Went to take my chevelle home from my shop today, rolled out on Main St.
kicked her up into 3rd and she died... I see smoke start coming up thru the shifter boot of the auto trans cable. I jump out and yank the positive wire off of the battery. I then look to see where the smoke is coming from, and I see that the positive wire on the starter/solenoid has pulled out of the housing that bolts to the solenoid. So I reconnect it and it will not crank the engine over, double check everything, still wont crank motor over. Try to jump her, no dice, I get a new battery, still wont crank the motor over.... I have one of them battery relocation kits, so my battery is in the truck with an excellent ground, and is all new. I decide to tow it back to my shop, and then I realize that the trans wont come out of park.... So I get under the car and disconnect the linkage and finally get it in neutral to tow it. The linkage is completely frozen, and its unhooked!! Any ideas fellas???

Let's start with the simple, for then linkage, did you have the key in the on position?

Maybe you fried the battery cable?

The linkage was probably welded by the battery. Not sure what else may have been damaged to prevent it from starting, like HEI, etc.

Battery Cable looked fine, the jacket wasnt melted or anthing like that. As for the linkage I was think the same thing, that it was welded! WOW! Just my luck hehee. I currently run a Mallory Dual Point Distributor, so I dont have an HEI. I also did notice that my frame to body ground strap the end was busted off. I have a HUGE ground strap that runs from my motor to the frame but if that frame to body strap is off would that cause problems? Thanks for your time fellas!

That missing ground might just complete the electrical circuit...

You lost me on the grounds. The original wiring on these cars had the following grounds, depending on the radio installed. Two braided grd straps from the the valve cover bolts to the firewall. Possibly a third from the driver's side engine block to the firewall. As originaly wired none of these are required for proper operation, they were only there to reduce electrical noise from the ignition being picked up and heard through the radio.

The essential grounds were, one from the negative battery post, the main (large) negative cable, to the alternator bracket or possibly the front of the passenger side cylinder head. This is the ground for both the alternator and ignition and the starter. The second is the smaller negative wire from the battery to the passenger side front fender. This is the ground for everything else. All electrical accessories, fans, lights, radio, etc. use the body ground. This includes the igntion switch which eventually ties back to the starter through the body to battery grd then battery to engine grd.

If your wiring has been modified you'll need to provide a better description of it. Based on what you said Xtreme70SS396 may be right but it's hard to say without knowing the details.

Thanks alot fellas! It was the body to frame ground strap, it burnt in half when the positive cable came off the solenoid. The linkage did weld itself to the metal jacket.