Strange electrical gremlin. I was cranking the car last week when the cranking went to zero, I couldn't raise a click. I got under the car and saw that there was an exposed wire at the ministarter. The ground wire and the large gauge wire were tight. There was an additional loose small wire that was taped up. The tape had come off. I taped it back up. Still not even a click. I brought the old Eagle in and jumped it, it started slowly. It warmed up fine and I pulled the wires off. I noticed that the gas gauge was on empty, which was strange. The aftermarket gauges were working.
Feeling proud of myself I go to back out of the garage and turn the headlights on - the car cut off immediately.
I am electrically challenged. What do you suggest? Thanks, I need help.

hello: Gee, I would start with the battery, after all thats where it all starts. Make sure the battery posts are clean and the cable ends that attach to the battery posts are clean. The positive wire from the battery should go directly to the starter and the neg wire from the battery should go to the engine block. Make sure the ends are tight and most of all clean. It is possible to have bad ends on the cable itself. Sometimes these ends will heat up after cranking and can be noticed that way. If you discover that a wire end has become warm after cranking or something then the cable end is defective or a bad connection. The cable ends are usually crimped on, and after many years of wet etc. they sometimes become corroded and look perfectly fine. If your battery is in good shape and you are sure of that, then start looking at the connections.
good luck
Darryl...

Thanks for the reply. The battery is a month old, although it does appear to be dead. I checked the terminals and the connections look good, tight and clean. I didn't check for heat on the ends, that's a good thought. Could the battery be so low that turning on the lights would shut the car down?

8) Hey Ed! Try charging the battery to full charge and see if the lights kill the engine again. Could be a charging system problem. My son just had a similar problem and it turned out to be a bad connection on the altenator. Being a 67 yours has a generator? If so could be a bad voltage regulator. By the way where are you located I used work for an Ed Richardson He was my late sisters brother-in-law. Had a son Ed Jr. They live in Southern Illinois.

PaPa John

Thanks for the responses. I'll charge it up and see what happens. I just lost a battery recently, maybe this stems from the same problem.

I'm located in Grand Rapids, MI., no relation to your Ed Richardson that I can tell. My family is out of Pittsburgh, PA. Thanks again!

If you're still messing with the wiring on your car go to: madelectric.com
Mark Hamilton sells some really easy kits, especially if the wiring to you starter got burnt. The kits are pretty easy and kind of fun. I just did it, and I'm no wizz on electrical. Just a thought