Fuse Block Repair
March 10th, 2019, 09:39 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 25
Fuse Block Repair
Biting the bullet and need to replace the fuse block on my 68 Cutlass S convertible. I found a site that has the part that holds the fuses, but it doesn't show/explain much. Can I just remove the part that holds the fuses without having to rewire everything on the engine side of the firewall? Searched the web for anything to show this, but nothing useable.
March 10th, 2019, 06:36 PM
#2
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: central Indiana
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It might be easier to get a donor fuse box with fuse terminals in good condition, and then make your splices further up the harness. If the terminals are corroded, the wire probably is also. By the time you cut the wire back enough to get to good copper the wire will probably be too short. If that’s to much effort or beyond your comfort level, harness replacement is probably the best option
March 11th, 2019, 05:16 PM
#5
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On the engine side is a bolt in the middle of the plug. Remove said bolt and pull plug away from fuse block. Then under dash, remove two screws to release block from dash. That gets you started. 
March 11th, 2019, 06:17 PM
#6
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: central Indiana
Posts: 5,233
If your fusebox is cracked, but the wires and terminals are in good shape you could find a plastic fuse box and transfer all the terminals. I guess I misread you, I was under the impression the terminal themselves was damaged.
March 12th, 2019, 05:58 AM
#7
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Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 26
Hello Roos, I'm in the middle of the same nightmare with my 67 442. I can't tell you how much searching I've been doing and trying to come up with something economically feasable. My fuse clip broke on the fuse for my brake lights. Right now, the fuse is soldered in place. I found a junk yard that had my exact fuse block. So I bought it. $125. I have the idea that I could at least have it handy to sent to American Autowire if I decided to buy a new dash harness without the loss of the car for a few weeks waiting for the new harness to come in. Then I got the idea to take the salvaged fuse box apart to see what it looks like. The salvage yard cut the wires about 6' from the top, so I had the wire gauge and color codes still in place at each contact point. So then I got another bright idea, and started searching for new contacts to put in the fuse block. They should be available, American Autowire gets them. So I found a source called Del Mar Wire & Products. Exact contacts! Bought 25 for $2.82 each. So, $79.55 later with shipping, I have the contacts. The contacts need a non insulated crimper that I would need to obtain. Haven't done that yet. Several of the contacts in the block are set up in a buss configuration, so I would have to figure out how I would do that with the new contacts. Need to get them aligned, a buss plate, drill them and rivet them together. I can see this project getting more difficult. I got under the dash and looking to see how much slack is in the harness going to the fuse block. Not much, so by the time I go thru the process of cutting each wire in the block near the contact, stripping it, crimping it, at the end I maybe too short to fit the block back into place. That would **** me off. So, the last answer to that, I have the wire from the salvage block, I can extend the wires in the harness by splicing on the extra length, crimp on the the new contacts, stuff the contacts in the block and mount it. In the end, I'm sure it will work and look good from the fuse side. BUT, do I really want those splices e in there? I still haven't figured out how I'm going to get the buss pieces together and fit. That's not going to be a lot of fun.
So the moral of my long winded story, and it helped me think about it while I was typing it, It's easier just to order a new harness. I've already spent too much money on a bad idea, but I'm more regretful of the amount of time I spent thinking of this bad idea.
So the moral of my long winded story, and it helped me think about it while I was typing it, It's easier just to order a new harness. I've already spent too much money on a bad idea, but I'm more regretful of the amount of time I spent thinking of this bad idea.
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