Ammo Box for Trunk Mounted Battery...

You know what kills me... he asked about WHAT BOX TO USE and NOT whether or not you approve of his decision...

My buddy used an old tool box in the bed of his Ranchero. I may steal the idea someday....

 

go with the ammo box. very durable. i have on in the bed of my 69 chevy truck. holds the battery quoite nicely.
used a marine box to put the battery in my nova
and just used brackets to put one in the trunk of my 58 ford.

 

leave it under the hood where it belongs.

 

why do you think im smokin

ya i messed up there furry your rite heat is the enemy cold can cause the battery acid to jell and when that happens its no good

 

ha ha ha...exactly.

 

They work fine if they are vented to outside air. Look through this thread he has done a fine job of installing them. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332610

 

Afraid he is right, not smoking. That is why a battery will have a CCA (cold cranking amps) number on it. The battery manufacture want you to know the most cranking Amps when the battery is cold and slower to crank. Heat is also bad on batts and will make them put off more Hydrogen (which is also explosive), so seal the box and vent with a hose through the floor like said before. Vibration is also a big battery killer, so make sure it is secure in your box. 00 cable to the frame at the rear will be perfectly fine. Oh and please dont cut up an old cooler for a batt box, It will just hold in battery heat anyways.

 

Pitts64, hot rodding is what you make of it. Do you own thing and make your car tailored to what pleases you! I can offer a little advice. I've done 12V work on hundreds of cars professionally. There is nothing wrong with putting your battery in a "metal box". A few things to considers though: Make sure the battery is secure and has no chance of pos. terminal arching on the metal box. Running a ground wire back to the block is okay, but not necessary. Just make sure you have a braided ground wire from your block to your frame.

Good Luck

 

We used an old cooler and sprayed the inside with rubberized undercoating so there would be no bare metal/places for anything to arc.

 

Mines in the trunk and I,m not going drag racing anytime soon. I just wanted to clean it up under the hood.I used a plastic marine battery box but when I used bolts to mount it the battery vapors eventually started to corrode them. I then switched over to a very high cranking amperage gel battery and voila....no more corrosion happening.I used airplane booster cables for the starter and damn the combination spins over that big block like it had no compression! It's your car...do what ever the hell you want.

 

Best advice right there!

 

If it works, if you like it, do it. Ammo boxes are easily available and inexpensive and I guess could be considered custom. I kinda like the idea. And putting the battery in the trunk protects it from the elements, if that's a concern.

As with any mod, take the precautions to assure there's no danger from fumes, arcing, etc.

I remember when Ford used to make kits to relocate the battery in the trunk; I sold a few of 'em to guys just because they thought they were "cool".

 

77 degrees plus or minus 3 degrees is the optimum temp for batteries.
Heat gives them a shorter life span and cold decreases the capacity, temp extremes aren't good either way.
They vent Hydrogen gas when they are charging.
Put the battery where you want and don't listen to most of these guys it won't matter much either way.

 

Corvettes had them behind the drivers seat. No?

 

My 95 vette had the battery under the hood.

 

A lot of cars come with the battery in the trunk or under the back seat.
I would think twice about putting it back there because of voltage drops and ground issue problems.

 

Sounds simple to me and for you, do it. I wish mine was that easy: truck and I don't want anything in the bed. but I think I can sneek it in right in front of the rear tire inside the frame.

 

I have been told to use welder cable for long battery connections.

 

Do it DOUG!.... lol, I get the plastic battery cases super cheap at the local Agri Supply or boat supply house.

like these..
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200321559_200321559

 

Auctions is a good place to find it too, if fifty foot or more is needed...Makes excellent cables.

 

I just do get it? Battery in the trunk? Long expensive cables.If you put it in the trunk be sure it is vented. Batteries give off gas.

 

PITTS...YEA there are many good reason's to put the battery in trunk. it put's the bat. weight over rear tires, it's much cooler in trunk, and it open's more space under hood. but PITTS don't use the metal box, and i'am not talking about the lid. we used a plastic box. sure you have to run a BIG battery cable, but it's well worth the effort. trust me!...POP.

 

ha thankyou just proves that I paid atention in class when we weew lecturing on batterys

as for what box you shoud use for you battery use what ever you want just make shure you vent the box to outside air.

 

FWIW, one of my OT cars, 1990 BMW E30 M3, has the battery in the trunk from the factory. It's mounted far right corner, low down in the fender well. It's not in a box per se. It has a plastic cover that's nowhere near airtight. It uses a vented battery, I think an Interstate MT-91, inexpensive and easy to find. Vent line runs to the out side. Positive cable is a home run up to a power distribution block under the hood. Ground cable goes to a lug right next to the battery.

 

What shooter54 said.

 

Order some ammo from Cabella's, (you can never have enough) then use the plastic ammo box that comes with most ammo orders. They are bigger also. No they don't have the look of the metal ones, but they are plastic and that is what you should use.

 

my 2 cents , i like the toolbox idea (seems to fit the cars era better than ammo box . as far as batteries in rear (im in the car business , svc mgr 34 yrs) most recent rear or mid batteries , chev-cobalt chev-hhr olds aurora caddy cts chev traverse (how many years of corvette ?) pont g6 buick regal im sure i missed a couple (memory fade!) not starting a pissing contest , im just sayin .

 

remember the beetle/ karmen Gia, had the Battery under the rear seat...

 

I think this is a cool idea and will probably do it on my bug. I will do something to the bottom side of the lid so there is no accidental contact.