1957 3100 - battery charging issues and questions

[hplacecf]

hi.

ultra old truck newbie here with battery charging questions (what appears to be lack of battery charging).


just got a 1957 3100 project truck in a state of 'it needs work...' some of the wiring has been cut. for example, none of the headlights or taillights work, but the dash light works.

it has a v8 engine that looks old (maybe original), though someone changed out some things on it like the carb and valve covers.


I never worked on anything that old before (I am more familiar with the 1970s and up).

I have never really dealt with electrical charging issues before.

here is my back story.

(1) the truck would not start unless jumped.

(2) it would then run a while (it is not registered, so I just ran it for 5-10 minutes in my driveway).

(3) once it was turned off, it would not start again.
(it would crank slow and then stopped cranking - like it had a dead battery).


if I jumped it again, or charged the battery, the same thing happened (2,3 above).

so, I got a new battery and battery cables and the same thing still happened (2,3 above).


made me think about the alternator. but searching, I think that maybe what I have is a generator and not an alternator? it is black and longer than any alternator I am used to seeing. only seems to have 2 small wires that looks like they join other wires going back to the dash.


questions:

how is the battery 'supposed to be' charged by the set up that I have?
since it appears that this is not happening.


what was there before I changed the wires and battery was:

(1) a single positive cable from the positive post of the battery to the starter.

(2) a single negative cable going from the negative post of the battery to a bolt on the firewall. when i changed that cable I attached it to the frame instead (as a result of the firewall bolt snapping off).

thanks in advance.