[Lynn Eades]

It is a matter of "polarising" the field magnets (they screw into the case and suport the field windings. This is done simply by hooking a wire from the live terminal of the battery and striking it to the field (small)terminal of the generator.
You ammeters in your Dodges can be fixed by simply swaping the wires on th back from one side to the other.
The "polarisation of the fields is important, because if its not done, the geny starts charging, the points(contacts) close, and when you stop the motor, they stay shut. the geny tries to "motor" but is held from doing so by the belt, and it cooks up your regulator and generator.