"Would it drive 8 miles with incorrect wiring?"

Yes it would, until heat, resistance and amps build up to a point where it causes a melt-down ( or in your case the blown maxi-fuse. Need to check all primary wiring from battery to starter to alternator first. Then work on the smaller, lesser important links.

Are the battery connectors clean, new and showing no signs of over-voltage? Burnt or soldered appearance? When I converted to HEI ignition I did not disconnect one very small but important wire to the starter. This caused the starter to remain "hot", car drove fine for two or three neighborhood test drives. However, when I took it out for a longer test on the highway the heat and amps built up to the point where the positive battery connection melted off completely. It was not pretty, but this website nailed down what wiring errors I had made.