Let me tell you this was fun...

[black roadster]

Driving back from running errands. I'm almost home and I smell something burning and smoke starts wafting out of my steering column. Killed the car and coasted into my driveway.

Turns out my starter button wiring started to burn. This actually happened about 7 months ago and I replaced the Bosch relay assuming it must have gone bad.

I made my connections easily reversible with spade connectors. I've since circumvented the starter button and have the car wired as normal.

My question is why is this happening? The only other thought I have is the starter button uses a thinner gauge wire than the wires going to the ignition switch. Perhaps they're getting too hot and melting.

I've had this wired up for four years and just started having trouble in the last 12 months.

[Machismo]

Hmmm.... the thinner gauge wire sounds like culprit. I used have to have an exposed wire that the clutch pedal would arc off of in the '61 Chevy. Made for some great green smoke action. Might even think about putting in an inline fuse so if does overload, it will stop the juice.