Ok, I have had this issue for over a year now. Sometimes when I try and start my car all I get is a click. Then I try again and just a click. If i keep trying to start it, meaning turning the key to get the click , then off , then turning to get a click and doing that over and over again about ten times it finally catches and it starts!LOL. I just replaced my starter, so I know the starter is good now, but the problem persists. It even does it first thing in the morning when i first try and start the car. Summer or winter. Engine hot or cold. Sometimes it starts on the first try though, so I can never tell when it wont start up for me. I am suspecting that the purple wire from the starter that goes to the safety neutral switch may be bad, but I am not sure. What else could this be?

 

http://www.austinthirdgen.org/index.php?pid=38

Either a bad ignition switch (not the key cylinder), or a bad neutral safety switch.

Ignition switch is about $15, but a PITA - NSS is about $30, but easier to do.

 

it isnt necesarily the ignition switch or nss. I would test the purple wire at the nss to make sure you have good voltage. I had the same issue and it was that the purple wire was grounding behind the engine causing a drop in voltage to the solenoid, sometimes it would start and others it would take multiple attempts for it to start and I would get that same click you are getting. that click means there isnt enough voltage at the solenoid to spin the gear, its just pushing it out and hitting the fly wheel.