headlights are not working . ground issue ? 1973 dart slant 6

1973 dodge dart slant 6 . I just got this car a few days ago . The previous owner said he bypassed the alternator gauge by connecting the two wires that go to it together . He said it was because the gauge was causing a NO POWER condition as in none at all . is that possible ? . The Headlights are not working . i think it is a ground issue , but i am not sure .

With the HL knob pulled out to the first and second step , just one front parking light comes on steady , and both back lights and rear side marker lights come on . All other outside lights work normally with first step of switch except for the two front side markers . Same for second step , except with the right turn signal turned on , it stops blinking . The headlights do not come on . It is not the footswitch . The footswitch pigtail is showing power at all three terminals . Without footswitch attached . Both headlight pigtails are showing power to all three terminals . All are showing almost full battery power 12.27 + or - . That is not right . One "should" have no power for ground , correct ?

None of the dash lights light up either as far as i can tell .

The negative battery cable and connections and ground there all test good . I am suspecting where the other two wires come together where that attaches near the radiator , but , I didn't want to start cutting into them without ruling out other things .

Can it be the Headlight Switch ? ( i am looking for the extra one i have right now )
Would the cluster ground , or lack of , cause this full power symptom ?
Where are the grounds on a 1973 dart slant 6 , besides the one going from the firewall to the engine top ? and the rad area .
What else am i forgetting to check ? anything the previous owner might have unknowingly done while messing with the alt gauge ?

Thank you for your time and thoughts .