The wires hitting the headers would not do what you explained.The #1 reason to do the ford solinoid would be to stop the hot start issues.
Who ever designed these starters was sniffin glue. The solinoid gets hot, and will not work. Mount it up high, and the problem goes away. (it is still possable, but highly unlikely).
It sounds to me like you had a wre short out with another hot wire under your dash...maybe the large hot on your starter and the purple wire wore through and made contact.
------------------
'69 G.M.C. 350/350. Trying to clean up the left over damage from the
Dope-Smokin-Old-Man
I've been dubbed the Longhorn
Freak/Fanatic/Expert, I just hope I can live up to it.
FINALLY got the
HORNIAC...a '70
one ton Longhorn with a
Pontiac 350/350 and lots of
'personality'. Check out
The Longhorn Webite.
If you need a pic posted, E-mail me at
longhornmail@yahoo.com
Andy, in Columbus Ohio