Are you sure about the polarity? Check the negative cable and make sure it runs right to the body of the car. It should be about a foot long.

The fact that the battery light is on means that you are draining current from the battery while the car runs - make sure that your alternator belt is on and is tight. If you hooked up the battery backwards, you may have fried some stuff, or at least some fuses.

Good luck.

Well thanks everyone. I went back out, hooked up jumper cables from my car to the beamer, and couldn't start it. But no smoke! So I went out, bought a new battery, and it cranked right up. The battery light is on even after removing the key, but the car runs great. Could it have been some oil on the solenoid? I imagine that I may have reversed the polarity when initially hooking up the battery (the RED cable goes to the NEGATIVE terminal in this car!), but whatever was wrong appears to be resolved. I still don't have gauges other than the speedometer, and the gas tank apparently can only take 9 gallons at a time or it leaks (very reassuring), but she runs, and does that well. Any advice on the battery light, gauges, or gas tank appreciated.

Thanks.