The stock metal battery tray in the Chevy was just a rusted ghost of it's former self, so I had to come up with a way to replace it...allowing for a modern 12v battery to fit in the stock location. Parts List: 18"x 8" sheet aluminum Universal plastic battery tray (small) 36"x 1/2" steel strip (1/8" thick) Four 1/4-20 x 1" plated bolts Four 1/4-20 plated nuts Four 1/4" lock washers Eight plated washers Tools: Bench vise Cheap, well worn power hand drill Half dull 1/4" bit Hacksaw Tin snips 7/16" socket 1/4" drive ratchet 7/16" combination wrench Extension cord I cut 4" off of the sheet aluminum to make it 14"x 8", then notched it to fit around the stock radiator support and folded over a 2" flap to fit the dimensions of the 'shelf' under the 49 Chevy's hood. Next, the 36" length of steel strip was cut to about 22" and bent 90 degrees at the front and roughly 45 degrees at the rear to fit perfectly on top of the stock steel vent tube . I drilled the holes you see pictured, as well as one in the radiator support and one in the steel vent tube where the new bracket would go. Then, the bracket was bolted into place. The formed aluminum panel was then set in place over the bracket and the universal plastic tray was set into place. With everything lined up, two bolts were used to fasten the tray to the bracket with the aluminum patch panel sandwiched between them. And that's it! A couple of j-bolts and a custom formed top bracket will round it out and keep the new Delco Freedom 12v battery in place right where it belongs! Not quite as "Hackish" as a bungee cord and an old license plate or something...but still acceptably low buck and home-brewed!!!! Total cost: about $12 complete!
thebestpartof this is getting the young ones involved, way to go. that is besides it being cheap and easy to do. jerry
Holding your nuts with a 7/16" woulda felt pretty cold here today... I can handle the rust showers, it's when they drop the ratchet in your eye that hurts. Still it's great to get them involved. Wife: Get anything done on the car today? Hubby: I held my nuts while the kids installed a battery box. Wife: Sounds about right!
The Jalopy Journal
