Need electrical help, '91 F-350

I just bought a '91 f-350 cab and chassis that sat for 7 years and I need a couple pointers on how to get it going. The biggest problem I am having is its not getting any electrical power to anything unless I use a jumper wire from the positive battery terminal to the solenoid on the pass side fender. Once I get power to it everything works and I can start the truck. The electrical system will continue to work as with the jumper wire unhooked until the ignition is turned off and then everything electrical goes dead. Can I run a permanent wire from the battery to the solenoid with out hurting anything? The other problem is the GP system. Sometimes the WTS light will come on for a few seconds and sometimes it just stays on for a second, either way the truck is hard to start and smokes for a while once after started.

Wts light should be on for about 10seconds...if not then you might have some glow plugs out...my ignition broke in my 91 so I made a manual glow plug switch and starter switch..but your not getting any power whatsoever to the ignition? In any position?

I'll probably change out the GP's this weekend with motorcraft ones. With the batteries hooked up I don't have anything electrical at all lights, wipers, gauges, starter nothing. When I hook a wire to the to the solenoid it comes to life and I can start it and everything works until I turn the ignition off, then I have to hook that wire back up to start it again. Ill try to post a picture of what i'm doing its kind of hard to explain.