Tibo

iTrader: (15)

I have been on the fence about relocating the battery to the passenger rear using BMR's battery relocation kit (http://www.bmrsuspension.com/?page=p...&productid=353). I believe that in order to pass tech inspection at a drag strip if the battery is relocated to the rear it must be in an approved box or behind a firewall and amongst other things, have a cut-off switch accessible from outside.

Problem is I do not want to do any of that. I drive the car in nice weather and I don't want a switch poking out, I don't want to drill any holes and I don't want to pay for an approved battery box.

I will not be doing any serious drag racing but would like to go once or twice a year. If I were to show up at a drag strip with that kit mounted would I be allowed to run or told to go home?

project89

iTrader: (1)

if u use it with a sealed battery i.e optima it should be fine if i rember right

FRMULA88

You need the kill switch unless the trunk mounted battery came from the OEM.

(eg. the Chrysler 300 has the battery in the trunk from the factory..among many others. the old VW beetles have the battery under the rear seat ! )

The reason is in the event of a crash, the track personnel can kill the power.

If you are on the fence about it (and the work involved) and only occasionally race the car then I would not do it.

My car runs the 1/4 mile in the 10s, my battery is still in the OEM location (up front)
and because it's still in the OEM location I don't have to do anything special with it.

An Optima does weigh a bit less than a "wet cell" battery and
another thing to consider is using a lightweight battery and leave it in the OEM location.

Braille, for example, is a lightweight "racing battery" but also VERY EXPENSIVE.

relocating the battery is simply an old school way to improve traction, by shifting some weight to the rear of the car..

FRMULA88

http://www.braillebattery.com/index....teries/b14115c

11 lbs !

92rs85berlintta

iTrader: (1)

If you dont want to do all that is involved then whats the point? I mean if you move it to the back for drag racing or traction purposes, but you dont follow the rules so you arent allowed to race then I see no point in even messing with it. I moved mine to the back and although I didnt get a good battery box yet I have a switch behind my licenses plate and its pretty well hidden. You can always just move the battery, add the switch and later on get a real nice sealed box.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

I want to move it to the back in an attempt to improve traction and weight distribution. I really don't go to the track as a hobby but retaining that option would be nice. I do a fair amount of autocross as my car's hobby. Perhaps I could make two junction points up front and run cables back from there. Then if I go to the track I can move the battery back up without much hassle.

FRMULA88

you can accomplish the same goal by using a lightweight battery.. and try to remove / reduce some additional "dead weight" from the front of the car such as:

Replace the OEM steel hood with a lighter weight fiberglass hood. You can get a stock style, bolt on fiberglass hood if you don't want a hood scoop or pin on hood.

Replace the OEM k-member with chrome moly or mild steel.

Replace the OEM control arms with chrome moly or mild steel.

Replace cast iron heads with aluminum.

Replace power assist steering with manual steering.

Remove the A/C system.

Replace cast exhaust manifolds with headers... and you can get smog legal "shorty headers" to retain the AIR injection system.

All these little bits add up to some serious weight reduction up front
which will improve the weight distribution / traction.

The nice thing is you can do these mods as time and money allows.
and the changes are not permanent if you keep your old parts.

The real question is how far do you want to take it?

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

Haha, I have done all of that, this is basically the next thing in line outside of removing the heater and wipers and other stuff that a street car should keep.

FRMULA88

moving the battery at this point will not make a huge difference.
Did you ever scale the car? if you don't know anyone with a 4 tire scale set.. you could always go to a weigh station.

Weigh the car with all 4 wheels on .. then weigh it with just the front or rear wheels on the scale..

that will give you the front to rear weight distribution..

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

you can install the battery in the back. and install all the safty stuff. without cutting up anything more the $20 in plastic parts. ya can get from any parts yard.

if ya ever want to go back.to a battery in the front ya can. and ya would never know it was in the trunk..(side note) i have never cut any of the parts that came on my car. i have always cut on replacment GM parts/ or yard parts... when i did mine i could still order GM parts from my GM dealer..

it can be done and look good. and still have 100% of your GM parts the car came with work...


flash makes it look like a diff shade..it's all black
after 10 years of storage..showing the first alum plate i did.(back in 92/93)removed and redone with FRP shot in black. with clear..in pics

100 % NHRA / IHRA battery box installed. (had the box made) $65 shipped. fully lined in rubber. sealed and vented.

ya would never know..it was there.

shows 1/2" bolts that hold battery inside.and holds top to battery box. and bolt to bottom of car. all at the same time.
easy to do..(battery box has now been red anodized. and a few other goodys added.)
also note all plate lights work! and are in place..

ya should have a box. any battery (had one vent one time) reg must have stuck. as it was hissing from the top...not cool!.. driving the car and ya get this mad HISSING sound from the back...WTF?..ya a box.

unknown_host

iTrader: (1)

You don't sound like you are all in on this project, and you need to be because there is significant cost and work involved with it. I would leave the battery up front, or get a lightweight battery if you're unsure.

If you move the battery from the stock location, you have to have a switch, regardless of what type of battery it is. There are ways to make it less obvious.

Tibo

iTrader: (15)

I agree I am not all in on doing this project. I will shelve it for now. If I do it in the future I would mount it in the back with the ability to switch positions back to the front quickly.

mikey_b

iTrader: (1)

Hey arcticwhite, very clean install. Just wondering if you simply bolted the box to the sheetmetal in the bottom of the spare tire well or if you welded some cross supports in there. It is a bit uneven in that location and I am also wondering about the whole "bolt to frame" rule for the battery box. I will be doing this relocation shortly and if you have had this same setup for 10 years, I'm sure yo have been through tech a few times with it. Also, where did you get the box made? Thanks for any additional info you provide.

91 camaro racer

iTrader: (2)

sorry to thread jack but i figured i could just ask in here....

i have my battery in the back and want to move it back to the front. it has been years since i moved it. what all will i need to move it back to the front? just the positive, negative cables and the hold down? or am i forgetting something.

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

i have alum chanel under the box to make the floor even for it to sit on.
only needed on one end (close to wheel well) side.

hold down bolts go all the way out the bottom with a 1/8" thick 1"wide alum bar under car clamping it to sheet metel of car.

the box i had made to fit the space. have posted the info with a post about my install of the box.. was $65 shipped comes with hold down bolts as well.

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

only have this one shot of the back of the car with this set up..
all plate lights work. 100% NHRA/IHRA OK.

rrdogface

Great set up. I am just building a 83 Z28 350 for the strip only. where did you get the custom battery box and switch/ charging post plates?

LB9GTA

iTrader: (1)

This is what I did.
Sealed battery box in the trunk.





Then when I am cruising, I put the license plate back on.

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

The floor pan of a uni body car counts as a "frame" per NHRA rules on the battery mounting. It needs to be in a sealed and vented to outside box made from X thickness alum. Or steel (I don't have my rule book close by right now) or an NHRA cert poly box (like the blue moroso box)

No J hooks or H bars, must use 3/8" dia min rods or bolts and a brace across battery.

Pos (+) side of battery must be wired to a rear mounted master cutoff switch with alt. Feed wire ran too it as well to shut engine off.

If it's a push/pull type switch, push must be off.

I welded up my box from sheet metal, made a lid for it. Used a summit push/pull switch, ford noid mounted close to box. Battery and box are held down by the same 3/8" all thread, and a lenght of 1x1 square tube across battery.

Wired with 1/0 welding cable.

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

NHRA spec on firewall or box thickness is..

.024" thick steel or .032" aluminum