Battery plate rust hole-Solutions?

[Sportsdoc]

Found a big hole beneath the battery and also have the usual two firewall holes corresponding to the side terminals. PO also ran some wires through these holes!

Anyway, what's the best way to fix this problem? I see that VB offers replacement tray assemblies. I don't have welding experience, either.

Also, any suggestions on how to remove the heater box screws? They are phillips head screws and I can't budge them with a long screwdriver.

Thanks.

 

[WALTER]

This is a bit cheesy. On mine I cleaned up the rusty metal with a wire brush and ground away the really thin stuff. I sealed the rusty metal with One-Step (a rust converter). Cut a piece of steel diamond plate to fit, then caulked it into place with a good quality poly caulking. I'm not overly concerned about originality and with Optima batteries won't have to worry about it again. And, no welding!

As far as the screws go PB Blaster can be helpful. If PB Blaster fails try heating the screws with a torch. You will probably be repainting the heater box anyway.

Good luck,
Walter

 

[Morris]

Actually, the heater box screws are Posi-drive screws and not Phillips. A Phillips screwdriver will eat the heads off of Posi-drive screws real fast. I not sure where to tell you to get a set of posi drivers or bits. I was lucky and found a bunk in a kit I bought for my cordless drill.

 

[tosoutherncars]

I'd say, buy the VB (or other) piece, clean it all up / get it dry-fitted (using sheet metal screws) and either pay someone to have it welded in, or join a local MGOC and see if there's a local enthusiast who could MIG weld it in for you (probably an hour's worth of work).

Hopefully the rest of the body's in good nick, if you're doing a resto without welding equipment?

-D

 

[John Moore]

I'm in the same boat. I have a nice rusty hole there! lol! I'm going to clean mine up with a wire wheel and really see what the damage is. I may just fab a new one of sheet metal and mig it in place.

But yeah, as the others noted, should be pretty easy work for someone with a MIG.

 

[JPSmit]

As far as the screws go PB Blaster can be helpful. If PB Blaster fails try heating the screws with a torch. You will probably be repainting the heater box anyway.

I start with PB Blaster but use heat because I get impatient- after I've heated, I douse with water to cool quickly. With one stubborn bolt I also touched it with wax while hot to let the wax wick into the threads - seemed to help.

 

[jlaird]

Posi screw set from Sears, cheep.

The hole will be hidden. Clean all well and seal a peice of alum over it. After all batt goes on top. It will be air and water tight and no one will ever see.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Discovered th same problem 5 years ago when I brough Bugsy home. Cut a piece of steel that bridged the rusty gap, cleaned up the rest and used Stop Rust stuff on all areas, pop riveted the plate in place. 5-6 years later still going strong, no issues, no problems. If I hasd not remembered doing this a long while ago, I never notice it under the hood anyway, battery sits on top and if you put a battery box piece of plastic under there problem will never return.
Now you got me thinking about pulling the battery to see what is under there. No leave well enough alone.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Discovered th same problem 5 years ago when I brough Bugsy home. Cut a piece of steel that bridged the rusty gap, cleaned up the rest and used Stop Rust stuff on all areas, pop riveted the plate in place. 5-6 years later still going strong, no issues, no problems. If I hasd not remembered doing this a long while ago, I never notice it under the hood anyway, battery sits on top and if you put a battery box piece of plastic under there problem will never return.
Now you got me thinking about pulling the battery to see what is under there. No leave well enough alone.

 

[tosoutherncars]

Actually, that's a good idea... it's structurally unimportant enough that I'd say pop rivets are a pretty good solution.

Doc, do you have enough of the old one left (maybe 1" all the way around the edge) to just rivet it? If it's really gone across the back, you might need to pop-rivet an angle bracket to the firewall first, then rivet down onto that.

 

[Sportsdoc]

The hole is right up to the firewall. Probably have an inch or so on each side and the area under the heater box seems ok...of course I haven't gotten the heater box out yet.

On to Sears for a posi drive screwdriver. Another tool, sweet!

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I'll figure out something; a local guy I know offered to teach me how to weld so that will help now and in the future. I'm intrigued by the pop rivet option also.

 

[WALTER]

Let us know if Sears has the posi-drive screwdriver. They are hard to find. I've only seen them in kits.

Walter

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Wiha (sp?) tools always has them.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

https://www.wihatools.com/pro%5F3k%5Fover%5Fdrive.htm

 

[Trevor Jessie]

https://www.wihatools.com/700seri/712serie.htm

 

[ecurie_ecosse]

Trevor, they only list #0-#3. LBC's also use #4 on the door hinges etc., Any idea where you'd get them? I have a #4 but would like to know where to get another.

Stuart. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif

 

[tosoutherncars]

FYI... RE: the initial question: Branson (u/n on here) is selling a new battery tray; see https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcforum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/321537/fpart/2

He's in OK, my (terrible) US geography makes me think that shouldn't be toooo far from TN... right? Where's my map?

 

[John Moore]

thanks! PM sent!

 

[Sportsdoc]

Thanks for the info. I sent him a PM, too. Hope I don't start a bidding war!

 

[bugimike]

You could check on ebay too, there is a guy who advertises fairly regularly with replacement pieces that he makes up...looked pretty ok!