Battery tray in the Back for GT

[furtzi-1]

I read a few months ago I think on this site that there was a drawing available to put the battery behind the drivers side back panel. This would be in the wooden shelf that holds the spare and the Jack. I even thought I remember seeing a measured diagram for this. Any body help??

[BQS4]

Contact Tekenaar for the measured picture.

[RallyBob]

I typed in 'battery relocation' in the search function, and came up with this.

Bob

[Lindsay]

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/opel-ti...t+battery+tray

[blancojp]

Hi Guys!
Putting a battery in the rear is not that complicated. You really don't need to fabricate a panel for it or go to extremes. All you need is to go to a marine supply house and get an auxiliary battery kit for about $30. You will need to increase the power wire size due to the extra 10-15 feet and add an ANL type line fuse to protect the long length of wire. Other than that, it is very simple and can be placed in the lower package tray where the A/C handler unit goes. Most of our rods have the battery either under the back seat or in the trunk.

[opelnut10]

Originally Posted by blancojp Hi Guys! Putting a battery in the rear is not that complicated. You really don't need to fabricate a panel for it or go to extremes. All you need is to go to a marine supply house and get an auxiliary battery kit for about $30. You will need to increase the power wire size due to the extra 10-15 feet and add an ANL type line fuse to protect the long length of wire. Other than that, it is very simple and can be placed in the lower package tray where the A/C handler unit goes. Most of our rods have the battery either under the back seat or in the trunk.

Where ever you put it do two things if you put it inside the car (1) make sure you secure it well so it will not hit you in the back of the head in the event of a collision or aggresive braking(2) spent the extra money and get a Optima "6 pack" battery as they are totally sealed and gel filled instead of dealing with the acid. One of these batteries will continue to function even if it is upside down and is worth every penny difference compared to a conventional battery (IMO)

[Tru-Craft]

Originally Posted by opelnut10 spend the extra money and get a Optima "6 pack" battery as they are totally sealed and gel filled instead of dealing with the acid. One of these batteries will continue to function even if it is upside down and is worth every penny difference compared to a conventional battery (IMO)

Your right about the Optima battery, they are great!
My battery tray would corrode every few years with a conventional battery.
With the optima it is clean and corrosion free!
No acid fumes!
And the battery seems to hold a charge longer and recover faster.
I will locate the battery to the back someday, better weight distribution for sure!
Also the Optima won't corrode everything inside from the fumes.
Lyle

[blancojp]

All of our rods have Optima batteries in them, we don't use anything else due to the fumes generated during charge. Do protect the wiring since I have seen how a power wire glows and burns the vehicle in matter of seconds.

[jeff denton]

The thread Bob sent us to shows it all, and done nicely. Mount the battery as low as possible, and be very anal about routing the cable, making sure it is well protected and clamped.
May I bring up the subject of battery switches again? I strongly recommend them, especially when the battery gets stashed where it might be hard to get to. In an emergency the battery can be disconnected very quickly and easily. Also is handy when you want to work on the car and need the battery disconnected, as is suggested in the instructions enclosed with most accessories and is step one in lots of service manuals!

[bq97]

When I relocated the battery to the trunk of my ’65 Mustang I ran the positive cable through a length of EMT conduit I pre-bent to follow the contour of the floor pans and welded it to the underside of the uni-body. Made for a very clean installation and protects the cable from road debris.

On the GT I ran the battery cable through 5/8” heater tubing from the rear located battery to the starter for added insulation, debris and chaffing protection. The heater hose is secured to the under side of the floor pans every few inches with “P” clamps. Eventually I’ll replace the heater hose with EMT conduit because I think it looks cleaner.

The battery cable is a PITA to run through the heater hose without cable grease.

[yellaopelgt]

Does anyone know the length of cable needed to run the battery from the back tray to the starter? I measured with a tape outside the car and came up with about 9foot. Does that sound about right? Gonna do this sometime this weekend...
Thanks,
Joe