Need advice on prob starting car
 

Ok, maybe all will become clear to me after a good nights rest, but I'd sure welcome some suggestions in what is going on with my '95 C2 cab.

A few days ago, my s.o. was lowering the top (engine off) when it ground to a stop halfway. She reversed the switch, and the top came back up and locked. When she went to start the car, she reported hearing a couple of groans from the engine as it attempted to start. These gradually got more feeble, and she gave up.

I only have three months on a new Red Top battery, and had driven the car less than 48 hours earlier. I did keep the door open and the interior light on as I tried to install a new set of pedals.

Tried to start the car, and not a sound.

Tried to jump it with a Toyota Tercel which I had used before. All of the lights on the dashboard came on as normal, there were a few clicks, then all was dark and quiet. Cycling the key got the same results. The fuses in the front trunk all appear to be ok (no melted tops).

My guesses:
1 The battery is so flat out dead that, even when jumped, it won't start the car.

2 Starter problem (but why at this particular point?).

3 I bumped mysterious 3-way microswitch that the P.O. had installed with aftermarket security alarm. Still, the car seems like it tries to start, and I'd think that a kill switch would just flat out kill it. Also position of switch doesn't make any difference when trying to jumpstart.

I don't have a multimeter handy to check this with (as someone kindly suggested in a previous thread). Is it worth doing a battery swap with one of my other vehicles to confirm the Red Top as the problem?

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I feel sick seeing the car there all clean and shiny, new pedals installed, and not being able to drive it.

Thanks.

-John Ross