Technical Any ideas for a battery box?

Now that winter is here I am planning a bunch of “clean up” work on my Canadian 1951 Pontiac (basically the same as Chevy). One of the things that has been bugging me is the crappy looking battery tray I installed in the mid 70’s. It works but is downright ugly. I am wondering if any of you have any suggestions that are functional and decent looking.
The picture below shows the space I am working with. Please note that several items are getting tidied up under the hood over the next few months for both safety and appearance including replacing that plastic filter with a good aluminum one. I was using the see-through one to help identify fuel flow issues I had previously.
Thanks in advance!

 

https://www.classicindustries.com/product/all-years/chevrolet/all-models/parts/t70474.html

they have it in stainless, also, which won't blend in at all under that hood

 

It is a lot better looking than what is in there now. The hold down strap on mine is too brutal to even show. I will be improving the appearance under the hood but it will never be blingy.

 

How much shows when you have a battery on it?

 

Nothing really shows but the overall “package” just looks tacky. I would like to clean up my act under the hood now that everything is working well again. Not looking for fancy, just not ugly. I was always trying to keep the under hood area looking simple and sort of like it would have looked if a 51 Pontiac had come with a small block. Obviously the gm blue is a bad choice…should have gone with Pontiac colours.

 

I would cleanup the one you have then paint it black. Buy a proper hold down/J-hooks and be done with it. Mopar has a hold down that looks "old" looking but is from the 70's.

 

Is this the mopar hold down you are thinking of?

 

If you want the underhood area looking simple.....relocate the battery to the trunk. Not hard to do.

 

don't do that!

 

Take a cutoff wheel to it and cut the ugly off, then give it a fresh DuPont overhaul and cover it with a battery that fits it toped with a nice hold down.

 

Yeah, I will keep it under the hood. I actually think I have one of those mopar style hold downs in one of my parts vehicles in the backyard. A quick sandblast and good paint might just be the ticket. Now that I am retired I have time to pay attention to details. This car never has been and never will be a show car but it should look like it is cared for a bit.

 

I was thinking something along these lines....... Price is right, less than $10.

 

Being frugal, I made this hold down one afternoon. It's from some scrap angle iron I had around and some all thread.

 

Yup, I have a plan now. Just seeing those hold downs helped me visualize what I want. I am very frugal as well so using what I have or relatively affordable stuff is right up my alley.
Thanks!

 

Find a louvered panel off some used appliance to build a side to cover the battery.

 

That is a good idea though I don’t mind the battery out in the open but the way mine looks right now gives the impression that I don’t care what it looks like…which, if you look at any of my other vehicles including beaters, is so unlike me. Unfortunately this car got ignored while I was busy building houses, acreages and working etc. and now I am trying to make amends.
On a side note, this retirement gig is pretty damn enjoyable…coming on 2 1/2 years so far and feel excited to get up each day and do something creative.

 

My battery is located in the passenger side wheel well on my '38 Chevy.

The battery is between the tire and the running board. The wheel and tire fills most of the space so you can't see it. There is a lot of room back in there. I don't have a side view so you can see it better. Maybe you don't have the room. Just a thought.

 

I run this in my car, possibly an AFCO from Speedway. I milled the ears off since I had a space issue. I used carriage bolts to attach it to the inner fender. Speedway had a good selection of them.

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Cust...r-Battery-Relocation-Box-Steel-Tray,5334.html

 

Thanks for the ideas. Now I have to decide if I want to pull the whole front clip off again to tidy everything up…or just give it a sponge bath . Winter seems to have finally showed up so the fun begins.

 

Battery trays and hold-downs is one place where powdercoat really shines. Blast the parts clean and rust-free, then give them a coat. After curing, re-heat the parts to 200 degrees and apply another coat, being careful to not get it too heavy and get runs. The pre-heat causes the powder to partially melt on contact and stick. Cure again. Repeat once more to get enough film thickness, do another coat if needed. You'll be rewarded with a finish that's nearly impervious to battery acid (it may stain some over time) and stops rust dead in its tracks as long as you don't break the 'seal' of the finish. Done right, it will end up looking like the rubberized/vinyl 'protective' coatings the factories used to apply only much tougher. Use stainless hardware to install.

 

Found it, this is the one I'm using. From Speedway.

 

This thread is making me feel ashamed of the battery tray/hold down in my A pickup. It's under the bed, and the old saying "out of sight, out of mind" applies here. But if you get under the back end and look up and see it, it's pretty tacky, the hold down is galvanized plumbers tape....

 

Thought I would give a little update. I took the battery tray that I was using and modified it to mount the battery using a modern base hold down that I had sitting around. Just cleaned up and painted the tray for now. I also did a bit of a rattle can tuneup to tidy it up a bit along with a couple flashy bits. I want to give a shout out to Don’s Radiator in Lethbridge Alberta for checking out my radiator, heater core and valve. Awesome knowledgeable service at a fair price…and he is an old school hotrodder. With new hoses, a new heater core ( it had just started to fail this summer), good radiator and fresh coolant I feel a lot more comfortable taking it out this summer.

 

I've been getting battery trays at the u pull it. $7. I think they are F150. nice thick metal. They are too big so I slice and weld.

 

Engine bay looks a lot nicer than before. You done good

 

Another fairly cheap option is to sandblast it, then take it to the local Line-X and have them spray it. That stuff is tougher than boiled owl meat, and probably tastes better.

 

I’m considering doing that with my 37. What did you use to mount yours there? It’d be nice to get mine out of the trunk.

 

I'll try to get some pictures for you. The battery is tucked to the back and is pretty dark. I'll give it a shot.

 

Good looking job! Mopar hubcap on the air cleaner?

 

always worries me that if the hold down clamp on that wiggles loose, the clamp could arc between the terminals………
can you turn the battery around 180 degrees?