Trunk Mounted Battery

[FordNut]

Who has it? Got any pics you can post?

I know Marty has done it.
Pretty sure John (TMF) has done it. (wrong, not yet)
Godzilla (Dennis' twin screw project) has it.
Probably Tom Doan since he has the '03-'04 Cobra engine.
Steve (glassman99) is working on it.

I really don't plan to do it, but I'm interested in seeing cool setups anyway.

Hope this helps to collect the info in its own thread instead of derailing other ones.

[Marauder386]

Same for me...I want to do it, though...part #'s, guidance...all needed !

Thankee muchly in advance !

:cool:

[Dennis Reinhart]

Same for me...I want to do it, though...part #'s, guidance...all needed !

Thankee muchly in advance !

:cool:


Steeda sells a good kit the neat part is to conceal the cut off switch

[RR|Suki]

You won't pass tech if you conceal the cut off switch, if you are gonna do that, you might as well run a remote switch to the cabin and cut off there. My builder crushed my dreams of hidding my cut off and still passing tech.

I'll post pics of mine if I remember to take some. I have no cut off ATM becasue I don't know what I want to do about it yet... I have the steeda metal box and the hold down from summit... don't get the steeda box... it's not built even or something, the lid does not like to go on

[martyo]

I am looking for pictures. Everytime I start going through photos someone comes in my office and interupts me!

I will have to do this tonight.

[FordNut]

I have seen a concealed switch setup on a Mark VIII. It has a fuel cell which is filled from the trunk. The battery shutoff switch is behind the original fuel door. When he's at the track, he removes the door so the switch is not concealed.

[martyo]

I have seen a concealed switch setup on a Mark VIII. It has a fuel cell which is filled from the trunk. The battery shutoff switch is behind the original fuel door. When he's at the track, he removes the door so the switch is not concealed.

That would be Spanky Levine's set up, but his car hasn't been to the track in like 20 years so it doesn't count.

[O's Fan Rich]

I found this picture somewhere.

[snowbird]

I've got one home made. Will post later today.

Here's 3 pics. I made a methanol assembly on the battery rack, installed kit with aluminum cover in lieu of the battery and homemade aluminum box housing the battery on the right side of the trunk.

[KillJoy]

Umm....if using the car as a DD or as a cruiser (not just a track car)....are you not worried / concerned about the curious passerby who pushed the button????

KillJoy

[Joe Walsh]

The 'Kill Switch' required to drag race is holding up my trunk mount battery kit* install.
:mad:
If I can somehow mount it behind my license plate to conceal it while street driving, then remove the rear license plate for the track....:hmmm:

I'm NOT drilling a visible hole in the rear of my Marauder and mounting a big, UGLY Kill switch.

I've even considered mounting a gutted shell of a battery in the OEM location to pass tech inspection at the track...
PLUS that gutted shell will hold a nice quantity of methanol for the Methanol Injection system....heh heh heh.....:D

*I bought a nice polished aluminum box from Summit Racing and all the electrical cables, selenoids, wiring, etc. from MAD Enterprises.

Snowbird...just read your post...great minds think alike!
BTW....THAT is a sweet methanol install!!

[FordNut]

Umm....if using the car as a DD or as a cruiser (not just a track car)....are you not worried / concerned about the curious passerby who pushed the button????

KillJoy

On at least one of the setups I've seen the disconnect lever goes through a small hole in the taillight trim bezel at the bottom of the taillight. Just get a spare taillight so you can remove the lever and switch to an unmolested taillight. You don't need a disconnect switch for street use.

[O's Fan Rich]

I've got one home made. Will post later today.

Here's 3 pics. I made a methanol assembly on the battery rack, installed kit with aluminum cover in lieu of the battery and homemade aluminum box housing the battery on the right side of the trunk.

That there is nice.

[O's Fan Rich]

I
PLUS that gutted shell will hold a nice quantity of methanol for the Methanol Injection system....heh heh heh.....:D

*I bought a nice polished aluminum box from Summit Racing and all the electrical cables, selenoids, wiring, etc. from MAD Enterprises.


Two gallons, exactly. Guess how I know?

I tried for a few months to get ahold of MAD, even sent a self addressed stamped envelope with letter and all my contact info and what I wanted. Never heard from them.

