Bad Ground on my 67 Valiant Dash Cluster?

You're right. Instructions always say "disconnect negative battery cable before proceeding". Sometimes, I have. Sometimes, (like now) I didn't. I got bit, and I think that I'll always disconnect the battery from now on.
It's kind of funny that you mention a "live alt amp gauge". All of the other gauges are reading a pulsating voltage with an ohms meter. The alt gauge is as dead as a door nail. I tightened all of the posts on the circuit board. Still dead. Don't know why. Maybe fried?
Another situation is, (and maybe because the cluster is out of the dash) the entire metal backside of the cluster is electrically alive. Even the casing of the voltage limiter is showing 12 volts. Maybe this is because the ground at the steering column is off.
Also, the gauges have the pulsating voltage when the key is off. When I turn the key on, but not running, I get 12 volts steady on all posts. Again, is this because of the steering column ground not being connected. ( I have the steering wheel lowered to remove the cluster.)
I'm confused. I hate, hate, hate, electrical problems. Any help you might offer would be really appreciated. Thank you, sir