thanks for the comments!
spent a couple days messing with the wiring harness.. the stock one was a warning light harness, and I put it back in.... then I did some research and found out it was completely different than a gauge harness.... so I pulled it out, and went searching in the yard for a good gauge harness, and then installed that.
putting this link in so I can set up this harness with the 73-87 bbc internally regulated alternator:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=571082