Guess they need to think you're an aging rock star that played with a former Linda Ronstadt backup group to get a reply.

[Joe Walsh]

Two gallons, exactly. Guess how I know?

I tried for a few months to get ahold of MAD, even sent a self addressed stamped envelope with letter and all my contact info and what I wanted. Never heard from them.

Guess they need to think you're an aging rock star that played with a former Linda Ronstadt backup group to get a reply.

Well, I've had his trunk mount electrical installation kit for some time now....maybe he's gone out of business.:(
If so. I'd be willing to copy the "How To" booklets I bought from him.
They are very informative, and cover all the potential problems that can arise from moving the battery to the trunk...
> 'Hot' starter cable
> Cable and wire sizing/routing
> Selenoid(s)
> Permanent magnet starter motors (Our Marauders have this)
> Kill switches and avoiding the destruction of your solid state ignition system when testing and using the Kill Switch (collapsing magnetic field -> EMP -> ZAP!)

TWO GALLONS---Ehhh!?

[O's Fan Rich]

Well, I've had his trunk mount electrical installation kit for some time now....maybe he's gone out of business.:(
If so. I'd be willing to copy the "How To" booklets I bought from him.
They are very informative, and cover all the potential problems that can arise from moving the battery to the trunk...
> 'Hot' starter cable
> Cable and wire sizing/routing
> Selenoid(s)
> Permanent magnet starter motors (Our Marauders have this)
> Kill switches and avoiding the destruction of your solid state ignition system when testing and using the Kill Switch (collapsing magnetic field -> EMP -> ZAP!)

TWO GALLONS---Ehhh!?

I'd love to have them... I have a fax at home if you could do that?
Or I'll pm you my address. Thanks, Joe!

[TooManyFords]

I haven't done this yet but have been following these threads. I'm not keen on going through the lens in back so I'm going to have to figure something else out. I like the idea of mounting the kill switch to the trunk lid though so it could hide behind the plate or just below it. (thinking out loud)

[martyo]

You guys are all sissies.

We drilled through the trim around my tail light (that was my install (I think) that Brian was referring to. It works flawlessly.

And John (TMF), shame on you. You cut the Grand Canyon of a hole in your hood, and now you are worried about a half inch whole in the tail light trim? :confused: You, my friend, are an old sissy! :D

[TooManyFords]

And John (TMF), shame on you. You cut the Grand Canyon of a hole in your hood, and now you are worried about a half inch whole in the tail light trim? :confused: You, my friend, are an old sissy! :D

That's old "GREY" sissy to you, sir! :D

[KillJoy]

That's old "GREY" sissy to you, sir! :D

DOH!!!

KillJoy

[martyo]

That's old "GHEY" sissy to you, sir! :D


:eek: :eek: :eek:

[Joe Walsh]

I'd love to have them... I have a fax at home if you could do that?
Or I'll pm you my address. Thanks, Joe!

Received PM...Can Do!

Rich, I'll check how many pages there are in the manuals this weekend and let you know.

Joe

[O's Fan Rich]

Received PM...Can Do!

Rich, I'll check how many pages there are in the manuals this weekend and let you know.

Joe

Excellent Joe.
Like I said, I'll make pdf's out of them too for use later.

[Marauder386]

Steeda sells a good kit the neat part is to conceal the cut off switch

Heehee ... I understand, Dennis. Not looking to have a kill switch...just put the battery in the right corner of the trunk...

:cool:

[Power Surge]

A couple things to mention about doing the trunk mount battery....

If you want to do the trunk mount battery for reasons other than going down the track... you can pretty much do anything you want. Just make sure it's secured well to the trunk floor, and DON'T use J bolts.

If you plan to take you car to the track, there are things you must do with the conversion.

First thing, is that NHRA/IHRA rules say you must use a SEALED battery box. That means that all those nice metal boxes that most people use are NOT track legal. The battery box must be sealed, with a vent tube that runs to the outside of the body to vent battery gasses. Currently, the blue Moroso battery box is the only track legal box, and Jegs also makes their copy if that box in black (does use the quick pins for the cover though).

