Starter wiring- Please help me out masters! (1989 firebird)

[DustyWusty]

So I bought this firebird a few weeks ago...needs a lot of new stuff but it runs good I was told...

So ive been wondering why the car didnt have any power for about a week now until I finally checked the starter!

Up on ramps now I look at the started and i put a test light to see if its getting power it sparks when i touch it and the fan and lgihts turns on (i had them set on in the cab) and im like holy shit thats cool. The bolt is loose and all rusted so i decide to take it off and sand all the surfaces, as im taking it off something falls...dunno what, maybe some old thread lock or something
I sand the connectors and the bolt and thread post from the starter for a lil then put them back on, more sparks and the fan comes back on, then I decide its a good idea to disconnect the - terminal at the battery so I did that...
I put the
-----------------0 red wire with the loop thingy
-----------------
-----------------0 Another red wire connected to a smaller red wire (like an appliance cord)
back on the started post and begin tightening the nut back on...i get it nice and tight.

Then I reconnect the - terminal at the battery again and nothing happens, no matter how much I wiggle the connections at the starter

NOTE: The ac was set on when it first sparked and the starter post did turn red hot in the spot it was touching the o ring for about 1 second but it was still going when I disconnected the battery

Does this sound like one of the fusible links on the starter + cables? How do I check if there ok? (there the little black circular things in the cables right?)

Please help, I was so excited to have got it sort of working for a second

Thanks!