Ground straps, Make me angry Options

[emerygt350]

Brand new ground strap, installed clean and brushed on both transmission and body. Completely failed me. Wire brushed the neg to body. Checked the cables and replaced the post to starter cable (it was questionable ). Car still wouldn't turn over. Added a new 6 gauge cable from the negative terminal to the spot where the coil attaches to the tin work, turns over like a new car. Even my gauges are working better. Wth. Could it just be the transmission case itself?

I remember an argument about additional ground straps a couple years ago, but can't find it. Any reason not to just keep my aftermarket ground strap?

[davep]

Added a new 6 gauge cable from the negative terminal to the spot where the coil attaches to the tin work, turns over like a new car.

If you actually fastened the ground cable to the sheet metal engine ducting, then that is a bad thing, and could lead to the fasteners welding to the engine case.
Better is to use the fan shroud as a grounding point, and here is an ideal location.
The alternator grounds to the fan shroud as well. You could add another ground wire from this point to the chassis ground stud near the relay panel. The starter (draws the most current of any device in the car) grounds to the trans case, and subsequently through the engine case to the fan shroud. Thus you have most of the important grounds tied together closely through the best conductors.
I have also had the same problem, as you did, with the battery ground stud not doing it's job. I am afraid that the 50 year old body is just not up to carrying the current that it is tasked with. No matter that the battery ground stud and the transmission ground stud are solid and clean, this does not seem to be enough anymore.