dean_ot

75 automatic corvette w/o seatbelt interlock.
So, my vette hasn't ran for the better part of two years now. This all happened on one night and I just haven't had the time to fix it. I was driving home and my interior lights died on me, I got off the highway and played with my headlamp switch causing my headlights to fall (never turned my engine off), tried to lift them and they wouldn't lift. I was only about a mile from home so I drove it in the very dim light (don't ask why I didn't just drive home straight from the highway, I really don't know why I didn't). Parked the car in my garage and tried to turn it over, and it wouldn't turn. Life just made it so I couldn't work on it until recently.

I will take this by what I have done so far:

1) I disassembled my entire dash and console first. Making sure that I had my old battery removed first; I have since gotten a new battery.

2) I replaced every vacuum line in the car including the headlamp switch. Obviously I can't check to see if the lamps will rise since I can't get the car started.

3) I think this is unrelated; Next I replaced my neutral safety switch (my reverse lamps wouldn't turn on, and I had replaced everything on those lines except for the switch). Played with the shifter and the reverse lights turned on. Finally got a win.

4) I currently have my steering column removed as well to replace my rag joint. While that is dropped I replaced the ignition switch on the top. With the fresh battery I tried to start it, and I hear a click, but then lose all power to the car. It takes a second to get power back, and once I do the same thing happens. I climbed under the car, down to where the starter is, and I see this wire hanging; I can't find the other end to it. Is this one of the fusible links? I can try to take better pictures of the posts on the solenoid, but the car is on jacks so it isn’t very far from to ground. Mobility is hard. If this is one of the fusible links, then that should be an easy fix, but I’m about 90% sure it isn’t one. I would rather not spend the money on a new engine harness/ dash harness, but I will if I have to. I’m going to go to advance auto after work and pick up a fuse kit, but I highly doubt it’s a blown fuse.

I have all of my instrument cluster gauges unplugged, but I don't see how that would make it not start. I also just have the steering column in place, but I don't have the cable from the transmission attached to that part of the column that sticks out.

Any help is appreciated. I’m trying to get it done before my wedding in a year so we can drive away in it. I know there is rust under there. Another problem for another day.


dangling broken wire

Another, worse, view of the dangling wire.

Trying to show the starter posts. Looks like there are two fusible links intact.

Showing the grounding wire intact

MelWff

The starter solenoid has one large post on it and two small ones.
In your second picture it looks like there is nothing connected to one of the small posts that goes to the distributor.
The engine though should turn over even with the missing wire connection, just not ignite.
What is the voltage reading on the large terminal on the solenoid?
What is the voltage reading on the small terminal with a wire still connected when you engage the starter?
Ignore everything I said, it's a 75.

'75

You've got a 75, so nothing on the R terminal like earlier points type cars.
You should start be checking the ground cable from the battery to the frame, and from the frame to the engine.
If you have some jumper cables handy, hook up to the negative on the battery and then ground the other end to the engine block and see if it makes a difference.

dean_ot

I took a look at the battery terminal when cranking the engine and saw it sparking. I replaced the pos and neg terminal clamps, cranked it, and it started right up! Thank you! Such an easy fix.

Headlamps come up so the vacuum fix worked. The interior lights still don't turn on so I need a little bit of debugging one that, but at least I can drive it during the day.

Felt very good to hear her start again.