Why behind the seat!?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,388
Likes: 2
From: Eagle River Alaska
Why behind the seat!?
So, I get in the vette to take it for a spin since it's been sitting in the driveway a little too long and needs to stretch it's legs. I go to start it and the battery's dead. Not even enough life to roll down the windows. So I figure, no biggie, I'll jump it with my truck. My truck is parked to the driver's side of the vette. I pop the hood only to see that the battery in the truck is on the driver's side.
So now I've got to get the the truck RIGHT next to the vette in order to allow the cables to reach. I now can't get in the vette through the driver's door. so I go to the passenger side and try to open the hatch to the battery compartment. It's stuck. So now I have to get a better angle on it, so I go to the driver's side, take off the t-top and lean over the closed window. I'm directly over the compartment now, pulling on the little pull loop while trying to push down on the release button. The pull loop tears off in my hand!
I finally get it open, get the cables on and am able to get the window down. It starts right up. All I wanted to do was go for a little cruise!
My question is, what was the reasoning for putting the battery behind the driver's seat???
So now I've got to get the the truck RIGHT next to the vette in order to allow the cables to reach. I now can't get in the vette through the driver's door. so I go to the passenger side and try to open the hatch to the battery compartment. It's stuck. So now I have to get a better angle on it, so I go to the driver's side, take off the t-top and lean over the closed window. I'm directly over the compartment now, pulling on the little pull loop while trying to push down on the release button. The pull loop tears off in my hand!
I finally get it open, get the cables on and am able to get the window down. It starts right up. All I wanted to do was go for a little cruise!
My question is, what was the reasoning for putting the battery behind the driver's seat???
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
It was put there due to lack of engine compartment space, better weight distribution, to keep it from being stolen (yes, in the 70's folks stole batteries!), and to have longer life by being protected from the weather.
Oh...the guy who proposed that change was also a little whacky
.
Oh...the guy who proposed that change was also a little whacky
.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 159
Likes: 1
From: Hutchinson KS
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 98
From: New Jersey
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
GM designers meeting room conversation...
Exec. 1. Lets make this car impossible to work on for the average car owner, any ideas?
Exec. 2. Lets put the battery behind the driver seat in a little trap door
All Exec. HORRRAYYYYYYYYYY
And so it was.............
Exec. 1. Lets make this car impossible to work on for the average car owner, any ideas?
Exec. 2. Lets put the battery behind the driver seat in a little trap door
All Exec. HORRRAYYYYYYYYYY
And so it was.............
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,736
Likes: 94
From: I buy all my days at the same place where the girl sells her nights
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 23,419
Likes: 22
From: In limbo
St. Jude Donor '13-'15, '17 thru '22
Years ago, I didn't have a garage where I lived and rented one in another town. It was a relatively common thing in spring to get to the garage and meet a dead battery. Since I only rented one bay, I would have to jump off my DD that was outside the garage, so I bought a set of heavy duty jumper cables that were 50 feet long. Those things were very handy to have around. So handy, that someone decided they needed them more than I did, and relieved me of their ownership.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 51
Likes: 1
From: Spring Lake Michigan
I'm going to be purchasing one soon because I'm tired of pulling the battery and/or trying to get a jump box to stay connected to those damn side posts.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,720
Likes: 12
From: Chattanooga TN
The battery behind the seat helps with the weight distribution approaching 50/50 on a small block car. C2 is under the hood and hard to get. C4 is under the hood and you have to remove a panel to get out. I think it's a pretty good place myself.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,062
Likes: 103
From: Southeast, Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
not to mention the old "ice pick" problems the C4 had. thieves would drive a screw driver through the vent slots in the side panels to pierce the battery and let it drain out, then the alarm would be of no value and the car could be broken into without any noise. the problem was so bad that several after market companies started to make metal "shields" that went around the outboard side of the battery to protect it from being punctured. behind the seat, out of the elements isn't such a bad idea. not too handy to work on, but not too bad an idea.