Been a while since I've posted, but I bought a wrecked FD a while back, and I put a battery in it to try to start the engine, but it didn't even try to crank, like it wasn't getting any juice to the starter. What all would cause that, and what should I look for that would keep the motor from starting up?

 

That would depend on how it was wrecked. You should start at the starter itself & the +12v/ground/signal wires.

 

Front end collision.



(Fire dept. chopped the roof off)

 

How come every custom FD convertible I ever see looks just plain awful?

 

There are a lot of interlocks in the FD starting mechanism and sometimes even an unwrecked FD won't start due to the shitty FD electrical system.

Hook the battery up and make sure the car has power. Turn the key to on.

Unhook the starter solenoid wire at the starter (small black wire).

Take about 6-8 feet of 12-14 gauge wire or so and hook it to the starter solenoid.

Make sure the car is in neutral.

Touch the new wire to the positive battery terminal. If the starter is receiving power from the battery, when you jump off the solenoid, the starter will turn.