[DeTomaso] Dropped Battery Box - No cut in Front Trunk?

[Mike & Elizabeth]

Thanks very much Jack.  Some new ideas to add to the project.

Mike

 

From: jderyke at aol.com <jderyke at aol.com> 
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2021 12:25 PM
To: mbefthomas2 at gmail.com; detomaso at server.detomasolist.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Dropped Battery Box - No cut in Front Trunk?

 

First, a 'box' is not needed, A stock battery when dropped is bounded by the front firewall in back, by the big sheet metal steering rack support in front and the steering shaft itself on the left; all that's needed is some sort of crossmember or platform for the battery to set on. A bungee strap retains the battery against upward motion from road bumps. Done correctly, the bolt-in crossmember (aluminum 2" angle-iron) also stiffens the front suspension as well as supports a battery. With no box in our '72, it's very well vented so no corrosion damage yet. On the right side, i dropped a loose 6" long piece of wooden 2x4 between the battery case and the right inner fender panel, to keep the battery from shifting around a trifle. Zero welding needed except for fabricating the crossmember. 

The stock battery ground wire connects to an available rack mount bolt under the trunk floor while the stock positive cable goes thru the former A/C drain hose grommet that's right there. It comes out under the dash and everything is long enough to hook up nicely. The stock A/C drain now drops straight down thru a small hole in the console floor, without a dogleg bend. And while you're at it, for safety reroute the connecting hard line for the right front brake. As stock, it runs behind the stock top mount battery, "protected" by a piece of usually torn shrink tubing! I wrote this up 4 decades ago in the Newsletter. No changes have been necessary yet.

Second, you NEED a big hole for battery access! Not having one means worse access than rear mounting the battery in front of the right rear wheel (which I also tried. Bad choice.) The first time you need to tighten a battery clamp, there you are jacking the nose up. So you can climb under and tighten the clamp, in the rain while getting soaked & dirty, on a road or parking lot somewhere in the dark, you'll bitterly regret not having direct access. Sure, I went out and looked at our Pantera's front trunk for weeks before I worked up my courage and finally cut the access hole- 40 yrs ago. I also cut off the protruding rail & brackets that held the stock battery mat and the hold-down turnbuckles. It took 5 minutes to form a sheet aluminum cover that's held with two slotted tabs and a single dzus button. The reupholstered front trunk, with upholstered battery cover, looks stock. Recommended mod. 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike & Elizabeth <mbefthomas2 at gmail.com <mailto:mbefthomas2 at gmail.com> >
To: detomaso at server.detomasolist.com <mailto:detomaso at server.detomasolist.com> 
Sent: Thu, May 20, 2021 10:49 am
Subject: [DeTomaso] Dropped Battery Box - No cut in Front Trunk?

  Doug Braun and I plan to drop the battery in the front of our cars as

  part of our current restoration process.  All of the drops I've seen or

  read about involve cutting a hole in the floor of the trunk and welding

  in a box or frame to mount the battery in, then fashioning some sort of

  removeable cover to have access to the battery.  Many also leave the

  ground stud at the back of the trunk next to the pedal box, still in

  full view.

 

 

  During discussion of the plans yesterday at the shop Doug offered the

  idea that the battery could be mounted under the front trunk without

  cutting a hole in the trunk floor.  Cable connections can be redone to

  afford charging/jump capability elsewhere in the car (in the front

  trunk or at the rear) and it would leave the front trunk floor uncut

  and eliminate the need to hide any cabling in the trunk.  This is not

  too different from many newer supercars/sports cars and how often do

  you really need have direct access to the battery.  The frame on which

  the battery would rest could be bolted in to the lower frame/structure

  so it would be removed to r/r the battery when/as needed.  We aren't

  really interested in moving the battery to the back as there is enough

  weight there already, and dropping the bat between the front wheels

  would lower the center of gravity at the front of the car.

 

 

  Has anyone of you ever done or considered doing something like this?

 

 

  Any and all thoughts and comments are welcome.

 

 

  Thanks

 

  Mike Thomas

 

  Panteras Northwest

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-------------- next part --------------
   Thanks very much Jack.  Some new ideas to add to the project.

