convertin electrical parts to original ain't a wor

Most contemporary solenoids (and apparently yours) have one side of the magnetic coil GROUNDED, and need the application of battery voltage to the little terminal labeled "S" to get them to pull in. On the typical modern solenoid, the other little terminal is labeled "I", and is used to bypass the ignition ballast resistor during starting, in the solenoid's original application.

The best advice is to get an original-type starter solenoid. (12 Volts, with cranking used in moderation, won't hurt the 6 Volt original type solenoid.)

While your at it, get the tranny top starter button working. Replace it, if necessary. The life you save may be your own, or perhaps the neighbor kids'.

1) the wire from the battery generally goes to a BIG stud on the solenoid. Same holds true for the copper bar that goes from the solenoid to the starter motor itself.

2) The push button thumb starter switch should not have any power going to it....it actually serves to ground out the connection on the ground side of the solenoid.

So, you should have a big wire or battery cable going to a big stud on the solenoid, a copper bar going from the solenoid to the starter motor, a small wire going to a small terminal on the solenoid that comes from the ammeter/switch, and a small wire to a small terminal that goes to the push button switch. The push button switch allows power to go through the two small wires. When those wires have current flowing through them, they create an electromagnet inside the solenoid that flips a BIG switch connecting the two big lugs...ie, battery to starter. That's how the solenoid works. Hope this helps!

Jeb