This can't be rocket science....Or can it?

[offthehook67]

Hello everyone...

New to this forum and so far after reading through and searching this forum I am glad I made it here. Looks to me like a great bunch helping one another. I am avid on another forum and it just doesn't seem t have helpful car guys on it so I did a search for another and this one stuck out.

I have a no start Ignition issue on a SBC Vortec style heads. HEI dist. 400 trans with a Hurst ratchet shifter. I am generally very good with wiring but this one has e perplexed and I am hoping there is someone on this forum that would be kind enough to help a guy out.

Here is the issue....

I bought this car mid last summer. Hauled it home and didn't do anything to it until recently. I made a parts list and started shopping prices up until now. It needs a new case for the trans as the guy I bought it from dropped it and busted the case while trying a self install after a full rebuild. No big deal to me as I have a good friend that owns a shop. Sooooo, I bought a battery and hooked it up. I went to start it and notta, nothing, no click, no spin of the starter, just dead as a door nail. Keep in mind that the column ignition has been bypassed for a toggle swich plate with 6 toggle switches installed. The mains are of course one for IGN ON and a start switch. The others are accessories.

I have power to the IGN switch and the tack works, headlights ect all work. However, when I try the start switch nothing happens. No sounds of clicking at the solenoid ect. So I took the coil cap off and what you see in the pic all 3 wires were fried. Funny thing is the car started at the time I went and looked at it and made the deal. All I did was haul it home. Also, 4 or 5 of the spark plug wires were fried near the headers. I replaced and bought metal valve cover mounted looms.

I replaced the coil. Still the same nothing at all. Below is a pic of a diagram I drew today. I know it's hand done but I believe someone in the know can follow it. I have watched a few good videos on line on how this type of system should be wired. After watching them I am having trouble understanding why this car is wired differently? There are two wires for the most part that are throwing me off. First is the BAT side of the coil. I am confused as to why its routed to the BUSS? The second one is the wire that routes from bottom IGN On lower terminal all the way to the back side of the BUSS?

Looking for any and all help. It would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Richard

PS I did jump the solenoid and the starter kicked in but only spun. It did not engage the flex plate.

Also I have tried to upload a couple of pics. The file uploader will not allow them for some reason. Feel free to PM me for a pic of a hand drawn schematic of the current wiring routes.