I have a '66 SS. Lately it acts like it doesnt want to start after I have driven it, shut it off, then try to restart it. (leaving gas station or store for instance) It just seems like the battery doesnt want to turn the starter. So I took a 6 month old battery from a truck that I have ( that doesnt hesitate at all to start the truck) and it does the same thing. Several times I thought that it wasnt going to start at all and I was going to have to call a girlfriend or three to come get me.

When I am driving it and I turn on the headlights, the gauge that shows the charging status (sorry for my ignorance in not knowing the name of this gauge, but hey, I admit it) dips down significantly. Then when I shut the lights off, it comes back up.

Is this likely a problem with the alternator. Or maybe a bad (+) battery cable. A bad cable itself. I have check the connections at both ends. They are tight and apparently corrosion-free.

Thanks,

Gerald

If your connections are all clean and tight (battery + and ground to block) I'd say your alternator and/or regulator is deficient. any auto parts ought to be able to check it if you drive it over there.

I have a '66 SS. Lately it acts like it doesnt want to start after I have driven it, shut it off, then try to restart it. (leaving gas station or store for instance) It just seems like the battery doesnt want to turn the starter.
You need to be a little more specific. There are generally 2 types of starter problems, the click or nothing when you turn the key, (when it does crank it cranks normally) or the starter turning very slow. Once we know what problem you have, then we can give you a direction to troubleshoot.

When I am driving it and I turn on the headlights, the gauge that shows the charging status (sorry for my ignorance in not knowing the name of this gauge, but hey, I admit it) dips down significantly. Then when I shut the lights off, it comes back up.
Is it a factory or aftermarket gauge? What kind of markings on the gauge?

You may be experiencing heat soak in the starter, when it gets hot the starter will not crank until it sits and cools off. This has been a problem with cars running headers,especially big blocks. If this is the problem you can try a starter heat shield or sometimes a new starter will work for a while. We have experienced the problem in our 65 and 66 and we ended up using a devise called the Hot Shot which uses a circuit that delivers a more direct power to the starter,we have not had any problems since.

same thing happens with mine when it hits running temp. when i start it back up i press the gas about half way down and that seems to do the trick.

i had that exact problem with mine too. i could drive to operating temp, the minute the car was turned off, it had too cool for a good 30 min. im not sure if the problem is still there, i guess it is. havent been driving much. we just moved.

Gerald, I was trying to address your alternator problem. The starting issue is likely heat soak as the other posts suggest. I recommend the remote solenoid to resolve it once and for all. A heat shield (Thermotec wrap) should help if you don't want to jack with the remote solenoid.