I have a 1970 cuda that had melted wiring going from the alternater to the back of the ralley dash.I determined the electrical problem to be the radio. After diconecting the radio and replacing the melted wiring I noticed that when I turn the ignition on the all my gauges jump to the high side and stay in that position! I don't know if my gauges are damaged,or the voltage regulator on the dash damaged or do I still have a short somewhere?

 

You most likely melted wiring related to the ammeter. Depending on the root cause, this could have caused other damage to wiring in that harness, IE melting wires together, or even burning up some of the "stuff" in the cluster wiring.

Normally I'd jump right on the instrument regulator, and it might be. But this could easily be related damage. For example, the IVR has a ground terminal, so if that trace was broken, (burned) the IVR won't operate.

This is a very good read, it shows what problems there are with the factory ammeter circuit, as well as a simplified diagram:

http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...p-gauges.shtml

and a lot of guys have done that mod in some way. If you are running a large alternator, this makes the problem worse, along with a bunch of added electrical loads, pumps, fans, etc

I have not run into a voltmeter conversion with the type of cluster in your 70, but this gives you an idea of what some guys have done in the A bodies:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/...d.php?t=119480

You have a shop manual?