55 chevy pickup

friend of mines son drug home a 55 chevy pickup. the wiring is worse for wear. to get it started i ran a hot wire from the battery to the coil. the old thing started like it had been running all along. my question the po had run a wire from the starter to the coil. but it has a ballast resister on the firewall. does it have full 12v on startup , then go to the reduced voltage off of the resister. everything is just temp. they have no cluewhat they are depending on me to do it right

 

Yep, that's what the other small post is for.

 

Originally, the Positive battery cable should run from the battery to the stater then wires will run from the starter to the ignition switch and then from the ignition switch to the resistor/coil.
The resistor could be mounted on the firewall or the coil bracket or if you have a coil with a internal resistor then there is no need for a external one (on the firewall, etc.....etc.......)