Look for the simple things first

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Just got "flatbededed" home with my 75 CdV.  Pulling on the onramp, the car had shifted into 2ns, but I needed a bit more and put it to the floor kicking the trans down to 1 st. Took off and then the engine shook like it was going to tear itself off the mounts and then quit cold.  Coasted part way down a 1 lane off ramp and tried to start it to no avail. Of course the FIRST thing I thought of was a timing chain (although I have previously physically seen that the cam gear had been replaced with an all metal one) and then figured the motor had broken something. The dollars and the hours working on the car had me resetting my schedules for the next 30 days, and thinking about the rebuilt short block and cylinder heads I have in my garage going into this car.
Traffic going around us ( it was the beginning of rush hour) some coming close, so we needed to get out of there.Called AAA who responded splendidly. got us loaded up and home in short order.

Once home I popped the hood, looked at the HEI and saw the power wire just loosely sitting in the slot, 1/2 way pulled out. Pushed it back in and made sure it was in fully, cranked the car which of course started immediately./
Like my Mentor Bob always said, look for the simple things first.
Greg Surfas

[Poncholover]

And I was thinking that the Nitrous tank was empty!

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Congratulations on locating the fault.

Probably wouldn't have found it whilst panicking on the highway, with all that traffic around.

Bruce.

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

No Bruce I most likely wouldn't have. I would probably pulled the HEI to try and see the cam gear first, followed by a trip to the hospital when a rush hour cowboy careened me off the wall. LOL
Greg Surfas

[James Landi]

Has me wondering if your"kick down" massive torque pulled the engine over as well as the wire harness, thus the disconnect.  Several decades ago, I fiqured out that my fully depreciated daily driver Cadillacs absolutely despised those full throttle "kick downs," when my '67 Eldo suffered a dent in the hood as a result of the front (single) motor mount ripping apart on my application of "the kick down"--- the wing nut on the air cleaner provided sufficient incentive for me to stop that pedal to the metal activity.  As my mechanic stated, "The hood kept the engine in the car!"  Happy day, James

[Ralph Messina CLC 4937]

When you hear hoof beats, think horses not zebras.

[Chopper1942]

Back in the day, all GM V8's had issues with motor mounts separating and when the motor lifted, denting hoods, destroying fan shrouds and fans, and some times sticking the throttle wide open causing crashes.  There were several different recall fixes until the mmounts were re-engineered to interlock block and frame metal plates on the mounts. Most used cables attached to the exhaust manifolds and the frame.  If I had a driver and liked to jump on the throttle, I would defininately replace my 40-70 year old mounts with new updated ones or at least tie down the left side of the engine so if the mount gives away I don't damage the car or cause an accident.

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Thought of that and checked the motor mounts. They do not"give". My "quarter mile" car however is chained on the driver;s side. It seems to help lift the left front tire under "moderate" acceleration.LOL
Greg Surfas

[fishnjim]

Not only broken mounts could do the hood, but it would pull the throttle wide open and you were in for a ride if you didn't know how to shift into neutral or turn off the key.  How do I know? 
Replacement mounts still failed but they put the two ears to keep them from separating.  No one filed a lawsuit back then?  Wasn't enough boomer ambulance chasers yet.   
It was "cool" to run oversize tires, and I think more than one didn't have the torque to turn them so the weakest link was the mounts or the trans.
How is it that the last thing is always the one that solves the problem?  Just need to find that one first...  Same applies when you lose something, it's in the last place you look!

[James Landi]

Not only broken mounts could do the hood, but it would pull the throttle wide open and you were in for a ride if you didn't know how to shift into neutral or turn off the key.  How do I know? 
Replacement mounts still failed but they put the two ears to keep them from separating.  No one filed a lawsuit back then?  Wasn't enough boomer ambulance chasers yet.   
It was "cool" to run oversize tires, and I think more than one didn't have the torque to turn them so the weakest link was the mounts or the trans.
How is it that the last thing is always the one that solves the problem?  Just need to find that one first...  Same applies when you lose something, it's in the last place you look!

All that torque, all that advertising about the horse power rating, all that post teenage desire to show off, (when the mood moves one) and bingo, pedal to the metal, downshift into 1st gear, secondary kicks in, and the BANG, my beautiful hood has developed an ugly pimple.  Now I drive my Cadillacs like an old geezer, wanting to preserve them rather than prove something that, at day's end, is irrational, expensive, (likely illegal), and attracts negative attention to an aging "boomer."

[scotth3886]

All that torque, all that advertising about the horse power rating, all that post teenage desire to show off, (when the mood moves one) and bingo, pedal to the metal, downshift into 1st gear, secondary kicks in, and the BANG, my beautiful hood has developed an ugly pimple.  Now I drive my Cadillacs like an old geezer, wanting to preserve them rather than prove something that, at day's end, is irrational, expensive, (likely illegal), and attracts negative attention to an aging "boomer."

LOL.  I'm older than a boomer, from a generation that was 'supposedly' silent. 

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Is this somehow tied into "You have to grow old but you don't have to grow up"?
Greg Surfas