Obviously, with that amp gauge pegged, you have a short circuit. Now, since International didn't use the foot starter after the 1949 KB-series trucks, I have to assume your truck is a '49 or older.
If you'd rather not try to figure out what's probably a 60+ year old rat's nest of wires, try Rhode Island Wire for a replacement wire harness [ www.riwire.com ]. OR you COULD start from the battery to the starter, and disconnect [and then replace] one wire at a time until you find the one that's shorted.
The old original wire harness had natural rubber over the wire, and then cloth over the rubber...and then the cloth was lacquered. The cloth rots, the lacquer makes it brittle, and the natural rubber deteriorates...and eventually, short circuits are inevitable.
First you have to find the short circuit...and eliminate it. As I said previously, start by removing all the wires from the starter. Then attach ONLY the cable from the battery. Then reattach wires one at a time until you find the circuit that has the short. I'd suggest that the first wire you reattach--or replace--would be the one from the terminal at the starter that goes to the ammeter...then check the one from the ammeter to the key switch.
That's how I'd proceed. Hope something in my post is helpful to you.
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Today's Featured Article - New Life for an Old Allis - by Tyler Woods. My friend Jon, has an old '39 Allis Chalmers B. He thought it a marginal tractor that had long since served its time. She smoked terribly and never had much power but he couldn't afford another so he was limping along with what he had. Jon's Allis has a small front loader and though it doesn't carry much, it serves his needs. It was the hard starting and low power that made him think it was time to replace the old girl. Jon called me to help him discover why his tractor wouldn't start
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