Wiring short search

1968 Barracuda.
Fried wiring mostly at crimped connectors on red 10 gauge at fusible link, but not the link.
Replaced whole wiring harness with new one from Year One wired for electronic ignition.
Previous owner has bypassed the bulk head connectors as per many suggestions on here and in Mags.
I cut my new harness and welded my 10 gauge wires to his fire wall routed wires that bypass the bulk head, I tested for continuity before welding and got a zero ohms, so figured it was good to go.
Completed the install last night and went to hook up the bat when I got some hot wires real fast, I hope I was fast enough on the disconnecting of Battery. No melting of the fusible link or wires around but very close to a melt down.
I am pulling the dash out tonight to see what butcher work I will find there and fix what I see. Under the hood was a freaking mess.
Before the rewire I had the alt tested at the re builders and they said it checked out OK.
Would they see a short when they test?
How do I test Voltage Reg?
Where should I start looking for short?
Should I eliminate the Amp meter?
Mopar performance in there install instruction sheet says it's cool to take a 4 post ballast resistor connector and stick it on a 2 post ballast resistor, just gotta have the right contacts. Sound OK?
Can I just ground the brown wire from the starter relay to the neutral safety switch?
If any one has any ideas where I should be concentrating my efforts it would be great to hear.
I am really Jonesing for a good blast, it's been off the road to long and summer is way to short.
Thanks.
Jackson.

Trace the wires that started to melt down those should lead you to the source of the problem it is an unfortunate way to find the short but effective

I have the dash out and I found two toasted crimp connectors where the P/O connected his bulkhead bypass.
I unhooked the main bat feed from the alt and I get no draw, melting or sparking, does this mean the alt is the short?

Quote:

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I have the dash out and I found two toasted crimp connectors where the P/O connected his bulkhead bypass.
I unhooked the main bat feed from the alt and I get no draw, melting or sparking, does this mean the alt is the short?

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Come ON!!!! Just unhook the alternator!!!

Actually to be a little nicer, when you have something that's "chopped up" it can be a challenge, so here's a few things:


ONE start unhooking things, and fuses

Some of the first things I'd unhook is pull ALL the fuses, unhook the alternator and insulate the stud. Pull out the dash, drop the column, whatever you have to do to "get to" things. Unhook the connector from the ign switch. This should help isolate the problem a little.

NOW WHEN YOU HOOK UP THE BATTERY

DO NOT HOOK IT UP!!!! Makes sense? No? OK, get a large lamp, like a headlamp, or a dual filament tail/ stop bulb, and hook the (big) bulb IN SERIES with one battery lead. That way, if there's a serious short, the bulb will light, BUT YOU WILL NOT MELT or damage anything. Now, you can "paw around" in there, troubleshoot to your hearts content, with that great big bulb talkin' to ya, without a worry in the world of blowing up anymore harness!!!