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It was this. This was a stuck and I freed it by just jimmying it back and forth.

What is it called and why can't I find it on my wire diagram. It's obviously the foot starter switch but I'm lost here guys.

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She starts up better now than ever after a few wore upgrades and freeing that switch.

Driving a car daily is not an issue as long as maintenence is done properly and completely. Personally, I would not drive an old car in rain on a regular basis, and I would never want to expose it to the cursed road salt.

However, driving any car just two miles a day is severe service. A car needs to run for ten miles or so in cooler weather just to warm up and re-charge the battery from starting. If you only drive two miles a day on any regular basis, or two trips of two miles a day, such as a two mile commute to work, you need to drive the car for ten miles or more at least a couple of times a week to prevent condensation and sludge in the crankcase, a chronically undercharged battery, and perhaps fouled spark plugs.

I suggest that you drive the car for 10 miles or more at least a couple of times a week, whether by taking the long way around to work, or just taking a half hour or longer pleasure drive. Longer is better.

In cold weather, a car needs to run for a period of time, at least half an hour, in order to have time to fully warm up the engine, recharge the battery, and get the engine and the engine oil hot enough, for long enough, to drive off normal moisture and fuel condensation from the crankcase.

An engine will make about 3 gallons of water for every gallon of gasoline that it burns, and some of it will find its way into the crankcase, where it will do harm. This is in addition to any naturally-occuring condensation.

Starting the car and then letting it idle to "warm up" is a very bad practice. It's best to start the car, let it run for about 30 to 45 seconds, then put it in gear and drive away, avoiding high speeds or or hard pulls for a few miles.

Condensation can also form in rear axles and transmissions, and driving the car for 10 miles or more will tend to bring all these units up to operating temperature and drive off any moisture, as well as assuring that seals are fully lubricated.

A two mile a day regimen in cold weather is brutal on a car. Under such service conditions, the oil ought to be changed every 1,000 miles.

The switch you picture is the overdrive kick down switch. I think it needs a good cleaning. Dell

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As Dell said, it’s the overdrive kick down switch so would be on the overdrive diagram, not the main one. The pedal starter switch is in the base of the carburetor.

On the overdrive and if it’s engaged, the kick down switch does cut power for a fraction of a crank revolution to allow the solenoid pawl to disengage for more power in passing but if the overdrive’s solenoid isn’t working properly, it will stay cut until the pedal is released.

Once I split a new muffler down its seam from one end to the other by holding the pedal down too long, then releasing it. The gas was continuing into the engine so without ignition until the pedal was released, it exploded all at once when I did release it.

It all makes sense now. So the overdrive kick down switch was being engaged when I pushed the pedal and it wasn't coming back down when I came off the pedal for the start.

So when I press the the pedal it is engaging the carburetor and that connects to 2 wires at thr bottom of the carb and that sends electricity to the starter solenoid.

I had no idea. I'll make sure I better understand this and practice good maintenance.

You can find the wiring for the Overdrive unit in the Literature Archive, just scroll down after you find your wiring diagram. As I am rewiring a 1949, but am no expert by any means, I did some tracing of the schematic, and I don't understand why a malfunction of the Overdrive kick down switch would stop power going to the starter to turn the engine over. I see that the Overdrive relay gets it's power from the starter solenoid but that's it. Does anyone know?.

I'm glad your mystery seems to be found. However now it just leaves me with questions.

Dave O

Back to the same problem. It's cutting power and won't start after a day of beautiful quick starting. But I haven't pulled that kickdown switch and cleaned it. That's next.

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We will have to keep in touch. I see obvious issues in my wiring and I have the drive to get it done but I don't have the knowledge lol