It probably has an external solenoid. Many are on the starter, but early Fords use it. Follow the battery cable and it will lead you right to it. You can turn the ignition on and use a jumper cable to connect the two large terminals together. This bypasses the internal contacts. It will spark if the starter kicks in.
I'm with those saying the starter is bad. It could be shorted or it could be jammed. Bad bearings (bushings) on the starter can cause the spindle to bind and not allow the starter motor to turn. It will draw MASSIVE amounts of current.
Have a friend rest the back of his hand on your positive battery terminal and try to start the car. If he pulls his hand back quickly then you have a serious short circuit. Could be a shorted starter or one that just absolutely refuses to turn for whatever reason.
You MIGHT try tapping on the starter motor itself and see if you can dislodge whatever is binding it. If the engine turns over, even a little then you know you definitely have a bad starter.
But don't just run out and buy one because we're guessing it's the starter. Fully diagnose the problem BEFORE you spend any money on fixing it.
Hope this helps.
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They were notorious for the solenoid going bad. First try what Pilsner said.
clean your battery cables, that 460 takes serious cranking amps. i know because i built one. 73 tbird, finished it in 1990
I have a 1972 Ford thunderbird with a big block 460 cubic inch engine. I've been able to start the car a couple times but now it doesn't want to start. I recently put in new relays as well as a new battery and rebuilt alternator. The battery is fully charged but when I get in the cab of the vehicle to start it, it won't start. The engine doesn't even try to turn over. All the lights in the cab become dim when I try to start the vehicle but brighten back up shortly after I take the key out. Could the starter be bad? What could be the problem?
