How would it start by bypassing the starter? Or do you mean that you wired the coil to the battery and used the starter and it started? If that's the case, why in the world would you have suspected the the starter or solenoid needed replacing? Just make sure you have continuity to the ballast resistor from the run position on the ignition switch and continuity from the other side of the ballast resistor to the positive side of the coil and a ballast resistor that is not open(broken) and it will run.
