Mysterious Short, lots of Smoke

[tester]

A week ago, I parked my 1984 Azzura after a short drive with no signs of trouble. I removed the battery. Today, I reconnected the battery. I didn't get the usual indications of battery power - no lights/chime when I turned the ignition key. After a few minutes a lot of smoke started coming from under the hood. I immediately disconnected the battery. The wires running from the alternator to the starter motor were completely fried. Obviously, something shorted out.

I'm wondering what I can do to determine what caused the short and replace the fried wires.

Thanks in advance.

[azruss]

this may sound very basic, but are you sure you didnt connect the battery backward. seems odd to have fried those wires. the only thing that would cause it would be a direct, non-fused short.

[majicwrench]

Yup, certainly sound like reverse polarity. You can even charge a completely dead batter backwards, then put it back correctly, and fry things. Ask me how I know....
Keith

[spider2081]

I believe if the battery is installed reversed the diodes in the alternator could be damaged. For the wire between the starter and the alternator to burn the alternator either had a shorted diode to ground, not a very common failure by the way, or the battery was revered forward biasing the diodes to ground. There are other circuits in the car that could have been damaged also. One would be the clock.