It really doesn't have much to do with your troubles but here is a story about my brothers R15 (Renault 15 for those not in the know
)
He found one day that if the parking lights were on and he kept his foot on the brake pedal that the engine would keep running when he took the key out of the ignition.
He had great fun messing with passengers until we replaced the passenger side brake lamp. It was a cool smoked grey white inside and I assume was shorted from the brake filament to the parking filament.
Michael
Oh yah, wait till you lose the correct ground and all of your gauges pulse in time with the turn signals.