Hot Rods Trunk mounted battery

I know that you already have the Optima, but going forward you might want to look at the Odyssey line of batteries. They're a bit more expensive than Optimas, but are, in my opinion, worth it.

We use them in stage rally cars for obvious reasons... (read website). They are 100% sealed, which is important to us because we generally mount the battery in the back seat area.

http://www.odysseybatteries.com/

Just my two cents on the battery box... I won't mount a battery in the trunk without using a box. I realize that you can make 'guards', but why bother? A box will protect the battery (and especially the terminals) from anything moving around in the trunk. Just make an angle bracket and bolt it to the floor, then set the battery box in it and cinch it down with the nylon strap or a seat belt.

 

I don't know if they are still available, but when Mopar put 95 pound batteries in the trunk of the factory S/S cars, they were 1) exposed, with a good solid mount top and bottom, and 2) had each cell cap individually vented with a special hose adaptable cap, and each was vented to the outside through a floor drain plug hole. Although I don't recall, Ford probably did their S/S'ers the same way. If you look around, I'm sure you can still buy the vented caps.

 

I read somewhere that batteries need to be mounted with the posts going across ways in a vehical. drivers side to passenger side, not from front to back. Think about it, it`s how they install them from the factory. I have 2 extra batteries in my trunk for 25 years now(hydraulics).

 

Not sure I'd use conductive material as a shield! What if it gets pushed against the terminals? Best to make it from sheet plastic or rubber.

 

I agree - no way that I'd make the shield out of something that could conduct electricity! Use plywood, plastic... anything BUT metal!!!

Or get a marine battery box. I think that you can get them to fit darn near any size battery.

 

I will either get factory gm side post terminals that are covered or get a plastic battery box and chop it up enough to fit over the battery to protect it