Just a small fire

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   TLDR:  My wiring caught fire and I'd like to get advice on what the extent of the damage might be.  Pictures and cause of fire at bottom.
My apologies if this isn't the right forum to post this, but it seemed like a generic question and not specific to Torinos or really any make/model so I'm posting in General.  So about a week ago I bought a second 1972 Ford Torino, first one I've owned that actually runs.  I've started it a few times, been getting a list together of random little misc things I've found wrong so far, but I've kept it in the garage and haven't driven it since I bought it because of the weather and salt on the road.
My son has been begging to go for a ride in it so I figure what the hey, I want to give it a good wash anyway and it's 60 out so I strap him into the back seat and I drive it up to the gas station about .5 miles from my house, fill up the tank.  The plan was to drive it back to the house to wash it.  All in all, about 1 mile of driving because I haven't even gotten the thing plated yet and the roads are still a little messy, but this has been my dream car since I was a kid and I just had to take it out!

I get to the gas station, fill it up with gas, pull out of the gas station and the car just dies and smoke starts pouring out of the hood!  I pull my son out of the back, pop the hood and see a few small flames that I was able to extinguish with the cabbie hat i was wearing(damn, I liked that hat too).  I notice my wiring is all fried.  Now I am completely gutted.  I have just stared at this car every day since it arrived at my house and I've now set it on fire within 10 minutes of actually enjoying it.  I called a tow truck driver, paid $60 to have it towed back to my house, and now it's sitting in the driveway while I feel defeated.  After silently weeping for some time I went out to inspect the car and I found the root cause.  

Before I get too far into it, I would like say that I want to be a car guy, but it's always been pretty overwhelming and other than oil changes or replacing parts that are clearly visable I have no idea what I'm doing.  But I really want to learn, so just know that I'm eager, but I sometimes need to be talked to like a 5 year old :)

Root cause and damage: When I popped the hood there was a wire attached to the firewall that looks like it might go down to the engine block(I told you I'm new to this) looks to be about 6 gauge and it was GLOWING red and had melted into two pieces.  I then noticed that the wires to the alternator and regulator(I think?) are all crispy and burned up.  I keep looking around and found the culprit.  The guy I bought it from didn't have the battery secured and I just didn't think anything of it.  I now know that that was bad and I'm going to have to pay stupid tax for it.  I know the guy drove it around regularly, even taking it across town to a shop of my choosing for an inspection before I bought it and had it shipped up here, but apparently I take the turns a little harder than he did because the positive terminal of the battery basically welded itself to the inside part of the fender.  I also feel like there may have been smoke coming out from underneath the car, like by the back tires.  Can someone be so kind as to tell me what I should be looking at/for, what I potentially messed up and to what extent?  I'm happy to take more pictures if necessary.

Here is the wire that was glowing.

And here are the wires going to the alternator/regulator that are all fried.

So I think I've gotten my initial diagnosis correct, but was hoping to get some input as to what all could have potentially been damaged and what I should be looking at.  Again sorry that I'm not super technical, but appreciate the patience.

Thanks in advance!