chevelle won't start. just installed 2004R and the car wouldnt start so my helper hooked up the passenger side grounding strap and it started... funny because ive never hooked that strap up the whole time ive had the car. car was running fine on the drive home from the shop. went to start it up and there are definetly some grounding issues. the problem is, i didnt change any wiring! the only thing i did was hook up the little lockup switch and hook up the TV cable for the 2004R. the interior lights are on, gauges and everything works. when i go to start it up the grounding strap was smoking, so i disconnected it and there was some spark from somewhere but i couldnt tell where... my battery ground cable looks a bit old so im freshing it up now... any help would really be appreciated!!

my battery ground cable looks a bit old so im freshing it up now... any help would really be appreciated!!
There's your problem
Make sure it has a good, tight & clean connection to the front of the block

There's your problem
Make sure it has a good, tight & clean connection to the front of the block

u think that's the problem? im just gonna go get another cable tomorrow.

Yes, you need a good, tight clean connection from the engine block to the negative side of the battery.

I can imagine that your starting circuit "found" a ground through your old transmission case to the frame. This is not to say that your new transmission couldn't become that path, just hat it shouldn't be that path.

u think that's the problem? im just gonna go get another cable tomorrow.
Good idea, as zeke said your starter is trying to pull 100 amps (a guess) through a bad NEG cable, a ground strap and whatever else it can find. Not good.

ok. all good ideas. im trickle charging my battery overnight and i am getting a new battery cable tomorrow. what about the ground straps from the firewall? are they both needed?

what about the ground straps from the firewall? are they both needed?
You really only need the pigtail off the negative battery cable to the fender.
The other straps are for radio noise suppression only, but if you had them before ?
Put them back on, they can't hurt.