See pic 31 coupe. I want to put the battery in the trunk with 10 gallon moon tank. I am building a new rear interior panel to mount tank and battery. Could you reply with some pictures or ideas on the battery box that will be built in to the rear panel, thanks
There are lots of good ideas on threads on hamb Click on the link below: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search/176012499/?q=battery+trunk&o=relevance&c[title_only]=1 .
get a pair of triple track drawer hardware and put the box in the frame under the car works great and does not interfere with the scrub line!!
note the metal separators on each side, left side is the correct size for 4 quarts of tranny fluid... right side is for 3 quarts of oil... Went to goodwill, Bought 4 different size Tupperware boxes with lids, used the one closest to my battery size... Welded a flat washer on either side of the battery, to be located between the oil and tranny fluid storage... small ratchet strap ties down to them... Cut clearance slots for the battery cables and the ratchet strap to enter the Tupperware... can't find an after pic...
Boat battery boxes are rather inexpensive, have passage ways for the cables and normally come with the tie down straps and retainers for the floor included. Another option, a battery size vintage looking cooler that is securely held down. A wood box that looks like a tool box is another one. Even a metal tool box the right size.
I know a guy who moved his battery to the trunk. He used a plastic box that the battery fit in pretty good. He told me it was a Tupperware box he picked up at a yard sale for $2.00. He fashioned a strap that bolted to the floor and went over the top to hold the lid down and hold the box in place, He drilled a couple holes for the cables and also put a vent on it that fed out through the front of the trunk and above the rear end.
I used an ammo can for my small Optima battery. Welded the base recessed into the floor and cut holes for the battery cables. Lid on the top still fits. r Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
My tank's in the trunk-16 gallon Tanks rectangular. The battery is on a tray under the car,forward of the rear axle, with jumper ports on a panel near the running board. Not the most convenient, but clean and so far, OK
Check out the ones they sell for boats unless they are vented outside you wont like what happens to your trunk
Check out the ones a HAMB member sells in the classifieds here; custom made, riveted together, polished aluminum. I am Butch/5t6sedandelivery.
The sealed boat battery boxes are a fast, inexpensive answer, as many have posted. But if you don't want any plastic in or on your rod, then any of the other suggestions will be more "nostalgic" looking. Depending on how finished off the trunk area will be, I've seen vintage luggage used to cover up everything from subwoofers to suspension intrusions. I keep busy in my retirement with a traveling car show booth where I sell survivor and refurbished shift knobs and accessories. I'm working on a couple of old doctor's leather medical bags at the moment. My idea was to promote them as cool tool kit bags. The larger one would easily hold an average size battery. Look around with your imagination cap on and you're bound to find something that's special to you. Edit to add: I think I was trying to get around to saying...... "You can do the boat box and cover that with something old-ish in keeping with the car."
On a '34 convert I was working on I set up a cage with 2 tab slots at the front of the trunk floor... built a battery tray that slid forward with its tabs locking in the trunk's slots, then a tie down bolt at the rear of the tray... it let me slide the tray back towards me... lets me take the battery out without killing my back... built a small tool box to protect the battery terminals, mounted it on top of the cage... no pix. ... my $0.02 .
I have a model a sedan, the battery is located under the front passenger seat. The seat is hinged to flip back for access to it. The steel box was custom made and mounted to the inner frame rail.
Looks like neat work, but I am not sure how comfortable I'd be driving with along with a fuel tank sitting next to an electrical spark source in my enclosed space. At the very least, I'd want a steel "firewall" between the trunk and the cab. And, a fire extinguisher.
Them floor-based 'breather-hole' gaps and no gasket round the trunk lid, aerate just fine. FWIW, keep movin!
I once bought a boat that the PO had used an old milk box for the battery box . Now my wife has it on the porch as decor.
When in high school I worked a while at a small manufacturing company and made hundreds of those milk boxes. Boring work but paid for the gas for the 55 Chevy. Haven’t seen one in years. Thanks for posting.
Bruce, you don't say where you are located, but it would be a good idea to check if a fuel tank in the trunk is legal in your state, if you're in the US. Second, unless I missed it, you'll need a vent on that tank and it should be a "roll-over" vent. Third, you should have a real "firewall" between your tank and the seats. There is no good place for a gas tank in an A coupe, but you can make it safer.
Here is my solution. Not a tool box. It is a circular saw box with the bottom cut out. The back panel has a section removed, the cables are routed through a separate panel that the box slides over. This allows the battery to be serviced thought top cover or by removing four button head screws to remove the box completely without disturbing the battery or it’s connections. There is a vent hose on the back panel that runs outside the body.
I just found this old military fuel tank, was for diesel, made a few mods to it and it works great. I do plan to put a divider once I install my package tray. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Here's what I built for my 32...make sure you vent a roll over check valve in your moon tank install..
Check out the ones I make Aircraft Style Riveted and I can put Louvers in the top if you would like. They are sold in parts for sale in the Classifieds
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