Last weekend I installed an HEI in my '66 Dart, I love it except it has me thinking more about power distribution and wiring under the hood.

Goals are simple:
-Fairly stock look
-Hide (within reason) as much non-stock items as possible
-Clean up some of the madness under the hood

So my plan is to find a small relay/fuse/power distribution box to mount between the grill and radiator support on the passenger side. The location was chosen because it seems mildly accessible yet not many will provide a stock look (at least at first glace). Would require a short run from the alternator and follow the headlight wires through the radiator support. Utilizing 3-5 relays for various items (HEI, headlights, etc), a nice large fuse to protect my car from the 120A alternator, and a few smaller fuses for various things under the hood.

So now I need some sanity checks and advice. Anyone done this for a stock-ish look before? Any tips on concealing routing or fusebox selections (something small and compact)? What kinds of things would be smart to fuse and what would benefit from relays? What about my fusebox location, is this a bad idea, being right up front to get hit by a rock or is it a bad idea to mount a fusebox vertically? Weather proofing?

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'66 Dodge Dart

I'd be interested in this info as well.

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65 Dart station wagon slant 6 - now under construction
47 Dodge Custom 4 Door sedan
87 D100 Short Bed slant 6

Retired USAF 1966-1986
Retired US Postal Service 2004-2014

If you look through this Electrical Section of the forum, you'll see there are a bunch of us doing similar things. I think when it's all said and done, a bunch of minds could get together and prepare a sticky thread about this subject.

I used a fuse relay panel out of a late 90 Crown Vic for awhile. It's roughly 5x5x5, has a vertical mounting bracket, several fuse and relay positions and a weatherproof cover. It might suit you well.

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1960 Seneca 225 turbo soon to be EFI

Oops, bumped an old thread yesterday as I didn't see this one. My bad.

Will do the hei upgrade this winter, so I'd be interested knowing what neat & easy-to-install fuse/relay box option we have, too

Did a little searching… Looks like Bussmann's boxes are quite popular.
Has anyone ever installed one of these on their slant?

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"Hey, I like that paint job you got. What they call that--sorta a cross between Piss Yellow and Puke Green, ain't it?" -- Bob Falfa

Google search for "bussmann auto fuse box" brings up lots of hits. Links to Amazon, and that links to several different makers. I like the Blue Sea and Hella boxes because they have more weather resistant covers. The one from the Ford mounts neatly and looks good, but I'd find one from a late model MOPAR! Just the kinda guy I am....

I would really like to have separate main and accessory busses, and the boxes I saw were single buss.

ATB

BC

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'64 Dart GT convertible, 64 Dart 170 2-door post sedan in faded blue and rust (the Az Dart) & a sixty THREE Dart 170 2-door post sedan in faded blue and rust. (future project)
Early Dart Disorder (EDD) is real, and I've got it!