Battery Location
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,278
Likes: 4,372
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi A,
You can't move the battery to the other side because that would throw the critical balance of the car off. AND, as soon as you started to go around a right hand turn the car would flip on to it's side.
That's the best I can do.
Regards,
Alan
You can't move the battery to the other side because that would throw the critical balance of the car off. AND, as soon as you started to go around a right hand turn the car would flip on to it's side.
That's the best I can do.
Regards,
Alan
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,813
Likes: 1
From: JOPPA MD
Stay in tune....
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 5
From: Brown Summit North Carolina
All I can come up with to reply to the OP is
WHY??
David
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Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
I don't believe that the right compartment is reinforced adequately for supporting the battery. In a crash (
God forbid), that's a lot of "G's" on a fairly large mass and it has to be restrained.
God forbid), that's a lot of "G's" on a fairly large mass and it has to be restrained.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 354
Likes: 0
From: Gurley Alabama
The storage box from the right side won't work in the left side.....I can't believe Chevrolet compensated for putting a 30lb battery right behind the driver....so, 1 reason to move it is to get some weight on the other side....another reason is, if you ever have to jump start either the Corvette from another car or another car with the Corvette, it's easier to do it with the battery behind the passenger seat.
However, I've learned there are lots of reasons why it isn't an easy/smooth change so I'll leave it as is.....my plan was to cut the bottom 3" off both boxes, switch them & refiberglass....but, as I said, because the corners aren't all square, the passenger box wouldn't work in the driver hole.
However, I've learned there are lots of reasons why it isn't an easy/smooth change so I'll leave it as is.....my plan was to cut the bottom 3" off both boxes, switch them & refiberglass....but, as I said, because the corners aren't all square, the passenger box wouldn't work in the driver hole.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
I nominate Alan 71 for the CF Hall of Fame!
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,910
Likes: 962
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
The engine (550#) and manual trans (80#) weigh about 630 pounds. The pair are off set 1 inch (IIRC) to the right. This is a weight transfer/torque of 630# x (1/12)' = 52.5 foot pounds to the right.
(If I'm wrong, and the powertrain is shifted over two inches, then the numbers come out to 105 foot pounds.)
Now, the driver (180#) and the battery (30#) at 210 pounds total. I'm guessing the driver and battery are about 10 inches to the left of the vehicle centerline. Let's do the math: 210# x (10/12)' = 175 foot pounds to the left. 175 >> 52.5!
Now, most road courses (the Corvette is a sports car, after all) are run in a clockwise direction. This means that the majority of corners are right hand turns. A left side weight bias is not the best way to build a car that is turning right most of the time. Moving the battery to the right side is a wise engineering move. I applaud the OP.
(I also did the math with the battery moved, but I'm tired of typing.)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,186
Likes: 45
From: detroit area
passenger side makes more sense anyways.... for that reason, i installed the split back seats since they fold down better and i can get better access to the rear area.... even with the steering wheel in the way... but i have found times where i wanted to move the battery and make a better case for it in the passenger side.....and top posts make more sense if you have the room
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,046
Likes: 675
From: FL
Chevrolet put the battery on the driver's side for one very good reason....so, they could put the jack on the passenger side. That way, when you have flat tire and are stuck on the shoulder, you don't have to stand in traffic while trying to get the jack out.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,910
Likes: 962
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
And let's face it, how often do you get a flat tire? I've had one blowout in the 35 years I've owned my '69. I haven't exactly worn out the door hinges on the jack storage compartment at this rate.