New battery, now won't start!

[pyratas]

Actually, there's ZERO juice going through.

My battery got stolen the other night, I bought a new one, van started and drove perfectly about 20 blocks. I parked it, shut it off, and seconds later tried to restart.......There's NOTHING going through the cables now.
Even attempting to jump it wouldn't get power to dome lights, red ignition light, nothing.

What could have fouled up so bad by simply putting a new battery in?

What's between the battery and everything else that could possibly be blocking all power to the van? The connections to the battery are clean, and everything looks well-grounded. However, I didn't touch anything except put a new battery in.

Oh, and the connections to the terminal have been re-adjusted, and are nice and tight.

Is there a fuse for the battery that I'm not seeing? And if so, why would it blow?

All thoughts much appreciated!

(BTW, this is a '77 B200, 318)

[Dodgevanman]

There are two fusible links coming off the battery to the bulkhead connector in the firewall. There should be two "pigtails" coming off the positive cable...if I remember correctly these connect to the two fusible links.

[B-300]

Check the following.
1. The positive terminal must go to the starter soleniod/starter , the negative to the engine block...If not the'are reversed and probably took out your alternator and a fusible link.
2. The negative battery side also must connect to the body from the terminal or with a separate wire from the engine block to body.
I have a #2 wire on my van from a left-side engine-transmission bolt to a bolt that holds the tranmission linkage piviot to the body.
I also relocated my battery behind the drivers seat to keep it out of the cold and because the battery tray is corrodded... You might consider this for weather/theft reasons.
--B-300--