Should answer your questions as far as how it wires up...... If you are running an HEI dizzy, you don't need the wire from the "I" terminal to the coil..... that's only for points type dizzy

 

EOD posted a good view of the starter wiring. The '79 motor used an HEI dizzy so no I wire is needed from the starter to the coil.
A solid copper wire will be needed from the ignition switch to the dizzy. Remove the existing '66 wire. This '66 wire was a resistor wire that was used with the old point type dizzy.

vicrod

 

EOD posted a good view of the starter wiring. The '79 motor used an HEI dizzy so no I
A solid copper wire will be needed from the ignition switch to the dizzy.

vicrod

SOLID copper wire??

 

You have be careful when wiring the the ignition system. The reistor wire that connects to the plus side of coil is now used on the HEI will not work. You need to by-pass the resistor wire for the HEI. Another problem when you try to crank the motor, there is no 12 volts feeding through that wire. The "I" terminal takes over and feed to the plus terminal coil or the batt terminal on a HEI. I ran into street rod that had a GM steering column with the key switch on the column. He ran into a problem where he would crank the engine and it would not start right away. As soon he let go the key it started. Sure enough I put a light on the plus terminal of the coil and the light was on in the "on" mode, as soon he cranks the engine the light would go out. Turn out he did not had a wire at the "I" terminal soloniod to the coil. When I connected the "I"terminal to the coil it started running right away as soon when he cranked the engine.

 

If you go HEI, elimnate, the "I" terminal wire and the old resistor wire and run a new wire from the ing switch that's hot in start and run.

 

Sorry, posted to wrong topic.

 

Recently purchased a Chevy 1950 Pick Up with 350 engine with headers. The starter is acting like they used to back in the day and you had an overheat problem and had to let the engine cool or tap the starter with hammer to get it started. Headers appear to me to need a shield between the starter and the header to cut down on the heat. I'm putting a new starter on just in case and Alternator needs replacing as well, also new battery cables. I'm hoping this action plus a heat wrap on the headers or wrap for starter will help as well.
ANY SUGGESTIONS as to what else I can do. Thanks Rooster

 

Switching to a Ford style solenoid will solve all of your problems with non of the wrap or heat shield nonsense... Go here and do a little reading...
Catalog

 

sounds like you have it covered

 

They make a heat shield for the starter, mine works well for me. IMO the Ford soleniod isn't the cure-all that some think it is, the bendix and starter motor, sill get very hot with or with/out the Ford soleniod...... the heat shields cut down on the amount of heat that gets to the bendix and starter motor

 

opps

#14 stranded copper wire should be used instead of resistance wire found on point type ignition systems.

vicrod