Swapped from tbi 305 to a 350 with a carburetor on my 1990 camaro, the trunk hatch button on the center console is the only thing giving power to the starter wire, nothing is getting power from turning the key over.

 

well what have you checked?
sounds like you left a wire off when you did the swap

 

we looked it over countless times and couldn't find any wires that we failed to hook up, we checked the fusible links and they're good. We did manage to get the gauges to start moving and 2 or 3 dash lights come on from turning the key but that's it. And the security light hasn't come on the dash yet so idk if vats is causing a problem.

 

If it worked before the swap I'd say it's something you did, not VATS. Start tracing voltage and the all forgotten grounds.

 

It's the same as before. The original owner wrecked the car, fixed the front end but for some reason had the air breather off while it was raining and let water get down into the 305, the car had sat 11 years before i got it about a month ago, i bought a battery and hooked it up and the only thing that came on was dash lights and the gauges. We hooked up all the important wires that needed to be hooked up and they're getting power it's just nothing is happening with turning the key other than dash lights and gauges.

 

Don't understand what you mean about the hatch button. Is it in park is an automatic or step on the clutch if it's a manual transmission. Have power in and out of the ignition switch to safety switch? Power out of safety switch to starter?

 

there's a button on the center console in between my window switches that open the back hatch.

 

What does that have to do with "giving power to the starter wire"?

 

no clue that's what I'm asking, i accidentally hit that button when we was using a test light and the light lit up when he was holding it to the starter wire and i was hitting the hatch button. It's the only thing that sends power through the starter wire.

 

What else in the car does/doesn't work? Check EVERYTHING: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, HVAC, radio, power seats, hatch release, etc. EVERY THING. Let us know what you find.