On the older point-ignition engines, the starter has 3 wires. The purple-insulated small wire goes to the engine side of the solenoid. It's the starter energizing lead from the "start" position of the ignition switch. The smaller wire is usually brown, and goes on the small terminal away from the block. It's an ignition resistor bypass wire that puts full battery voltage to the coil during cranking. There should be a red-insulated wire with a big ring terminal that mounts under the battery hot cable on top of the solenoid. It supplies voltage to the fuse block, ignition switch, etc. If you're not getting voltage to the coil with the switch in the "run" position, you've probably failed to connect a wire at the coil, or you've got a bad ignition switch. The "+" terminal of the coil should have two wires, one from the switch, and the bypass lead from the starter.
Jerry
