How can I get effects on my amp?

My dad got an Ampeg amp (SVT-100T) from John Fogerty's Eye of the Zombie tour in '86; it was never used and stilll in the plastic. I've been trying to use it with my '94 Fender Strat, but its basically just amplifying the tinny sound from my guitar. Yes, I know that's the point, but I want some sort of tone or effect from it. I can occasionally use a Dan-Electro effect petal (the vintage sound one) but for some reason it always drains the battery in one use, even when its not plugged into anything and I turn it off. I've tried messing with the gain and stuff, but I honestly have no idea what I'm doing and no one that I've asked can help me. My strat is the basic model; pickup selector switch, volume dial, and two tone dials (they don't do anything). The amp is pertty basic, too. A few equilazation knobs, two input jacks, two effects loop jacks, volume and whatnot. How can I combine the settings on my guitar and my amp to make it sound... cool?