I had a similar problem myself, it was the cable from the starter solenoid to the starter motor.
Have you swapped batteries with another car to check the battery is ok and eliminate it as a problem?
When you say you lose all power, turn the lights on, what happens?
No lights, bad earth on battery -ive, dead short on battery +ive (hold on to the cable it will be getting very hot, not very likely) or car body wiring fault.
Lights come on, starting circuit problem. A volt meter or test light would be handy now.
Assuming starting circuit problem and you have a volt meter. The battery voltage should be 13.8 volts for a good battery, hit the ignition to start, if voltage drops to 8 volts, check how hot the +ive cable is getting, this could mean a short in the starter motor and your dad was right, if it does not move there is an open circuit some where. If you were using a test light it would have gone dim or stayed the same.
Connect the meter to the starter motor and repeat the above, if you get voltage there the starter is open circuit,if no voltage there move the meter to the starter solenoid and repeat above. If voltage there open circuit solenoid to starter cable if not check power to other side of soleniod(battery to solenoid cable)if not there's your problem, if so continue on.
Time to hot wire the starter solenoid, remove the wire from the ignition switch and connect another piece of wire to the soleniod the touch this to the battery +ive, you should here the soleniod click and the starter motor turn, if not faulty soleniod. If it did there is a problem with the ignition switch.
By the way can you turn the motor over by hand/wrench or not?
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ZK Fairlane on 1/13/02 1:25pm ]</font>