Reply to "Amp Gauge waving like a beauty queen in a parade"

As JF said, the simplest way to cure this- if it bothers you- is to tighten ALL the connections, especially the multiple grounds and add a shunt across the amp gauge terminals. This is a fix that came out when the Pantera was still being sold by Ford, so needle-waving is not new and probably is not harmful.

The second fix many use is to use an internally regulated modern alternator and discard the separate regulator. That way there is zero question as to whether the regulator is solid- state or uses contact points, and it has the advantage of allowing a bigger alt. If you do this and go to a simple-to-install single wire alt, some need the idle rpms set up higher to begin charging at low rpms. Other single-wires do not; ask before paying.

The stock Motorcraft alt was 47 amp (some identical appearing were 61 amp,) and both are simply too low in output to supply AC, headlights/tailights/stop lights, a stereo & CB and other accessories, at low rpms in heavy evening traffic. Owners have had the engine die in traffic jams and then find they'd been running on the battery for some time & do not have the juice to restart. Tow trucks love evening rush hours....