Trunk mount battery, positive cable routing?

[DarkoNova]

For those of you who have a trunk mounted battery, where are you routing the positive cable? Under the car or in the car?

I took the cable out of my 88 BMW (car was totaled, so I figured free positive cable and junction block for the Nova!) and it's definitely long enough, I just can't figure out how to route it. It fits easily in the sill panel, I just don't know how to get it through the firewall. I suppose I could just run it along the frame, but should it go on the inside of the frame or the outside?

Anybody have pics of theirs?

[hifi875]

inside. alot safer

[amargari]

I ran mine through the interior and used a heavy duty feeder stud on the tunnel like the following picture.

[wmhjr]

I also ran mine through the interior but kept the 0/1 positive uncut. I used a heavy duty grommet to pass it under the car just above the tranny into the tunnel somit cleanly routes to the starter. I also installed a remote solenoid, a maxi-fuse, and a master power switch in the trunk along with two charging studs since my trunk is upholstered.

[DarkoNova]

So are you guys running it in the door sill and then crossing along the passenger's side floorboard? Or are you running along the trans tunnel straight from the back seat? I don't want to overcomplicate this, lol.

[wmhjr]

I had an advantage in that I did mine while building the car. I ran from the trunk up just off center. Since I was using both damplifier pro and luxury liner pro, I was able to cut channels in the insulation for the cable. 0/1 battery cable is way to large for under my sill.

[JEFFTATE]

I routed the positive cable along the trough , next to passenger side door sill.(It's under the door sill plate )
I also covered it with the corrugated plastic wire loom stuff to help prevent rubbing.
And then ran it through the bottom of the firewall , just under the heater box , and to a junction box on the passenger inner fender well.( This gives me a jump start post )
And then down to the starter ..

[DarkoNova]

I routed the positive cable along the trough , next to passenger side door sill.(It's under the door sill plate )
I also covered it with the corrugated plastic wire loom stuff to help prevent rubbing.
And then ran it through the bottom of the firewall , just under the heater box , and to a junction box on the passenger inner fender well.( This gives me a jump start post )
And then down to the starter ..

That's basically identical to how it was run from the factory on my BMW.

The only problem is it's literally like 5" too short, so I'm probably going to have to buy a new cable. But it looks like I'll be running it in the sill and just going straight out through the firewall as well. I'll update the thread with pics when I do it.

[DoABarrelRoll]

battery mounted on passenger side, cable routed through interior.

Comes out a gromet in the firewall that was used for the CCC harness (86 Monte Carlo SS), to an isolated post on the fender. From there it splits off to the starter, alternator, and junction block.


Yes, I know it is filthy in those photos. She's a work in progress ;)

[MonzaRacer]

OK on my 77 Monza I put my battery in the spare well, I ran my ground through my shut off switch, my power ran under the car but probably would go inside on my next one, I ran it up to the firewall to an echlin starter relay for an 86 Ranger, its the newer Ford relay over the older ones, and cheap ones are just junk.
I ran my charge wire to the relay start wire was away from headers. I used a simple bridge on the s terminal to the battery stud on starter.
The starter was the slim GM starter(look up 94 K2500 4x4) and order GM bolts.
I have heard that NHRA doesnt like the cut off in the negative, my issue with a positive cutout is the positive has magnetic lines of force, cut the power and the length of wire to anything under hood becomes a coil of sorts and can spike electronics.
So I am working up a dual cutoff that kills the negative then the positive, this is my professional preference.
I like to use welders cable 0/0, its made to be dragged about, scuffed, etc.
I then cover with split loom, my big trick to cut cost is hit salvage yards I know who let me hit older cars that are ready to be crushed yet have wiring.
These I'll pull relays, with plugs, the clip holders for them, miles and miles of split loom. Most I can clean with de-greaser.
I will also use larger grommets through the firewall, and use heater hose before going through the grommet, then Iwill seal it with Permatex Ultra Black silicone.
I like to recycle what I can and scrounging the salvage yards for power point posts then I can run fused items off of them safely and feed that piece with a 4 to 6 gauge and I will even use the brass power blocks that are used in stereo systems.
I like running them short lined towards back of firewall/fenderwells.
If I use these I tin and solder the ends solid before installing in these blocks. Before I personally crimp the welders cable I tin the wire ends and the terminals, then after crimping with my hammer strike crimper I'll reheat/solder them and even slide a color coordinated shrink tubing over them to clean them up.
I am a tech by trade and wiring is what I do and I am picky so ido things MY way and they make a lot of electrical sense and are safe.
I use the rule of 2/3s on fusing no line carries more than 2/3s normal. I just rewired a security co rotating and spot light, max draw was 12.8 amps. It was let go with a 20 amp fuse and ran directly from the feed wire to the fuse box rather than both off of a fuse tap in the fuse box.
All connections crimped, soldered and taped and tied up and away from bad areas and I ran it through current grommet/bulkhead connector and sealed with silicone.
I also use a lot of shrink tubing too.
Never can have enough insulation.
Like I said I AM PICKY!

[asifnyc]

here's a quick write up and pics of how I did it in my Javelin... http://asifnyc.com/?p=375

[80 MONZTA]

OK on my 77 Monza I put my battery in the spare well

I am thinking of putting my battery back there too, did you seal yours up. It is so cold out, I don't even want to go out to measure if a standard sealed battery box will fit. I am hoping that it can sit level with the rest of the floor, so I can just cover it up with carpet.

[MonzaRacer]

I am thinking of putting my battery back there too, did you seal yours up. It is so cold out, I don't even want to go out to measure if a standard sealed battery box will fit. I am hoping that it can sit level with the rest of the floor, so I can just cover it up with carpet.

No I just made a tray out of angle and welded it in and with a few small holes in the well and the spare tire cover in place I was ok. I never had any issues but heck now Ill probably use an optima or a braille battery next. My latest Monza will have a long rod 302 and a couple of ebay turbos running through a modded LT1 intake and my own version of GM DIS and no distributor,,,,.
I intend to swap on 98ZQ spindles, up grade alter on to Vette brakes and my rear set up will be a 4wd disc brake ZQ/Blazer rearend as its wider.
I am working on a "bolt in" upper control arm crossmember so I can also install air ride. My newest finding is since I used 68-72 Chevelle/Monte Carlo rear shocks I believe I can possibly make the ShockWaves for A bodies work.I am still working on what to install up front, it may require removal of the actual spring cup on it and making a bolt in/weld in upper mount.
I am also getting Marcus at SC&C to whip up upper control arms too.
Since I have some minor rust behind rear wheels in lip arrea I am looking at trimming a piece out of the well and welding in a flat piece and putting in a battery tray. With a decently small battery so that I can close it off.
Since I lost wheel well cover a long time ago I just think I want to close it off.
If I remember correctly to make drag strip happy I screwed the box strap web into the frame and sat my battery in a battery box, and sinched it down but it was just for race track people.
Heck they never even gave me a second look with my cut off switch on my negative. All they wanted to know was if it killed the car, which it did.
With air ride my tank will be an NOS bottle.
Sneaky huh?
Well my Monza is named Cheap Trick as it is going to be on the cheap,,,,in parts cost if possible.

[jerhofer]

My cable is run under the car. I used a billet mount for my optima battery that I found on Ebay. Worked great.





www.jerryforthofer.wordpress.com