Battery Tray Repair/Replacement

[TR6BobNF]

Could really use some help here guys. With the engine out I'm still working on detailing the engine bay in my TR6 but it appears the rust in the battery tray area is worse than I expected and I don't think a small patch is going to work. Now that I've been at the area with the heavy wire brush on the grinder I can see that I'll have to cut out a much bigger piece than I originally counted on. I don't want to pay TRF $170 plus taxes and shipping for the battery tray repair panel so I'm looking for alternatives. Does anybody know where to get a cheaper fix OR how to fabricate a repair panel and put the stamped, strengthening ridges in the new piece? I was thinking some 1/8" x 3/4" flat bar laid underneath the new, raw sheet metal and pounded with a BFH might get the right shape in the new panel. An alternative might be to just fabricate a flat replacement panel and slope it just slightly forward or kink it a touch in the middle to allow water to run off and top it with a plastic battery tray for $53.00 from TRF. Keep in mind, any fabrication is considered "free" to me; parts are extra. Any suggestions?
Thanks,

 

[glemon]

Yes I did it, not too hard a piece to form, yes, you can make the grooves with the hammer and flat bar, I enjoy forming metal pieces, it is pretty forgiving, if at first you don't succede, etc. I had a pretty big actual hole, you can make the 90 bend pretty wellwith a vise just keep feeidng it through and bending it more.

Before

After

 

[dklawson]

Though some will say I should be shot for suggesting it... fiberglass.

I would form whatever thin sheet metal you want to reproduce stiffening ribs and details. Once tacked in place, I would cover all the repair area with fiberglass which will be more resistant to the battery acid in the future.

I ordered a replacement battery box for the Spitfire only to find it was slightly smaller inside than the original factory part. Normally this wouldn't be a problem but I already had a plastic liner box for the battery and the liner would not go all the way down into the replacement battery box. I returned the panel, patched what was on the car and put a layer of fiberglass over the repairs to create a plastic bathtub under the battery and liner. No more acid damage and no one can notice the fiberglass with the liner removed anyway.

 

[TFB]

I think I would take the $53 for the plastic battery tray and spend it on the replacement piece.
Modern batteries really dont leak anymore like the old ones did.
Have fun
Tom