Wiring Issues

[Professor]

A kid installed a battery in an 84 Chev pickup BACKWARDS -- he reversed the cables. (In his defense, it was after dark.) The fusible link blew at the starter. He says he replaced the fusible link but still is getting nothing when he hits the switch to try to start it. He has lights, but no gauges. I am going to look at it for him later, but what else can I look for?
He doesn't know very much about this stuff (obviously), so he may have spliced the fusible link in incorrectly. I am hoping that is all there is. Any ideas on what else to check? Once it starts we can check the alternator, etc.
Thanks!

[chevyjr73]

the very first and most obvious thing i would check is to get a voltmeter or voltage light and check every single fuse in the fuse panel. could be something as simple as a blown fuse. i would have checked that before i even went for the fuseable link. good luck

[Professor]

Thanks, jr73.
He checked them (supposedly) and they werern't blown. But the fusible link was toast. Anything else between the the source at the starter, the switch, and back to the starter that could be toasted?

[1974gmc]

when the fusible link blew on mine i had no power to anything

[86 GMG]

i have done this twice (to much beer or maybe not enough) but both times on my 86 it burned the wire apart just off the firewall to the left of the brake booster there is a little plastic item that has two wires on it that are held on with bolts the wires have metal plate with holes in them mine burned about four inches down from this spot. the wire i burned both times was the one on the right it will also have a fusible link tube on it right there close to the plastic item the fuse maybe blown there but if not the wire should be broke right there somewhere

i hope this isnt confusing just a lot of info from someone that isnt educated enough to explian easily