1979 f150 lariat with 400 and AC option

I haven't had this truck very long so I am trying to sort out the previous owner(s) electrical engineering. I have been having intermittent starting issues since I have had the truck. Most recently I had the starter keep turning even with the key off, the only way to stop it was taking the neg. lead off of the battery. I have tested the solenoid by jumping it and it is working fine, so I am off to the ignition switch itself. The reason I am looking at the switch is because sometimes if I turn the key the solenoid will click and other times nothing. Usually the solenoid will engage once every 10 items or so, after turning the switch on and off. I am assuming it could be contacts within the switch.

I have been pouring over wiring diagrams and have found something off with the wires on the ignition switch plug. The R-BL (32 according to the diagram) wires that come off the ST portion have been spliced. According to the diagrams there are two wires that come from this slot. One I believe is for the neutral switch, but I cannot find where the other one is supposed to lead to. The previous owner has put a plastic wire splicer in and has a blue wire run to it (which is probably a replacement wire from the looks of the electrical tape wrapped around the harness). Any help with deciphering the wiring diagram would be helpful.

I am guessing most of the wiring issues are stemming from the aftermarket CD player that was installed.

 

Well it looks like the neutral safety switch maybe at least one issue. I climbed under and scraped off mud and found that only one wire is connected another one is broken. I realize that there should be another wire or two but they are up in the harness somewhere. I guess the jiggling of the shifter when I tried to start it was eventually making some sort of contact to allow it to start every once in a while. Not sure if this could cause the starter to keep turning, but the switch wil need replaced just the same.

 

I'm assuming automatic trans. The NSS should have four wires going to it, two for the neutral start switch and two for the back up lights.
What wiring diagrams are you using? Are they the factory diagrams or something different?

 

I'm using the factory '79 diagrams. It shows that the red/blue wire goes from the small "S" terminal on the starter solenoid to the neutral start switch. From the NSS it then goes to the ignition switch.
At plug C-1015 it shows a second red/blue wire branches off and goes to the ignition module.
Plug C-1015 is the plug for the neutral start switch.

 

yeah auto, diagrams from Fordication.net. I am thinking that the NSS is the cause of my issues. It is just hard for me to tell what is factory and what is homebrew on the wiring, both are old.

I know for sure that there is only one maybe two half broken wires at the NSS on the transmission, I will start by replacing that and then go from there. Any suggestions on where to get them, I know some people have had hard times with cheapo solenoids and the like.