Starter won't turn - fuel pump won't pump - ideas? Options

[914-8]

The engine and trans were out for restoration work, of course, the wiring was all disconnected. Small block Chevy.

The engine and trans are back in the car now, but the starter won't turn and the fuel pump won't pump.

Here's a diagram of the setup:

(IMG:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/bak535/Picture168.jpg)

Here's a pic of the alternator before I took the car apart:

(IMG:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/bak535/Picture031.jpg)

(It seems odd that the red wire comes out of the white 2 wire connector on the alternator, then attachs to the post on the outside of the alternator. Why would they do that? Why wouldn't that connection just be made internally?)

Here's the situation:

1. All the general electrical works - all exterior lights, wipers, interior lights, gauges, turn signals, etc.

2. But the starter won't turn over. I measured 12.6 volts at the starter, from the battery. When I turn the ignition switch to "on," I get 12V at the yellow wire connection on the starter.

So it should turn over, right? But it doesn't. When I try to ground the 2 connections at the starter (the stub where the yellow wire connects and the 12V connection), I get sparks, but no turnover on the starter.

Does this end my analysis? Bad starter? Seems odd, because it was fine when I took it off the car. And it is the IHI starter that I understand rarely fails.

3. The other thing is the fuel pump, which is a Mallory. Normally, when the key is in the accessory position, I can hear the fuel pump running. Now it is not running. The odd thing is when I turn the key to the accessory position, the pump is getting voltage! I put a test light on it, and it turns on when I turn the ignition sw to accessory. But the pump is not pumping.

Seems too coincidental that the starter AND the fuel pump have now died.

4. The car has an ammeter gauge in it. From what I recall, the gauge never really moved off of the "0" position in normal operation of the car. I don't think I ever saw it move, other than a tiny bit in one direction of another.

With the car at rest, it reads 0. When I put the key in the accessory position, it moves slightly, like it always did. But when I try to start the car, the gauge pegs all the way to the right, which reads something like " -30 " (negative 30).

It never did that before. This is a major clue, which I cannot interpret, because I'm not exactly sure what an ammeter gauge does, or what that reading means.

I did have the wiring apart, and I could have miswired something when I put it back together, although I was pretty careful, with pictures, markers, diagrams, etc.

I've tried starting the car while the battery is jumped to a running car, with the same results.

Any ideas?