Regardless of the color of the cable insulation, the positive (+) terminal of the battery should have been connected to the starter, and the negative (-) post should have been connected to the frame or engine block. Chances are that the positive smoke check was the alternator shorting out due to the polarity reversal of the six diodes that convert the AC current produced by the alternator into DC suitable to charge the battery. Check the big wire that's connected to the back of the alternator- - - -I'll bet it's burned, and the alternator windings will have a definite odor of barbecue! Other than the alternator and its associated wiring, there might be a problem with the radio, if it's been converted to a modern solid-state type with a constant-voltage "keep-alive" circuit for the memory. Sometimes there's a low-current fuse in the back of the radio that will blow in case of reversed polarity. Good luck!
Jerry
Last edited by Hotrod Lincoln; 03/01/2014 3:48 AM.