   Mike


   From: jderyke at aol.com <jderyke at aol.com>
   Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2021 12:25 PM
   To: mbefthomas2 at gmail.com; detomaso at server.detomasolist.com
   Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Dropped Battery Box - No cut in Front Trunk?


   First, a 'box' is not needed, A stock battery when dropped is bounded
   by the front firewall in back, by the big sheet metal steering rack
   support in front and the steering shaft itself on the left; all that's
   needed is some sort of crossmember or platform for the battery to set
   on. A bungee strap retains the battery against upward motion from road
   bumps. Done correctly, the bolt-in crossmember (aluminum 2" angle-iron)
   also stiffens the front suspension as well as supports a battery. With
   no box in our '72, it's very well vented so no corrosion damage yet. On
   the right side, i dropped a loose 6" long piece of wooden 2x4 between
   the battery case and the right inner fender panel, to keep the battery
   from shifting around a trifle. Zero welding needed except for
   fabricating the crossmember.
   The stock battery ground wire connects to an available rack mount bolt
   under the trunk floor while the stock positive cable goes thru the
   former A/C drain hose grommet that's right there. It comes out under
   the dash and everything is long enough to hook up nicely. The stock A/C
   drain now drops straight down thru a small hole in the console floor,
   without a dogleg bend. And while you're at it, for safety reroute the
   connecting hard line for the right front brake. As stock, it runs
   behind the stock top mount battery, "protected" by a piece of usually
   torn shrink tubing! I wrote this up 4 decades ago in the Newsletter. No
   changes have been necessary yet.
   Second, you NEED a big hole for battery access! Not having one means
   worse access than rear mounting the battery in front of the right rear
   wheel (which I also tried. Bad choice.) The first time you need to
   tighten a battery clamp, there you are jacking the nose up. So you can
   climb under and tighten the clamp, in the rain while getting soaked &
   dirty, on a road or parking lot somewhere in the dark, you'll bitterly
   regret not having direct access. Sure, I went out and looked at our
   Pantera's front trunk for weeks before I worked up my courage and
   finally cut the access hole- 40 yrs ago. I also cut off the protruding
   rail & brackets that held the stock battery mat and the hold-down
   turnbuckles. It took 5 minutes to form a sheet aluminum cover that's
   held with two slotted tabs and a single dzus button. The reupholstered
   front trunk, with upholstered battery cover, looks stock. Recommended
   mod.




   -----Original Message-----
   From: Mike & Elizabeth <[1]mbefthomas2 at gmail.com>
   To: [2]detomaso at server.detomasolist.com
   Sent: Thu, May 20, 2021 10:49 am
   Subject: [DeTomaso] Dropped Battery Box - No cut in Front Trunk?

     Doug Braun and I plan to drop the battery in the front of our cars as

     part of our current restoration process.  All of the drops I've seen
   or

     read about involve cutting a hole in the floor of the trunk and
   welding

     in a box or frame to mount the battery in, then fashioning some sort
   of

     removeable cover to have access to the battery.  Many also leave the

     ground stud at the back of the trunk next to the pedal box, still in

     full view.



     During discussion of the plans yesterday at the shop Doug offered the

     idea that the battery could be mounted under the front trunk without

     cutting a hole in the trunk floor.  Cable connections can be redone
   to

     afford charging/jump capability elsewhere in the car (in the front

     trunk or at the rear) and it would leave the front trunk floor uncut

     and eliminate the need to hide any cabling in the trunk.  This is not

     too different from many newer supercars/sports cars and how often do

     you really need have direct access to the battery.  The frame on
   which

     the battery would rest could be bolted in to the lower
   frame/structure

     so it would be removed to r/r the battery when/as needed.  We aren't

     really interested in moving the battery to the back as there is
   enough

     weight there already, and dropping the bat between the front wheels

     would lower the center of gravity at the front of the car.



     Has anyone of you ever done or considered doing something like this?



     Any and all thoughts and comments are welcome.



     Thanks


     Mike Thomas


     Panteras Northwest

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