rusaccord

So, a local shop was getting rid of an 85 gsl that's been standing on their lot for a couple of years, and I told them that I'd take it off of their hands. So, now I'm fixing this thing up to drive it out of there. I have a two-wheel trailer, so I could technically tow it, but this way it's not taking up any room in my driveway until it can move under its own power. They parked the car there (it ran fine, just the body was looking like crap), and used some parts off of it. The interior is crap, because they removed the driver's side window, and a lot of the interior is missing (and what's not missing is waterlogged).
Under the hood.It looks like they took off the distributor cap, the wires, the distributor rotor, and the snorkel. They didn't have a key, so I pulled the ignition out of the lock and tried turning it by hand with a new battery. It clicks, but the starter didn't work. I ran a direct line from the battery to the starter. I got the starter to spin, but I couldn't get the solenoid to actuate and put it into the flywheel. So, now the starter's off. But hey, what are you gonna do with an old beater. I guess free costs money.
This is my second rotary, the first is a 75 Suzuki RE5 that I bought at the end of the summer that still refuses to run.
So, anyone have any tips for the starter, or what the plastic-wrapped tues under the car right in front of the rear axle on the driver's side are supposed to go to? (mine go nowhere)