Ignition switch or solanoid

[65fastbackresto]

car will not crank over with the key switch, but you can jump the solanoid and it will crank.

FYI, 10 minutes before it stopped cranking with the key switch, I was on the phone with a MSD tech, and he said I was losing voltage at the switch, and had me run the power remote wire straight to the battery to see if it would start up, which it did.

 

[65fastbackresto]

Wow I`m such an idiot

It was the neutral safety switch, it wasnt going all the way into park.

Sorry guys

 

[D.Hearne]

I see you found the old Ford Anti-theft device. When I had my 68 Merc up for sale, the wife called me and told me a buyer tried to start it but had no luck. Even after reconnecting the battery, it wouldn't start. I just smiled Next afternoon, after I got home he came back by to test drive it (17 yr old kid) We jumped in and I fired it right up. He looked puzzled. He never noticed my left arm reaching around the wheel to hold up on the shifter (column shift) to engage the neutral switch. I showed him and told him that was the unintended anti-theft device. Seems like all the column shift Fords & Mercs in the late 60's to mid 70's did this eventually.