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Old Sep 4, 2016 | 03:04 PM
  #1  
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Default Battery bix damage

Question for the C3 experts
Looking at a 1968 C3 convertible,documented low mileage (53K!) all documentation, tank sheet, protect-O-Plate, invoice, etc.
Car is rough but all original, my issue is looking at the battery compartment behind the driver's seat I can see the ground below the battery.
Apparently battery has leaked at some point while setting & acid ate the material away.
Is this a separate piece? Is replacement available or has anyone experienced this & have a successful repair?

Answer may affect my decision to purchase.
Thanks to all.
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Old Sep 4, 2016 | 03:23 PM
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Hi s,
The three compartments are all part of the underbody mold.
How the compartment you're looking at should be repaired depends on just where and how extensive the damage is.
Some patches could be made or if the damage is wide spread a used section of the compartment might be needed.
Because of it's location the battery and jack compartments are sometimes damaged by a half shaft if a u-joint fails.
Probably not enough work/expense to turn you away from a car your interested in.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

Last edited by Alan 71; Sep 4, 2016 at 03:23 PM.
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Old Sep 4, 2016 | 04:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Alan 71
Hi s,
The three compartments are all part of the underbody mold.
How the compartment you're looking at should be repaired depends on just where and how extensive the damage is.
Some patches could be made or if the damage is wide spread a used section of the compartment might be needed.
Because of it's location the battery and jack compartments are sometimes damaged by a half shaft if a u-joint fails.
Probably not enough work/expense to turn you away from a car your interested in.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
I agree with Alan . If it is just the battery compartment that is keeping you from buying an all original car you shouldn't let that discourage you from buying it . I don't see anything in that area that would be difficult to repair so you should be able to find someone that could do a professional repair for a reasonable price.

Last edited by bj1k; Sep 4, 2016 at 04:55 PM.
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Old Sep 4, 2016 | 07:12 PM
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Originally Posted by sobmstr
Is this a separate piece?
As previously stated..it is NOT a separate piece.

Originally Posted by sobmstr
Is replacement available or has anyone experienced this & have a successful repair?
I have repaired NUMEROUS damaged battery boxes successfully.

The cost and the procedure I use to repair it depends on how much the owner wants to pay to have it repaired.

DUB
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Old Sep 5, 2016 | 02:08 AM
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Default my 68 battery box repair

Originally Posted by sobmstr
Question for the C3 experts
Looking at a 1968 C3 convertible,documented low mileage (53K!) all documentation, tank sheet, protect-O-Plate, invoice, etc.
Car is rough but all original, my issue is looking at the battery compartment behind the driver's seat I can see the ground below the battery.
Apparently battery has leaked at some point while setting & acid ate the material away.
Is this a separate piece? Is replacement available or has anyone experienced this & have a successful repair?

Answer may affect my decision to purchase.
Thanks to all.
My 68 had a battery box with holes/cracks too. I taped up the bottom of the box to keep the fiberglass resin from dripping out. Next, laid in some fiberglass resin, then 3 or 4 woven resin soaked fiberglass cloth layers, then some more resin. And then finally a plastic sheet and then put the battery in. The plastic sheet was to separate and prevent the fiberglass resin from sticking to the battery and laying the battery in before the resin set up achieved the correct molded shape. After the fiberglass set up, I then installed the hold down metal brackets, drilled a drain hole and painted. Looks like it has held up. If you like the 68 and the price is fair, I would not let that single problem hold me up. I would be more concerned about windshield frame (+ the rest of the birdcage) and frame serious rust problems.

Good luck with the possible purchase and hope my experience might help.
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Old Sep 5, 2016 | 04:52 AM
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Battery acid didn't 'eat' the fiberglass battery box...someone likely dropped a battery in there and broke/cracked it.
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Old Sep 5, 2016 | 07:58 AM
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Mine was cracked too.
Was easy to repair with new fiber glass layers and epoxy from inside.
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Old Sep 5, 2016 | 06:39 PM
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I have repaired many where the battery acid DID effect the fiberglass or SMC. mainly on the early fiberglass ones. The acid turns to the same type of powder on the battery cables and it makes it a ROYAL PAIN in getting to good glass to laminate on or make sure I get a successful bond.

On the battery boxes where they are cracked...those are a bit easier.

DUB
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Old Sep 5, 2016 | 07:27 PM
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I am in the process of doing this repair now. The bottom of my battery box was mainly missing. I went under the car and laid wax paper over the bottom of the box and taped it in place with duct tape. So far I've done about 4 layers of fiberglass mesh cloth running in different overlapping directions on the inside bottom of the box followed by some loose fiberglass strands that I pulled off of the fiberglass cloth. The inside repair seems to be getting pretty strong. I have a few more areas to do inside then I am going to go underneath the car and repeat the process. I've been doing some light sanding between coats followed by a vacuuming and a wipe down with some acetone. After all the glass work is done I'll hit it with some paint to finish it off.
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Old Sep 7, 2016 | 06:57 PM
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Hopefully when you laminated this...you took some of your mesh cloth and brought it up the sides to tie into the box where the fiberglass was good and not contaminated.

Without a photo being posted...I am only assuming.

DUB
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