When out in my 70 Roadrunner recently stopped for coffee and no power when I wanted to restart it. After thinking of the way to hot wire it, hit the key again and had power and it started right up. Fine ever since. To be safe I bought a new in column switch but the lever that is turned by the key once installed is locked in position. The vendor I bought it from said it had to have power to move. One in the car now has always turned whether powered or not. Does this power to switch idea sound right or did I get a new switch that is bad? Wanted to know before I go to the trouble of replacing it. Thanks in advance.....

You got snookied on the switch and by the seller, IMHO your best bet would be to look at/replace the starter solenoid on the firewall, the terminal marked/stamped "G" is ground for the neutral safety switch located on the transmission (AUTOMATIC) or on the clutch pedal (MANUAL) corrosion/oxidation can sometimes cause intermitten problems starting the vehicle, plus check clean all connections to the battery, starter, starter solenoid, replace and wires/cables that are suspect....buy a voltmeter to check voltage and continuity




In the pic below, the "G" terminal is the lower right brass blade terminal


Mike

I know bad solenoid would cause no cranking, but would it cause no power at all at the switch? When I had this momentary issue, nothing that is on when the key is in the run position would work.

Pull and clean your bulkhead connections, too. I had the exact symptoms 20 years ago & that's all it was.

Thanks for the advise! But are you guys telling me that if I do decide to change out the ignition switch I should return the new one I got and get one where the lever turns before I install it?

I cannot think of a reason the new electrical ignition switch itself would not turn to the on/run/start positions when it is remove from the column. Although, I'm not going to go yank mine apart to find out.

1 point often overlooked when working on a 70 RR with 4 speed is the reverse lockout mechanism...
Today most of these have been stripped out but the lever on the column, engine side may still exist. It was required in 70 and tied in with the ignition switch and column lock. It would push the transmission into reverse when the column was locked.

The lever on the column usually was just setting down, but if if this by movement or vibration changes the column can lockup and the key won't move. The solution is to either take the column apart and remove the locking mechanism, strap down the lever in a down position so it doesn't move..

Just my $0.05...