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1953 Chevrolet covertible 3 on the tree, 235 only mod is it’s converted to 12 volt….
We had the chance to take my 53 convertible out today. Got as far as pulling it out of the garage and let it run to warm up while moving other cars in the driveway. Came back and it had quit. That was normal because it was cold. So I tried to start once we had everyone in the car and nothing…..turn the key nothing, turn on the lights nothing. The car had recently been to a car show two weeks earlier and no issues. I went out to verify battery connection was good and it was. Still nothing while turning the key, then I turned on the headlights and nothing again….hooked up the battery charger and it had plenty of charge and went to float mode soon after hooking it up. We decided to leave where it was and came back home about 4 hours later. I decided I would try to get it going so I did not have to be concerned with it being outside overnight. Once again after getting home we tried to start…. Nothing, then I turned on the headlights…nothing again. So I go to the garage grab my circuit tester. Verify power to starter(top right)yes there is power. Then I’m just standing there with not turning or touching anything and the lights come on! So now I try to start it and it fires right up. Shut it off and go to start again and once again no start, no headlights on. Waited maybe 45 seconds and lights came back on again so tried to start and viola it did!! Left it running and decided to take it for an errand to town. No issues driving to town and back and shut it off two times and it started both times. So I’m wondering is this a coil issues? Starting switch issue? Or ???? My thinking is it is between the starter switch and the battery or the starter switch and the starter solenoid. Never had this issue ever in the last ten years of owning it but we did need to replace the headlight switch once. Your thoughts. Thanks Dan

Clean the battery terminals and the battery cable ends. A little corrosion goes a long way in increasing the resistance. Then the increased resistance produces heat that increases the resistance even more. Once cooled the resistance may be low enough to start. Driving can wiggle the cable ends just enough so it starts a few more times. It will then refuse to start more often.

Also Possible an intermal break in a battery cable,

Battery is clean, no corrosion at all but I will clean the top post and the cable end. thanks

I would hate that if so because it’s hard to see that.

If not the battery end of the cable then check and clean all other connections between battery and the starter. Can be the cable itself as Gene suggested. Also ignition switch. A loose connection can be intermittent as well.