Just a tad confused

1. The amp meter, I do not recall if the donnor had a light or gage, but I do not see how they are reading the current. The batt goes directly to the alt (bout 20" 10g wire). Could they have used the wire as the shunt and connected a gage accross it? I guess I should install a second wire from the batt as my afrmrkt gage has an internal shunt???

2. To make the charging system work I will have to connect one of the terminals to ing side of the switch. I looked through the gallery for wiring dia's. I have found one uses a simple light and the other a diode. I see the need for the diode, prevent feed back, but wonder if you need the resistamce of the bulb to excite the alt????

With the alternator exciter wiring you can go three ways.
1 use an ignition switch that has seperate ign and acc terminals with the alt #1 exciter terminal connected to the acc terminal,this will break the connection between the alternator exciter terminal and the ignition coil to prevent run on.
2 use a diode to prevent power backflow from the alt exciter terminal to the common ign/exciter terminal on the switch.
3 replace the diode with an indicator light,this will work as a resistor to restrict backfeed to a level too low to power the ignition coil. this is my favorite method,as the light serves as a charge indicator and a replacement is avalible at any auto parts store or department.
Being the wiring is pre electronic ignition,it will have a resistance wire for the ignition primary . The cleanest and most reliable is to wire in a ceramic ignition resistor(1.5 ohm ?) to replace the in harness resistance wire.
Don't forget that the alternator sense wire #2,needs to be connected to full battery voltage so the regulator can sense system voltage and adjust the alternator to maintain normal voltage level at the battery. In most cases,putting a ring terminal on the #2 sense wire and connecting it to the BAT stud on the alternator rear works best.