To update my melted O2 sensor wires problem:  I got the Vanagon home (towed)
and started looking at the melted O2 sensor wires and noticed that the wires
were not melted at the sensor end but only at the connector end.  So, I
reluctantly stripped off the insulation from the wires to find exactly what I
hoped I wouldn't, the wires had shorted where I had spliced them to install
the new O2 sensor.  Apparently, a solder "spike" from one wire had poked
through the heat shrink and through another wire's insulation causing a
short.

Now, if I try to reconnect the battery ground strap, the engine still trys to
crank.  I believe that only the wires to the O2 sensor have been damaged as I
have stripped back the harness and inspected the others for about a foot and
everything looks good.  My question now is what else have I probably damaged
by shorting out the O2 sensor?  And, what is the connection between the O2
sensor and the starter circuit?

TIA,
Roger