smokey truck,
Does your '52 have a functioning ammeter? It should tell you what is going on with the charging system.
It sounds like your generator is working, but barely working. The very first check would be the drive belt. Make sure is isn't oil soaked and tension it properly.
The brushes in the generator wear out and become short. If this happens and they don't contact the commutator sufficiently, the output of the generator can suffer.
Check and clean your battery cables at both ends, charge the battery and give it another try. With a charged battery, a voltmeter should show around 7 + volts when the engine is revved and the meter held on the battery. This indicates the generator is functioning properly.
Do these basic things and see if it solves the problem.
Stuart
