remounting truck battery... where'd ya shove it?

Thinking of remounting the battery on my 61 unibody when I do my motor swap. Want it out of the engine compartment (or at least cleaned up) but cant think where to put it. in the box is about the only option, but it would need a secured/lockable box to make sure it was still there after parking the truck anywhere.

Anyone move yours to a good spot? Or have good ideas how to mount the battery and keep it there?

 

I do not have a picture but the Chevy AD (49-54) pickups had a nice door in the cab floor covering a battery well. I have one saved to mount the battery UNDER the bed in my Model A.

 

anyone else? anyone have a photo of the ad box?

 

T-man has the best idea. There is always plenty of room under the vehicle. I personally don't like **** cluttering up the pickup bed, like gas tanks and batterys. It always looks like a lazy-***ed way out to me.

 

There was a cool thread on a coke box gas tank... maybe you could hide one in the bed inside a coke box or tool box?

 

I have put them under the floor before. P*** side usually works real well.

 

ford 53-56 had them under the p***enger side cab, you can see here in my 54 the opening...

 

I dont have a pic but on my 62 Unibody its under the box on the frame rail, p***enger side. I got this truck from a buddy and he did the work.

Ive had some electrical problems and the battery drains, and let me tell you I hate having it down there right now. I did buy a Rebel wiring harness though and Im going to rewire the entire truck. So when the short/drain problem is gone Im sure I will be fine with the battery down there (hopefully).

 

no pic but, used stainless steel aftermarket drop down battery box and mounted it on outside of frame on p***enger side between frame & cab. installed battery master disconnect switch and aftermarket remote battery studs so, that could jump start/ charge battery without removing battery. could do same back by bed. the style of battery boxes in floor are OK if you do not have carpeting.

 

I've had it under the cab floor for the past 39 years that I've had the truck and it can be a royal pain in the *** to say the least. The battery is always dirty if you actually drive the vehicle and it isn't just a prissy show rig, it is a pain to get to to jump it if you need to and it is a pain to get in and out. And you end up tearing the hell out of floor mats or screwing up carpet if you have either in your rig.

The plan for my truck right now is to build what looks like a custom wood tool box at the front of the bed out of wood that matches the wood in the bed that holds the battery on one side and tools, spare parts and cleaning supplies in the rest of the box. That isn't for everyone I know but I don't plan on carrying anything except a couple of duffel bags, pair of lawn chairs and a small cooler and beach umbrella at the most.

Some of these slicky tricky drop down under the rig battery holders are great if you are working on the vehicle on a hoist in your home garage or a shop but when the battery ****s out at 10 at night in a burger joint parking lot while you are 500 miles from home at a rod run and you have no jack around that will raise the vehicle up high enough to get to the battery you are screwed.

 

I don't have any pics, but I had room behind the p***enger seat for an aluminum battery box. Cables and vent went down thru the floor. '49 Chevy AD.

Blue

 

Mine is in an antique chest in the pickup bed, it also stores the fire extiquiser and lug wrench and jack.

 

Mount it under the bed and hide some of these in an accessible area in case you need to jump it or someone else's car

 

Mount it under the floor of the bed, but make your box large enough to fit a plastic battery box into the well. It will be protected from dirt, debris, and still easy to access.

 

I built a wooden footlocker for my truck bed to hold my gas tank and battery (plus some tools, etc). I like it.

 

mine is under the bed, but my bed dumps. i mounted a set of toe truck style jumper cable connectors to jump start other cars, or jump start my truck to get the bed up.

 

Mine is also under the bed on p*** side. I have nothing mounted on the firewall.

 

Thanks for the input guys. Its a truck that will be driven, which i why i was thinking in the box (access for jumping and such)
Pulling it in for work in the next couple of weeks, ill see what i can find on the frame under the box and then where to locate some jump studs for remote access.

 

On my '55 Stude behind the cab the frame rail top to bottom opening is exactly the same as an Optima battery bottom. The Optima can lay on it's side tucked into the frame.

The only downside is a long run for the positive cable, but that would the the same if it were inside the truck bed. I bought some 2-0 welding cable and made my own. TIP - my local Oxarc welding supply had several lengths of ends from different cable gauges. I got a remnant exactly the length I needed for half the retail by-the-foot price.

I made a simple bracket of stainless angle and four stainless 1/4" rods. Drill four holes through the frame and it isn't going anywhere. That part of the frame is up out of the way and doesn't seem to collect any road detritus.

jack vines

 

I was putting a tool box in the back of my truck so installing the battery there was in the cards..and still room for my tools,,jack,extra oil, brake fluid etc

 

I made a box and bolted it to the frame and made the box flush with the floor and made a lid.

 

no room anywhere in my a pickup so hid it in plain sight

 

Mine's under the bed, and i added a pair of easy access terminals, in case I have to get a jump start. Those are under the hood, on a frame rail, and not noticeable.

4TTRUK

 

I hung an Optima upside down under my '41 ford truck. The cage that holds the battery up swings down to remove the battey and the terminals are easy to get to for jumping or charging.

 

On my apache i built a custom box to mount on the framerail and then used a 47-54 chevy door in the floorboards

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