[brighton911]

How odd that is. Re the missing ground strap, good theory as the damage sure looks to be electrical but I don't think absent strap would do that. If the starter got all it's return from the engine ground wires (on my 3.2 a cluster of brown wires at the intake manifold), I think you would see those same wires in a cooked state. And the ground path still would not be via the crankshaft bearing. I am assuming your engine ground wires are OK so now I am out of ideas. Hopefully someone can shed some light on this strange one.