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$35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

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Old Jul 23, 2017 | 11:40 PM
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From: Trumbull CT
Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
$35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

wanted to move my battery to the rear of the car, I'm a big fan of keeping it in the stock locations and as I will never go to the track I should be ok. Issue came up when I switched to an A2W intercooler and had to put it over the engine. Looked great and worked great but it all got heat soaked and I couldn't get to my oil fill or engine oil dipstick easily. So I started looking at moving the battery to the rear, BMR makes a kit for like $200 for a tray lol... no thanks. So I ordered some stuff after measuring and it took about 2 hrs to do everything.

ordered off amazon:
allstar large 7x11 weld on battery mount $35
36" of 1 1/8" X 1/8" steel plate from HD $6
20ft of 1/0 welding cable (USA good $hit true gauge pure copper fine strand) and it came with 5 solder/crimp terminal ends $50
3/8" terminal stud $7


This is the MAX size tray you can fit in the back of these cars. The 7x11 tray barely fits I could have went with the smaller tray for our stock battery but this will allow me to go bigger if need be.

all I did was weld the cut 1 1/8x1/8 plate to the inside of the battery tray weld mounts and drilled 2 holes. I drilled 2 holes in the tray on the vertical side for 2 more mounting points. Tray was painted with self etching primer and then truck bed liner. I slid the tray down on the rear pass side and drilled holes for the large screws with SS washers. Tray was done.

Used 1/0 canle
for a ground attached to the rear spare tire stud, used star washer and SS washer with a lock washer also and tightened it down. I ran the 1/0 cable to the engine compartment and attached it to the 3/8 terminal
stud. I also attached the stock LS battery positive to the same stud so I wouldn't have to change anything. The stock wiring is a nice 2 gauge fine strand so it will work fine. I grounded the stock battery negative to the strut tower/wheel well which goes to the engine. It also splits and goes to the subframe and I added a 4 gauge ground from the head to the firewall awhile back.

The battery is a led acid so it needs to vent and this is how u get around the sealed box enclosure. The battery has 2 ports for venting, I hooked silicone hose up to those into a Tee and ran it out the bottom below the battery. This way I get no fumes in the car

Buttoned her all up and she's good to go. Wasn't that hard and I have like $100 in total if you include the cost of the metal which I had but threw the price in for u guys.




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Old Jul 24, 2017 | 07:06 PM
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From: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: $35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

As long as the car never goes to a track where it needs a tech inspection, you can do whatever you want.
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Old Jul 24, 2017 | 07:58 PM
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From: Trumbull CT
Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Re: $35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

Originally Posted by AlkyIROC
As long as the car never goes to a track where it needs a tech inspection, you can do whatever you want.
yes, point being don't overpay for something when it's the same thing. The BMR kit is not NHRA legal either. But u can do it this way and not be skimping out and still be pretty cheap.
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Old Jul 24, 2017 | 08:08 PM
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From: Spokane WA
Car: 92 Lingenfelter Z28 articwhite
Engine: Aluminum 615BBC
Transmission: Th400wbrake/curri entps9" locker
Axle/Gears: 4.11/4.30/4.56
Re: $35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

had my NHRA IHRA box made.(aluminum)with rubber pad inside.. fits in the same place..then the interior plastic covers it..
$65. was a good deal..
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Old Jul 24, 2017 | 08:10 PM
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From: Trumbull CT
Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Re: $35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

Where did u get it and how long ago? Lol.
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Old Jul 24, 2017 | 09:00 PM
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From: Spokane WA
Car: 92 Lingenfelter Z28 articwhite
Engine: Aluminum 615BBC
Transmission: Th400wbrake/curri entps9" locker
Axle/Gears: 4.11/4.30/4.56
Re: $35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

there was a add on ebay(not up anymore) for custom aluminum battery boxes.. sent in the size I needed it made to..the guy took 2 days to ship..it out after I gave him my info..
came to $65 shipped it was 4 years ago....made from aluminum skid plate stuff (new) plate.. held in place with 1/2" bolts. that go all the way from holding the top in place..to out the bottom of the car..holding it in place...and holding the battery inplace in side the box..
came with all the fitting and vent tube..was a fantastic deal.. for what it is..and the parts it came with...I added the 1/16" rubber sheet inside..to stop any grounding..just in case..even with a 1"+ clearing around the batter inside..i also added a seal to the lid...and rubber washers under the hold down washers & nuts...

Last edited by articwhiteZ; Jul 24, 2017 at 09:08 PM.
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Old Jul 24, 2017 | 09:04 PM
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From: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: $35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

I use a Taylor battery box. Aluminum box and it's track legal.

https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...8100/overview/
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Old Jul 24, 2017 | 11:23 PM
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articwhiteZ's Avatar
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From: Spokane WA
Car: 92 Lingenfelter Z28 articwhite
Engine: Aluminum 615BBC
Transmission: Th400wbrake/curri entps9" locker
Axle/Gears: 4.11/4.30/4.56
Re: $35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

nothing sold in the aftermarket fits.in the wheel well like this..nobody makes the bottom to sit flat in the wheel well...
but this custom made box fits 100%..just drill the 3(2 bolt..1 vent) holes. bolt in..run your cable...done
should have made 6 or 7 of them....





Last edited by articwhiteZ; Jul 24, 2017 at 11:33 PM.
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Old Jul 25, 2017 | 08:59 AM
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From: Trumbull CT
Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Re: $35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

Originally Posted by AlkyIROC
I use a Taylor battery box. Aluminum box and it's track legal.

https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...8100/overview/
How the heck do u even get that to fit? 13" long... mine was 11" or something and it barely fit. I don't think you can use side post terminals with that box which is what I got.
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Old Jul 25, 2017 | 09:02 AM
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Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Trumbull CT
Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Re: $35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

Originally Posted by articwhiteZ
nothing sold in the aftermarket fits.in the wheel well like this..nobody makes the bottom to sit flat in the wheel well...
but this custom made box fits 100%..just drill the 3(2 bolt..1 vent) holes. bolt in..run your cable...done
should have made 6 or 7 of them.




Looks good! Not a fan of diamond plate but I guess u never see it anyways. Always freaks me out when I see a battery covered in a metal box as shorts are possible. I had my battery hold down slip off when tightening and hit both terminals and got some very large sparks.
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Old Jul 25, 2017 | 06:57 PM
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From: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: $35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

Originally Posted by customblackbird
How the heck do u even get that to fit?
Mine sits in the back under the deck lid between the 4-link frame rails. It doesn't need to be tucked away and hidden. Sits right in the center at the back for better weight balance.
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Old Jul 25, 2017 | 07:06 PM
  #12  
articwhiteZ's Avatar
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15 Year Member
iTrader: (56)
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,776
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From: Spokane WA
Car: 92 Lingenfelter Z28 articwhite
Engine: Aluminum 615BBC
Transmission: Th400wbrake/curri entps9" locker
Axle/Gears: 4.11/4.30/4.56
Re: $35 rear battery tray, rear mount battery for less!

Originally Posted by customblackbird
Looks good! Not a fan of diamond plate but I guess u never see it anyways. Always freaks me out when I see a battery covered in a metal box as shorts are possible. I had my battery hold down slip off when tightening and hit both terminals and got some very large sparks.
the inside is lined with 1/16"thick hard rubber sheet. as needed... the hold down is coverd with heater hose..as I did not want anything funky going on...
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