Help me identify sabotage?

[Siedl]

Hello! It’s been a long time since I’ve been on here but I finally got my 1972 gmc Stepside back! Yay! Not without complication of course. My ex decided to steal my battery, disconnect a cable off the carburetor, there were three small washers sitting on the manifold underneath the cable but no screws or nuts, there was some broken plastic on the ground under the truck but unidentifiable. I’m not proficient enough to look and see what’s been disassembled so I’m hoping you all could help. I’ve attached pics. One of the last pics has a paperclip (don’t laugh, I know it’s so very....) attaching the previously disconnected cable in a slight attempt to at least be able to start the engine.

When I attempted to start it the starter made a horrific grinding sound like when you try to start an engine that’s already been started. Since am familiar with starters, basically a took a look and the teeth on the starter are pretty ground where they hit the flywheel and I’m wondering how bad those teeth can get before it’s a lost cause. I am aware there are two ways to shim a starter, the round shim inside the body or the rectangular oblong shim that sits where you bolt the starter on. I just don’t know if it’s worth trying if there is a point when the teeth on the starter gear are too damaged. I did “futz” with it enough to be able to attempt to turn it over without grinding it but it just cycles like it’s not getting gas. (Sorry my vocabulary is way off the industry norm, (my engine talk is like my Spanish) I understand more than I speak, lol. )

Oh yeah, as far as the starter teeth, they are ground down in the middle of the tooth so my amateur mind tells me if I positioned the starter so that gear hits 100% of the flywheel instead of the roughly 60%-70% it is now, then the top and bottom edge of each tooth with will catch and the pits in the middle won’t matter as much. Maybe get a few more starts before I replace it. Does this even make sense? Ugh 🥴

Any and all help is appreciated, thank you!!