Case 188D cranking speed

I've been working on starting it for the past month and a half with no luck. I'm thinking that I will either have to find a reliable mechanic in the CT area, or dig a hole with the excavator and bury this thing (just kidding). It just sits in the yard staring at me... It ran great last year until it spun a bearing. I rebuilt the whole motor over the winter, had it machined, etc. Now - it just won't crank fast enough. I'm nearing the end of my patience.

The starter just clicked. Any other ideas? I've tried a rebuilt starter and a newer one. no luck.

For a positive ground system, what do I do? The machine is a 1963 or 64, I believe.

Where should I ground this whole circuit out to? I have it bolted to one of the starter mounting bolts right now. I would take some pictures to show what I've got, but my digital camera doesn't work.

I feel like the solution is something very simple, but I just can't grasp this stuff.

(I know, if defies logic to hook + to -, but it works)

Just think of it a two flashlight batteries two 1.5V batteries sitting - to + = 3V in your flashlight and so on for higher voltage lights.

Jim