The Rodding Roundtable

Motorhead Message Central => Rodder's Roundtable => Topic started by: Topsterguy on September 24, 2009, 11:51:13 PM

Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: Topsterguy on September 24, 2009, 11:51:13 PM
Okay, I got my PU in pieces and have it mostly together now and bought a new battery tray....but have no idea where it goes! I thought it went on the firewall but can't figure it out at all according to the brackets on the tray and looking at the firewall! Anybody know or got a pic !?  Thanks!
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: wayne petty on September 25, 2009, 01:37:02 AM
i always thought they were under the passenger side floor.. or under the seat with a removable cover inside.. ... i could be and am usually wrong..
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: Topsterguy on September 25, 2009, 02:16:59 AM
LOL.....reminds me of the sign hanging in my shop ( that my wife gave me)

"If a man speaks in the forest and there's no woman around......is he still wrong?"

Yeah, I thought naybe under there too but the brackets on the tray are weird so I can't picture where it'd go.  :?
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: wayne petty on September 25, 2009, 02:45:43 AM
seems i am wrong every time...

http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/Fat-fendered_Ford_battery_tray
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: GPster on September 25, 2009, 08:08:04 AM
Is the battery tray a reproduction of one for a truck or maybe for a car. I've remembered people saying that even though the vehicles appear the same they are totall different. I guess putting car sheetmetal on a truck involves changing the firewall and cowl to car pieces on the truck. Even though you see it done it's not an easy process. Maybe a vendor thought because they look the same they are and he sold you a battery tray for a car. You cab is not mounted on a car frame is it. They were supposed to be the same but maybe the holes are drilled in different places depending on what the intended body was. GPster
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: Topsterguy on September 25, 2009, 11:14:12 AM
Great article Wayne, thanks a bunch! Yeah, I know, we're all wrong.....doesn't matter what it's about!

GPster, the frame is an aftermarket one but supposedly they're the same between car and PU except for a couple of brackets near the back for cars. , I'm using PU fenders, firewall etc etc ( long story on that!). I was at Bob Drakes and specifically asked for a tray for the PU and this is what they gave me. Gee, never heard of an aftermarket supplier giving you the wrong piece!!??  Uh huh !
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: papastoyss on September 25, 2009, 03:07:08 PM
Quote from: "Topsterguy"Great article Wayne, thanks a bunch! Yeah, I know, we're all wrong.....doesn't matter what it's about!

GPster, the frame is an aftermarket one but supposedly they're the same between car and PU except for a couple of brackets near the back for cars. , I'm using PU fenders, firewall etc etc ( long story on that!). I was at Bob Drakes and specifically asked for a tray for the PU and this is what they gave me. Gee, never heard of an aftermarket supplier giving you the wrong piece!!??  Uh huh !
Mr. 40s Fatstuff sells a battery tray /mount that is similar to the one in the article Wayne posted. It mounts on the RF frame rail behind the wheel. Close to the starter & out of the way. Looks like it might be a bi&*$%^ to change the battery though.
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: wayne petty on September 25, 2009, 03:34:02 PM
is this the battery tray you got???

http://store.bobdrake.com/19pas19pudel.html

or this one

http://www.who-sells-it.com/cy/dennis-carpenter-ford-and-cushman-restorations-3138/1932-48-ford-cars-parts-15621/page-21.html

sure does not really look like what was in the article..


i wonder if one could make an ABS plastic inner fender battery cover.. so rocks and debris does not land on top of the battery...
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: Topsterguy on September 25, 2009, 04:00:46 PM
HeyWayne!  Yup that's the one I got, the first one..and I guess the Carpenter one is the same.
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: Carnut on September 25, 2009, 04:59:13 PM
Battery mounts to passenger side frame rail near firewall. Original was in toward engine because head of flathead left room for the battery in the engine compartment.

Pickup

(http://carnut.com/show/99/hal/hal045.jpg)


Passenger Car

(http://carnut.com/show/99/hal/hal156.jpg)

(http://carnut.com/photo/39-41/40frd31.jpg)
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: Carnut on September 25, 2009, 05:02:57 PM
Quote from: "Carnut"Battery mounts to passenger side frame rail near firewall. Original was in toward engine because head of flathead left room for the battery in the engine compartment.

Pickup

(http://carnut.com/show/99/hal/hal045.jpg)


Passenger Car

(http://carnut.com/show/99/hal/hal156.jpg)

(http://carnut.com/photo/39-41/40frd31.jpg)

Heh, heh, I have run the battery in my 40 in the trunk for 7 or 8 yrs, then put the battery back in front for 7 or 8 yrs and then decided the heat next to a 350 chevy V8 wasn't good for a battery so I moved it back to the trunk even though I didn't like having the long battery cables and having the battery in a somewhat inaccessible location.
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: Topsterguy on September 25, 2009, 07:16:24 PM
Well leapin lizards..if that don't beat all!  I went out and tried it and lo and behold there's a bolt hole in the side of the frame that matches up to it so it sits right, just needs a hole in the frame top to match the other bracket. A little tight with the 350 and ram horns, but if a guy could find a really small powerful battery and build a heat shield it might work !  Thanks a lot, I'll see what I can do!  Larry
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: Carnut on September 25, 2009, 07:23:48 PM
Yep, I ran my battery up front for awhile and even tried a heat shield with a cool running 265 and for awhile with a 350, but it still bothered me and I wasn't real sure if it affected battery life.

(http://carnut.com/iown/40ford3.jpg)

Oh yeah, also when I moved the battery to the trunk it allowed me room to install the A/C system and run the hoses a bit more easily.

(http://carnut.com/iown/1940/40-129.jpg)
Title: '40 Ford pickup battery location
Post by: Topsterguy on September 28, 2009, 12:36:49 AM
Yeah, I figure with a heat shield it should be okay.....problem is I don't really have anywhere else to put it. Under the seat/ floor, exhaust etc in the way. Next thing is to find a small battery with good cranking amps, probably a red top or something like that ( looks like I'd have to trim the battery tray a bit on the front inside corner by the ram horn).