back lights 76 chevy

I have a 76 chevy caprice classic. I recenly installed a new starter and when I was driving it the battery cable that goes to the starter melted on the exhaust manifold and melted my battery terminal. I replaced the battery cable and terminal and everything was fine. Then a couple of days later I realized my back lights were not working. When I turn on the hazard lights they blink but when I turn on my headlights, put the signal light or even push the breaks they do not come on at all. the front signal lights come on but they do not blink. There is a ground wire in the truck by the rear lights and that wire now has current only when I turn on my headlights when it should not. I'm sure it had a short somewhere when the battery cable made contact with the manifold. Before that happened the lights and blinkers worked just fine. Could you help me with this, what shoul I do?

Have you checked the fuses or the flashers in the kick panel?  Maybe something blew when you had the melt.

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I've checked all the fuses and flasher.... the ground wire shorted out and burned off the chasis when the starter cable melted. the ground wire now has current.. I'm sure it has a short somewhere, I just have to find it...