[wgeorges]

Hello All,
I just joined the Forum and I'm looking for any help/advise you may be able to offer.
In 1965 my father bought a brand new red convertible Thunderbird. It stopped running around 1977 and sat in our family's garage for the next 25+ years. About 5 years ago I had it totally restored. It's fantastic when it runs...it just doesn't run for very long before something goes wrong. Unfortunately, unlike most of this forum's members, I don't really know how to work on the car. I live in St. Louis, MO and have had a couple places work on it but I haven't found a place I'm really comfortable with.
So my first question - is there anyone from St. Louis (or nearby) who has a suggestion on a reputable garage/mechanic that I could trust to work on the car.
Also I'm looking for any help you may have on what might have gone wrong recently with my TBird. I was driving the car (it had been running for a few weeks after getting out of the mechanic's shop) when I stopped in a parking lot and put the car in park and then turned the ignition off. It seemed to lurch slightly forward when I put it in park as if the car was still moving even though I had come to a complete stop. When I got back into the car to start it up it wouldn't turn over. In fact it didn't make a sound. The electric is fine - the lights still come on and the radio works, but when I turn the key I don't hear the alternator click even once. I seem to recall my father, at times, would have to gently push up the gear shift on the steering column in order to get the car to turn over...that didn't work either.

Again, thanks in advance for any help or advice you have to offer. This rookie really appreciates it!

Again I appreciate any he