My 1979 244 has no fuse(s) on wires to the battery to protect the battery or wiring loom in event of wiring or device failure prior to the main fuse block (of 16 fuses) which is adjacent to the car door. Therefore a shorted alternator winding or alternator cable will melt the wiring loom (and kill the battery?), or a short in main positive wire to the unfused distribution block, or from the unfused distribution block will cause wire to go red hot and destroy loom and/or start fire. I'm not sure where the unfused distribution block is located, but there is one according to Haynes wiring diagrams.

I have some sort of unfused distribution block attached to the car chassis about 6 inches from the battery? Did Volvo upgrade this unfused distribution block to a fused block in later years?

I raised this concern since noticing that more recent cars of many makes have a very high current fuse block attached to battery positive post. For example a 20-year-old Toyota Celica has a 3-fuse block attached to battery post which consists of (1) 60A fuse for alternator, (2) 30A fuse for lights etc, (3) 30A fuse for ignition & accessories etc.

As my 1979 244 has only 2 wires attached to the battery it would seem that it needs a battery fuse block of (1) a 60A fuse for alternator (alternator can generate 55A) (2) 50A? fuse for all other power (lights, fuel pump, ignition, blower, rear demist, radio)? Or replace the unfused distribution block near the battery with a fused one?

My father's car had the engine wiring loom short and melt for some reason as it did not have a battery fuse block. The smoke & melting goo was incredible as was the repair bill!