motorbill,
I don't know if i confused you or your confusing me.
Here's what I did...the ground strap is hooked up as it should be (car body to the motor mount at the gearbox). I clamped the end of my test lamp the the middle of the ground strap and (using a wire to extend the reach of my test lamp) touched the other end to the brown wire at the fuse box near the coil under the bonnet. when doing this, the test lamp lit up. As it should, right? The ground strap would be my ground and the brown wire is my possitive.
I only did this test to try and confirm my ground. I feel that I do have a good ground on the car, unless I am not understanding something. If I unhook the ground strap, I would not be able to establish a ground connection on the engine with my test lamp, correct? keep in mind also that the car is up off the ground on 4 jack stands...i don't know if that makes any difference.
Even though I believe that my battery is in good shape, I am going to run some tests on that as well while I am awaiting your response. First I am going to try to jump it with my truck, then go from there. We have already been through this battery issue in one of my previous threads. where I had to replace it.
joel
1976 MGB with a 1977 engine