Just Picked up my first Eagle Today from orig owner! Help! 81 SX/4

[81eaglesx4]

so i was driving down the road this morning and saw a yard sale sign. Being a sucker for yard sales, i stopped.  As i'm browsing thru the junk i notice an Eagle in the driveway that looked like it hadn't been moved in quite a while. The old guy said it hasn't been started for about 2 years. Come to find out, he bought the Eagle brand new, the only owner.  He had all the original sales paperwork, window sticker, shop manual, etc.  It has 123k miles on it and he said it had always ran great, but 2 years ago, he drove it down the road and the electronics started to "sputter" and then it died. He towed it home, then later broke the key off in the ignition. He then had a massive heart attack and as things go, he never got  back to trying to fix it.  He sold it to me for $300.  It seems to be in great shape, no rust, dents, nothing.  I brought it home today, put a new, working battery in it and i get nothing - no power to anything. Any ideas as to where i'd start to track down the problem?http://www.flickr.com/photos/66360917@N03/6040959722

[Jurjen]

Start with the battery cables, positive and negative, make the contacts clean on both ends.
 
But I would really suspect the fusible links, I think there are a number of them running from the starter solenoid, where +12V from the battery is connected.

I hope he didn't screw-up the tranny while towing it home....

[81eaglesx4]

actually, he did't say how he got it home, but that's a good point, being AWD. hope you're right....

[Jurjen]

Welcome BTW, doing the graveyard shift?

[eaglefreek]

You got swindled. As a jester of good will, give me your address and I'll come pick it up and give you your $300 back.   Like Jurgen said, start with the basics. Clean and check all power and ground connections. Start at the starter solenoid and work from there.

[thereverendbill]

this occasion calls for a test light!!  Awesome find.  Snap more photos please

[68AMXGOPAC]

O yeah you got swindled, and I feel so bad too. Heck I will toss in an extra $100 to make it $400 just for all yout trouble , and what the heck another $75 for the new battery.   - hey -great looking Eagle and one heck of a deal , the sputtering could be anything though. We are all jelous !!

[Gil-SX4]

81eaglesx4 welcome to the AMC Eagle Nets.
Sounds like you got a great buy the body seams to be in real good condition that even if the mechanical are shot its still a great buy.
Change the fusible wire.

[81eaglesx4]

thanks for the sympathy in getting "taken" on this car. :-) I've been swamped with work and haven't had 10 minutes to even look at the car since i picked it up last Saturday.  I look forward to starting the process of trying to track down the problem.  By the way, I need to tell all of you that I am not a mechanic, but i can work on  motor parts. Electrical, i know nothing about.  I did notice that the wire coming into the fusebox under the steering column that's plugged into the "battery" connection is black and pretty much fried on the end of it. Can anyone recommend a link or thread that would help a laymen better understand the steps i need to take to find the problem?  i've read quite a bit the last few evenings online and it seems that the "fusible link" seems to be the common thread when i google'd it. Can anyone help me in knowing where i find these fusible links and what to look for? I know this is basic stuff for many of you but electrical guy, i am NOT.  Thanks again! i'll get more pics and post in the next few days.....