Thom, I had a similar problem with my '65 micro a while back, except that I had 
to turn the lights on to start it. Sometimes, once it was running I could turn 
them off (Never did try flashing them....). Othertimes it died when I turned off
the lights. (Kind of a cool way to kill the ignition)

I could never figure it out, and finally got pissed one day and rewired the 
whole section under the dash and into the fusebox. I didn't mess with the 
battery cables, just wires under the dash and behind the front kick panel (does 
'56 have kick panels?) Any that did it...problem gone.

-Erik.

In message <9504062102.AA02534@orion.tim.com>  writes:
> >I had the same problem in my '70, and it turned out to be a bad 
> >starter-battery cable--the cable had corroded out from within the plastic 
> >sheath, thus invisible.  Replaced it as well as both ground straps.  
> >Archetypal old-guy mechanic told me the headlights "heated up" the wires, 
> >allowing for greater conceptual continuity.  (OK, I made that last part 
> >up, but it did fix it)  
> 
> I already replaced both the + and - cables.  However, the cable that
> goes up to the front is a little shaky looking.  Bit more of a job to
> replace though :(
> 
> I wonder if this cable being putzoid would have anything to do with the
> previous problem, whereby the bus would cut out when I turned the
> headlights on, _or_ I would be driving along and everything would just
> die...
> 
> Thom
> -- 
> > Support whirled peas.
> ............................................................................
> :    Thom Fitzpatrick                             Transamerica Info Mgmnt  :
> :  Systems Administrator                          1860 Howe Ave            :
> :  tfitzpatrick@tim.com                           Sacramento, CA 95825     :
> :   fax (916) 921-6781                            (916) 565-3346           :
> ............................................................................

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