Just to try and add to this already well-informed discussion,
Some 40 years ago, the UK electricity generators were experimenting with alloy cables. The major problem was the layer of oxide which forms immediately in contact with air (yes! even freshly-polished metal has a layer) Resistance built up rapidly in mechanical joints and even a good, mechanically-sound crimped connection would go high-resistance due to differential expansionand soft-alloy deformation.
Many automotive starters tried alloy field-windings ,fairly successfully - there are now soldering-fluxes which make it easy to affix the copper-braids for brushes and brass terminal posts to the alloy.
I'm sure the Piper wiring would have benefitted from soldering at all mechanical-joints.
Lead-acid batteries are liable to a rise in internal-resistance...this restricts the current and hence you get a "lazy" starter.....a blow-through with an airline can revive a well-used starter by removing the layer of copper-impregnated carbon-dust which tends to coat the innards and , i suspect,track some current to earth.
A standard Lead Acid 12V battery needs 14.2 V regulation from the alty....any more and the acid would boil and at a minimum, frequent topping-up would be required. (Aircraft alloy and sulphuric acid fumes are not good bed-fellows! ).....unfortunately, at this voltage, a deep-charge is only just starting,- any battery that's had a heavy discharge should be externally charged as soon as practicable....a battery that's KEPT fully-charged will last a lot longer......typical GA scenario of lying idle to self-discharge (they all have internal leakage) then a bashing at the weekend (heavy discharge followed by the alty banging in a heavy surface-charge) to be followed by another week of inactivity, is a sure recipe for sulphation, reduced-capacity and short-life.
Of necessity I've left a lot out...agreed, copper-cables are a good, quick fix. all connections should be scrupulously cleaned to BRIGHT metal and a smear of petroleum jelly before remaking the joints will ensure the metal-to metal contact remains sound.
Average starter lock-draw (at the point where the prop stops dead at TDC...would be ~ 180 amps...the average ,~half to 2/3 that.
hope someone finds some of this informative/useful.