Spowell637

Is there an easy way to get to the trunk mounted battery on a 1966 Roadster with the hardtop intact? Short of removing the hardtop I cant see any other way.
Thanks in advance

DansYellow66

How did the battery end up in the "trunk". Haven't seen that before in a C2. No real reason to shift more weight to the rear for traction or handling. Since it's not factory you are probably left to your own brainstorming as to how to get to it.

MikeM

You could cut a hole in the outer panel big enough to clear your arms and the battery and reach through and pull it out. I'm unsure if this is easier than removing the hardtop but it's certainly something to consider.

phil2302

66 Corvettes have a trunk?

Bluestripe67

This is going to be interesting. Dennis

65GGvert

Assuming you're talking about the soft top storage space when you say trunk, if you unclip the hardtop clamps at the front then the whole hardtop and tonneau will lift up without removing it. Get a couple of people to lift one from each side and hold it up while you pull the battery out. Don't know how or why it got back there though.

jimgessner

Was your car a race car? ''Back in the day'', we mounted the battery behind the passanger seat in the tool box area covered by the trunk board for safety reasons. And for easier access. It was a permanent instalation with a purpose built bracket and steel enclosure to withstand a crash and upside down protection. It had to be approved by SCCA race techs before each race.

When you say trunk, I have never seen a battery installed in the luggage area under the rear deck lid. Where specifically is this battery mounted?

kolsen911

The battery in my Hemi/Vette is mounted behind the driver seat in the tool storage area. I guess since the guys who put her together where drag racers it was the help compensate for the torque, right twist, off the line.

DansYellow66

Well yeah, with that monster wide motor it would have to go somewhere else.

MikeM

So far, it's looking to me like post #3 is the best bet.

ejboyd5

Pictures would be nice. Removal of hardtop certainly seems easier and more reversible than cutting panels.

Fordracer9

Your Trunk Monkey should be able to do that.

Vettrocious

Maybe he has a steamer trunk, with the battery in it, mounted on the luggage rack....In that case I'd just pick the padlock and dig that old tar top out of the musty shirts, rancid sox and petrified long-johns...

MikeM

The OP is keeping a low profile for some reason? He needs to stick his head up for a better shot.

Westlotorn

I think you guys are off base, this is obviously one of the very rare 1966 Corvettes released with the functional trunk. Similar to the 62 trunk.

If the battery is actually in the passenger compartment it should be a vented battery with a hose vented into fresh air outside the body of the car.
Many new cars have batteries in the passenger compartment and they are vented. BMW X5 is one.

ejboyd5

If that's the case, the steel body will make it much more difficult to access by cutting out a panel.

Vettrocious

This, of course, is similar to the 67 big block hoods installed on small block cars, as on April 1st, 1966, during second shift, some leftover 62 bodies were installed on '66 327 cars.

68hemi

[QUOTE=Westlotorn;1598458239]I think you guys are off base, this is obviously one of the very rare 1966 Corvettes released with the functional trunk. Similar to the 62 trunk.

If the battery is actually in the passenger compartment it should be a vented battery with a hose vented into fresh air outside the body of the car.
Many new cars have batteries in the passenger compartment and they are vented. BMW X5 is one.[/QUOTE]

I know a lot of C2 guys know nothing about C3s but the batteries in a C3 is behind the seats in a compartment similar to the jack compartment of a C2. My first thoughts were this guy did not really know what year car he had and it was actually a C3.

Duck916

I thought of that, too. But it's pretty easy to pull the battery out of my '69 with the top up. So I still don't really understand the OP's issue.

Vettrocious

His prolonged lack of response can only mean one thing: He had obviously been breathing sulfuric acid vapor for too long and has now succumbed.