up until a week ago.. my 71 ragtop started no problem... the other day when I tried to start it it seemed like the battery didn't have enought juice to turn the engine over and the starter engagement turned into the clicking noise usually associated with a bad battery. So I changed the battery with a new one I had. But when I turned the switch this time... the car lost all power and then nothing... not even a clicking sound... now thinking the starter might be faulty because of the continued exposure to header heat for the last 10 years, I had a new starter (I have many parts from other projects) again nothing.. So after all this fiddling, I checked the battery ground to frame and cleaned it while I also noticed the ground to engine bolt was loose, cleaned it and retightened it. The power comes back after it sits for awhile, but as soon as I try to turn it over, all power is lost. This kinda makes me think I may have a problem with the neutral safety switch ?? When I test to see if I have power to the main starter lead (the one that comes from the battery) after loosing power, there is no voltage... I know that I'll probably figure it out at some point.. but I would like to hear your thoughts on this.. and maybe point me to something I haven't thought about or tested .. yet.. thanks in advance...

 

Well.. it's either battery, a battery cable or battery connection.

Rig up a long test lead from the negative post on the battery and test across it and the battery cable on the starter solenoid. If it shows voltage with the test lead and not when you ground to the frame, you know the problem is in the negative cable somewhere. If it doesn't show voltage on the test lead, you know the problem is in the positve cable somewhere.

 

clean the grounds, especially the short ground from the battery to the frame under the car

 

I had similar problem with my 75 for 3 years. I did everything I knew to do during that period. Sometimes it would start and sometimes not. When it didn't the volt gauge would drop all the way to the left as if it didn't have enough juice to activate the starter. Everything else worked fine.

I finally installed a PAINLESS "Hot Shot". That was 3 mos ago and it hasn't failed to start since. It boosts voltage to the starter. Look it up it may solve your problem.

My car has new ground straps, new 1ga. ground wire, new 0ga. positive wire battery to starter, new neutral safety switch, just name a few. None of that solved the problem. Now I drive wherever I want without fear of the car not starting if I turn it off.

 

That sounds like a great solution...thanks..