As I said in the post you quoted, the # 8 & 9 wires are cut off and NOT used with a volt meter. You got the smoked wire because you connected it to the volt meter's ground terminal and if you are using the stock Autolite or Delco mechanical voltage regulator then 8 & 9 are always hot. Do the volt meter add-on as it is suppose to be done. Power it from the #27 spider.
If you do not touch the brake pedal and the brake lites are on continuously you have a stuck switch or you have a brake pressure not completely relieving on pedal release problem. If the brakes lites are off with the pedal up and as you depress the pedal they come on then later go off and then come on again as you continued depressing the pedal you have a bad switch.
The turn signal issue can be more complicated. troubleshooting needs to be done carefully. You first must tell us if you have the early or late military turn signal system or if you are using a standard civilian turn signal switch.
Early military system. The large green relay box is usually on the front of the firewall but sometimes you will find it on the rear of the firewall. The switch fo it is very similar to the civilian switches.
Late military system switch
Late military system flasher box.
Aftermarket civilian switch.
Before you start burning up the clock troubleshooting this issue start with a thorough inspection and cleaning of the inside of all lamp housings and all lamp sockets. Then make sure all the paint is removed from the lamp housing and the body where they come together to insure you have good grounds. Then inspect all wiring looking for side by side wires that have shorted together and anywhere the lite circuit wires have deteriorated insulation. Check each lamp with an OHM meter for continuity. Bad grounds have a nasty habit of causing circuit feed backs that often illuminate multiple lamps dimly at the same time.
