Well this weekend, the battery goes in the compartment behind the passenger..(Did u know it fits WAY too good there??? Think its a GM secret?? hmmmm)

But anyone that has done this have anything BAD to say about it??? Im always looking for opinions, im so confused... :banghead:

BUt please, share your thoughts if youve done this or not, i have it all planned out, but i wanted to see if anyone had any negatives.....
Thanks friends...

 

I haven't done this, YET, but it is on my to-do list. I have seen several cars set up this way and heard no complaints. Be aware, however, if you are a drag racer, NHRA requires that the battery be sealed off from the passenger compartment and vented to the outside. ALSO, any car with a relocated battery, must have a clearly marked, master shut off switch on the rear of the car. Good luck, and...

RACE ON!!!

 

Yep, good thing to do. Did it in the 89, getting ready to do the 90. Put my Exide back there, no gasses or vapors or acid. Ran a #2 welding cable, along the inside floor board, near the frame rail. Drilled a hole in the floorboard and sealed it with black silicone, same way into the new battery location, and a #6 over to the binding post from the starter. Took the negative cable, the one that went to the battery, and mounted it with an uninsulated ring tongue to one of the bolts holding the firewall brace to the frame rail. Take another piece of #2 cable and make a ground, hole in the battery tray and attach to the frame near one of the link bolts. Get a 2x8, cut to fit, and lay it in the bottom of the tray, the battery is more level that way and doesn't move around as much. That should do it.
BTW, the old battery tray is a good place to mount your MSD and other electronics goodies that you don't have any place for now.
A footnote: There is probably a better way to run the cable, I just couldn't see it.



[Modified by johnnyevans, 8:45 PM 11/6/2003]

 

Thanks for the advise..The only thing i did different was i used thru panel connectors from Jegs through the floor board..I also lined the compartment with heat shield/sound barrier mat. I was gonna vent that compartment,but i think i might get a gel battery.I install these on boats we rig, and they are freakin great.Can mount in any position, and they dont give off any kind of gases.But the car wont be done for at least a year or more, so i take the advise when i can get it....
I was also gonna run the cable ( i have marine grade 2 gauge) under the passengers butt,thru the firewall with those connectors,and right to the engine.I figured id have NO ground problems this way.
I also mounted (in with the batt) a 6 gang fuse block for amp,no2,etc, and a ground bus bar..Ill have to post some pics after this weekend, since most of it will be done...I used a batterey strap to hold it down,plus i figure once the mat is in there, it cant go too far anyway..

I still think its funny just HOW good that batt fits in there..

Thanks again

 

Everyone can give good ideas to everyone else.
BTW, I did grommet the holes thru the firewall/floorboard. The way I did it, the hole in the fw/fb came out behind the heat shield for the fuel filter, a little extra protection for the cable.

 

Again, only if you care. NHRA requires two, 3/8ths inch hold down bolts.
That is where Chevy put them in C3s. Good luck, and...

RACE ON!!!

 

Just make sure you attach it very well with metal brackets, and vent it outside, while trying to seal battery from cabin itself. Those gases from conventional battery can be bad from you.

hrk

 

Not only that, but it will help your weight distribution. C4's are notoriously light in the RR corner - even with the battery mounted there and adjustable coil-overs I have found it difficult to get enough weight on the RR - I have the red Optima and it fits perfectly :cool:

 

Thanks again...
As far as drag racing goes- 1 or 2 times a year im sure..No more.ANd definatly not in competition..If i was gonna drag race id pick a car smaller, and with more wires in it...lol
My car wouldnt be legal anyways,i liked the look of ground down welds on the roll bar i said ,screw it..But if i ever wanted to compete, id just have to weld a bead around it anyways.Im rambling now. Sorry :banghead:

 

Does anyone make a tray to fit in that space??? The smallest ive seen is a group 24...I would put a try in there if i could find one...

 

You weren't planning on using that tiny group 75 battery, were you? You have more room back there than the stock location. Everyone has their own preferences, but I would get the biggest battery I could stuff in there. The group 24 may fit. Time to get the tape measure out. Good luck, and...

RACE ON!!!

 

Unless i brought the battery up, a 24 wont fit.
Im gonna get the biggest gel battery i can..

 

I'd suggest getting a AGM (absorbed glass mat) instead of Gel (sealed gelled cell), whereas some folks might call them both Gel cells, there is a difference.

AGM's have been used in the airplane industry for awhile, but only for a few years in the marine industry (of which I am quite familiar). They are still of the 'sealed' type, so there is no gassing and they too can be installed at any angle, but with no loss of power (whereas Gel cells loose approximately 10% if installed sideways). Also AGM's have a lower self-discharge rate.

Other reasons are that AGM's typically provide higher CCA's and the required charging voltages for AGM's are closer to that of regular 'flooded' batteries, whereas Gel cells require lower charging voltages. This would also mean that without altering the charging/regulation system, the 'Gel' cell will have a much shorter life, whereas the 'AGM' would last as long as a typical 'flooded/wet' cell, or longer.

hope this helps and good luck.
:flag

 

What do you mean by, "brought the battery up"?

RACE ON!!!

 

Well, my car is totally gutted. In the spot where the battery fits, down to nothing, the original battery fits perfectly in there . A g 24 battery wont fit unless i brought the bottom of that compartment "up" to reach the next level there.Even then, i dont think (if i remember correctly) that a G24 will even physically fit into the opening itself.Plus, im making a fiberglass panel to replace the 2 door thing, that will house 2 10" subwoofers..With the battery where i have it, the depth of the speaker should just miss the top of the battery.
The AGM sounds good to me, its just ive been putting alot of gel batterys in boats lately, and ive heard no complaints yet.But AGM sounds even better.
BUt i lined the 2 compartment today with that "Insulator" stuff today, what a freakin chore..That stuff SUCKS to try and cut.Need to get me some real good scissors tomorrow befor finishing..BUt that mat is great..Ill post pics sunday night of it on my website...If you stick your head in there, its amazing how quiet you can tell the car will be on the inside...I plan on doing the whole car this way...All i have to say is get some real good scissors first!!! LOL :D

 

Thanks.
For cutting that insulation, try compressing it with a board on a hard flat surface, and cutting it with a razor bladed utility knife. Just an idea. Good luck, and...

RACE ON!!!

 

Yup that works....I went and bought good scissors today---way better now..Now if the soars will just heal up..... :(

Ill put some pics on the site tonite on the battery-its in there just not wired up yet..Looks good though.
Now i need to go put that stuff on the other side in with the ABS.....

 

On my list :lurk:

 

I put some pics on the page....Im way from from done... :banghead:

http://www.fostersperformance.com/ourprojects.html

 

I meant im way FAR from done-yeah ,thats it......