Still sounds like the alternator brushes to me. Generally, when you turn the ignition switch, that puts 12v on the exciter wire and from there to the core of the alternator through the brushes. So the rest of the alternator may be fine, but not getting the voltage to make voltage because the brushes are shot. If current can't flow through the exciter wire because the brushes aren't making contact, the dash lights won't go on. Under normal conditions, once the alternator starts making 14v, the polarity of the exciter wire reverses and the lights on the dash go out. Hope that makes some sense, and that someone can offer a source for parts: I didn't see them listed at IPD or FCPGroton, just the whole alternator.
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'81 GLT 245 @ 259K; '83 DL 175K
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