The second thing, is that on fuel injected cars, you have to run seperate wiring to kill the alternator as well as the main battery cable. If you just kill the main battery cable, the alternator will back feed power to keep the car running. I have seen this many times at the track, where guys go through tech and then fail and cannot race because the car stays running then the tech guy throws the kill switch.

Third, track rules dictate that the battery kill switch lever must be on the rear most part of the car, and clearly marked. For a cleaner look, most people will use the remote push/pull switch with the T handle. Simply drill a hole somewhere in the rear of the car, put in a plastic grommet, and run the shaft through it. To be track legal, the switch must be setup so that PUSH is off. The other nice thing about the remote lever setup, is you can take it off for the street, and just pop a plug in the hole in place of the grommet.

The last thing to mention, is you should use the heaviest gauge battery cable you can afford. I would not use anything thinner than 0 gauge cable. Some battery box kits come with 2 gauge or 1 gauge. I personally like to use 00 gauge. The heavier the gauge, the less voltage drop you'll get from the distance.

Hope this helps!!

[Loco1234]

I'll be installing a rear mounted battery soon.
I plan to relocate my K&n to the battery's current location....

I'll take pix of final project turn out...
It shjoudl be nice but not track legal...
I intend to also ount a non-conductive plate under the hood which will have a lug connection that will alow for easy jumping and starting of the vehicle and/or other vehicles when it is required...

If already have the Steeda metal box kit...

[martyo]

A couple things to mention about doing the trunk mount battery....

If you want to do the trunk mount battery for reasons other than going down the track... you can pretty much do anything you want. Just make sure it's secured well to the trunk floor, and DON'T use J bolts.

If you plan to take you car to the track, there are things you must do with the conversion.

First thing, is that NHRA/IHRA rules say you must use a SEALED battery box. That means that all those nice metal boxes that most people use are NOT track legal. The battery box must be sealed, with a vent tube that runs to the outside of the body to vent battery gasses. Currently, the blue Moroso battery box is the only track legal box, and Jegs also makes their copy if that box in black (does use the quick pins for the cover though).

The second thing, is that on fuel injected cars, you have to run seperate wiring to kill the alternator as well as the main battery cable. If you just kill the main battery cable, the alternator will back feed power to keep the car running. I have seen this many times at the track, where guys go through tech and then fail and cannot race because the car stays running then the tech guy throws the kill switch.

Third, track rules dictate that the battery kill switch lever must be on the rear most part of the car, and clearly marked. For a cleaner look, most people will use the remote push/pull switch with the T handle. Simply drill a hole somewhere in the rear of the car, put in a plastic grommet, and run the shaft through it. To be track legal, the switch must be setup so that PUSH is off. The other nice thing about the remote lever setup, is you can take it off for the street, and just pop a plug in the hole in place of the grommet.

The last thing to mention, is you should use the heaviest gauge battery cable you can afford. I would not use anything thinner than 0 gauge cable. Some battery box kits come with 2 gauge or 1 gauge. I personally like to use 00 gauge. The heavier the gauge, the less voltage drop you'll get from the distance.

Hope this helps!!


^^^^ Great post!

[O's Fan Rich]

^^^^ Great post!

Marty,
how does your set up kill the alternator?

[martyo]

Marty,
how does your set up kill the alternator?

It's proprietary.

Check your PM's over "there."

[Marauder386]

It's proprietary.

Check your PM's over "there."

Wunnerful...SecretSquirrelLega lEagle Super-Stealth...wunnerful....

:cool:

[martyo]

Wunnerful...SecretSquirrelLega lEagle Super-Stealth...wunnerful....

:cool:


I can't help it if PM's here aren't P.

[O's Fan Rich]

If Joe let's me, I'll have the pdf's available in the future.
Only if Joe lets me.

[Joe Walsh]

If Joe let's me, I'll have the pdf's available in the future.
Only if Joe lets me.

Sure, no problem.

Tomorrow's weather is predicted to be messy: snow --> sleet --> feezing rain --> rain, so I'll be stuck in the house and will have some time to dig out the MAD Enterprises info.

[RUSTY]

YES! I would like to see this info

[magindat]

Excellent Joe.
Like I said, I'll make pdf's out of them too for use later.

And if you do, please send to me and I'll post them permanantly on SSM.net!