one we have already cleaned, adjust the tappets, and try to install an engine (and start it up?).