For starters, 85 GS, project car. I've never fired it up

Seems that when I plug the battery in, the lights are on (parking lights). I tried to play with the key to make them shut off but that didn't work. I think I read it might be the ignition cylinder? Is there any other reasons that would happen? Also, my headlight sits a little more than half way up. Before I pulled everything out to do my engine bay, it sat in the right position, and went up and down without an issue. Ideas about that? Heres a pic of that:

 

Power for the lights doesn't go through the ignition switch. I'd start by checking the headlight switch.

If the headlight linkage is disconnected from the motor the linkage under the headlight can fold backward and cause the headlight to go only halfway down.

 

Headlight linkage is still connected, it still goes up and down it just stops at that point

 

Well I figured out the parking lights. I gotta give the stalk a little extra turn to get it to turn off. There is a set of brass connectors on the back side of the stalk that didn't separate when turning off with regular effort, which keeps the parking lights on. Still trying to figure out why the headlight sticks half way up.