Electrical car parts tend to give little warning as to when they might stop working, which is why we feel it is so important to carry such a large range of VW and Porsche electrical parts on our warehouse shelves.

Regardless of whether you need an essential item like a Porsche 911 headlamp or VW Beetle indicator stalk, or something a little less safety critical like a VW Golf heater blower switch or Type 25 cigarette lighter socket we can help.

Whilst we, as enthusiasts, invest time and money in restoring the bodywork and the mechanicals of our classic VWs and Porsche vehicles, we often forget that the original electrical parts are of the same vintage too.

Best quality VW and Porsche electrical parts

It might be a dated dashboard switch that has given up or an entire wiring loom which needs replacing, either way, our Product Team have worked tirelessly to find the best quality Porsche and VW electrical parts to get your car or camper back on the road again.

We pride ourselves on stocking the best brands for VW and Porsche electrical parts. From Autometer and Bosch through to Hella, RetroSounds, SSP, VDO and URO not to mention genuine VW and original Porsche electrical components too. Please speak to one of our team if you have a specific requirement or brand of choice.

Understanding classic car wiring

Vehicle wiring can be fairly simple when you consider electrical components generally only require a power feed and an earth in order to function. The power, either as 6 or 12 volts, can be traced back from the component to a switch, then the fuse box or battery. The earth, or ground wire will in most cases run to an earth strap bolted to the chassis close to the component, rather than all the way back to the switch or the negative terminal on your car battery.

What does a car fuse box do?

The purpose of your Porsche or VW fuse box is to protect all the components that the wires are powering. If there is a power surge or a short circuit, the fuse will blow rather than damaging the component, be it a VW Type 2 wiper motor or a RetroSounds MP3 car radio.

Components which draw a lot of power such as a Porsche starter motor or those that are required to turn on and off as part of their function, such indicator lights or a hazard warning switch, often utilize a relay. The relay is typically a small plastic box with an electromagnetic switch inside. In the example of an indicator relay, it is fed 12v by the switch, and then opens and closes the circuit to the turn signal lights, making them flash on and off. Relays can usually be found on, or close to the vehicle fuse board.

What are relays used for?

Extra relays can also be used to improve the efficiency of a number of vehicle electrical parts. Porsche and VW Headlamps can be improved by installing an upgraded headlamp wiring harness. This turns the headlight switch into a trigger, rather than a component sitting within the circuit, and directs a full 12v from the battery direct to the front of the car. This can be especially useful on rectangular Type 25 headlamps or VW Jetta headlights which are well known for their poor performance at night.

A similar process can be adopted to assist the starter motor, using your ignition barrel and key to trigger full power from the battery. Many starter motor faults can be attributed to wiring, rather than an actual component failure.

Replacing a VW Starter Motor

When replacing a VW Beetle starter motor it is really important that you also fit a new aperture bush into the gearbox housing at the same time. When you turn your ignition switch, activating the starter solenoid and your Beetle or Type 2 Starter motor fires, the end of it will be supported by the starter motor bush. If this is worn or even missing the starter won’t spin effectively or true, and could cause damage or fail to turn the engine over at all. It is worth noting we also stock a starter motor conversion bush if you have a 6v gearbox with a 12v starter.  

How to check if your alternator is charging

If you are suffering with battery charging problems then it might be time to replace your VW Beetle Dynamo or Porsche 911 alternator. A multimeter is a great addition to any tool kit and if you have one you can check the voltage increase across your battery when the engine is running to help diagnose the issue. If you have an early VW dynamo fitted to your aircooled engine then the testing principle is the same just remember to allow for a 6v reading rather than 12v before writing it off as scrap! Of course, if you need a new one, you know where to come we have VW Golf alternators, VW T5 alternators and everything in between!

Alternators and dynamos are driven by a drive belt which runs on a pulley, powered by the engine. If this belt breaks or starts to slip you won’t be getting full power back to your battery, and will end up unable to start your car in the morning. For older vehicles, such as an aircooled VW or Porsche we always recommend carrying a spare alternator belt, as these also control the cooling fan which is a vital component in keeping your engine healthy.