So this is my scenario. I have had my '75 Camaro for about a year and a half now. The car has a 454 out of a '75 Suburban. I changed heads, cam, and valvetrain, along with my trans and gutting the interior. I finally got it out to the strip last Saturday, and did repectably. It ran a 13.39 at 104. I know the car has more in it, but I am just a beginner and need to learn the fine art of tuning (along with some driving http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/wink.gif).
Now to my problem. My starter has been going downhill, and of course, the problem came to high point at the track. The car died in the shutdown area, and with the temp of the starter it wouldn't kick over. I ended up frying the starter trying to get it to start. I put in a new starter yesterday. I have power through all of my accessories, but the new starter won't do anything when I turn the key. I know that the starter itself is good, and I know that my battery is good as well. When the key is turned there is nothing at all the comes out of the starter. Not even the clicking sound you get when the battery is dead. I looked at all my fuses in the fuse block and they are good. Power is going everywhere it should, but nothing happens. I think I may have fried a wire in the key mechanism in the steering column, or somewhere else. If you guys can try to shed some light on my problem that would be great. I am trying very hard to get back out to the track this weekend. I was thinking about putting in a push button starter to bypass the key. Let me know what you guys think.

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Mike
'75 with a 454
I hope to have it on the track as soon as possible!!

Check your neutral safety switch. The solenoid + wire (purple) runs through it. If it is not adjusted properly (or if you changed to a floor shift and your column has turned some) then it won't let electricity pass through. Also verify that you put the wires on the correct terminals on the solenoid. There's a R and a S terminal. You want the purple wire on the S terminal.

Unfortunately I don't have any purple wire running to the starter. With all of the modifications to the car from the guy before me, and what I have done, there is not much left of the factory wiring. I have a trunk mounted battery, fan relay, and power wire for the fuse block running to the hot side of the starter. That is all the I have connected to the solenoid except for the usual ground, which has been checked.

There shouldn't be a ground from the solenoid, maybe a ground strap from the start body but not the solenoid. I bet you fried the wire going from the key to the starter, I have done that in my Blazer and my Nissan. I ran a wire from a switched 12V source to a momentary toggle switch in my dash, the other side of the toggle goes down to the solenoid. You could do basically the same thing if you wanted. In your case the key would still lock the column and shut the car off.

That is what I figured I did. It might not be a ground then, now I'm not sure what I have to the solenoid. It always worked, but it was hard to start when hot. I figure I will just use a push button start, and still have the key for all my accessory power, and to unlock the steering wheel. This will be temporary for the rest of the season, and then over the winter I can get a painless fused toggle panel and rewire the whole car. It is hard to trust the 30 year old wiring, especially when the guy before me pieced it all together. Thanks for the replys, they are much appreciated.