Classic/Antique Car Repair: 1941 Packard 120 wont start, Engine wont crank

Question
Hi, thanks for any advice. My car is a 1941 Packard 120 2 door with the original straight 8 that was professionally rebuilt about 1991 and about 500 miles ago. It has Aerodrive that I suspect may be the cause of the problem. It has always started sine I bot it from a colector 6 months ago. This moring I started it to move it out of the garage, turned it off to move another car. Then it would not start. The 6v battery is charged up. There is no reaction when I press the start. No ammeter draw, no sounds, etc. Could there be some electrical interlock with the Aerodrive that keeps it from engaging the solenoid? The ammeter does show a slight normal draw when the key is turned to on. Thanks, Bob...

Answer
As you probably know, the "Aerodrive" was the name Packard used for the Borg-Warner overdrive, an accessory which some folks ordered on their cars.

Overdrive electrical connections could possibly prevent the engine from starting if there is a failure in the kick-down switch plus a simultaneous failure (or a wiring error) at the solenoid, but both of those things happening at the same time is very unlikely.   In addition, while they would prevent the engine from starting, even that circumstance would not have any effect on the ability to crank the engine, and if I understand you correctly, your problem is that the engine does not crank when you press the starter button.

The most likely problem is that one of the wires has broken or fallen off the starter button, or possibly the switch itself has failed.

To start the engine without the switch operating, turn on the key and then manually depress the plunger on the end of the starter solenoid - that will crank the engine and it should start normally.

To troubleshoot the situation, if you cannot visually see a disconnected or broken wire from/to the starter button, you are going to need either a multi-meter or a continuity tester to determine where the disconnect has occurred or if the starter switch has failed.  It is remotely possible that the starter solenoid itself has failed, but they are very reliable, I'd put that down as the very last possibility.

Dick