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MOTORSPORTS - Battery Location

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What about the whole perfectly good 68 MGB GT?
 
You're right, Kenny - somebody should've bought this one before I started 'lightening' it...the only rust is in the floors which I'll replace after the GRM Challenge

but, it was ugly!
 
Ummm... SWMBO has a rather strong opinion as to just how many LBC's should be lyin' around th' hovel here at Chaos & Mayhem PTY., LTD....

I've rather exceeded that allotment already.
 
Lucky I don't have that problem...I've a solid, sweet '73 GT in the wings - just arrived!
 
Hmmmmmmmmm.......
 
An SCCA racer made inexpensive sets of bathroom scales with leverage. He sold lots of them and they worked great. I sold mine long ago, and cant remember his name... here's a link to a similar style near you, Tony:

https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-4-ROL...sspagenameZWDVW

they do show up occasionally on ebay. I'm sure there are oval racers in your area who would lend you scales or help you (grain scales are another option... **** heavy to move around, though).
I agree with locating the battery last to help balance the corner weights.
Mike
 
Grain scales Sounds like lots of moving the car carefully with three tires dangling precariously. There's a few scrap metal yards around here with the big scales too. We used to have one at the metal yard I worked at for a while.
 
Tony

Two thoughts 1. scales can be used at a truck stop or sometimes at a livestock feed store or mill. 2. we put our battery between the rear tires on the drag car. Of course, we used a large tractor battery for extra life and ballast for our minimum weight. I would not put the battery in the direct driver/passenger compartment for safety reasons (in case of roll over, etc).

Bruce L

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif
 
I wonder how well a 2 pound Gel-Cell 12V battery would hold up? You could put that nice Optima in the truck!

How many ampere/hours does a racecar draw from a battery when it's running? We (oops sorry - you) could save alot of weight going to something like that!
 
We didn't run an altinator. The water pump was powered by fan belts that we had to put on with the pump pulley. If you know whatI mean.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif
 
Sounds even lighter! Good stuff, whatelse ya got?
 
I've a cut-off switch for my alternator...& I've thought about a little lawnmower battery

...I'll try to get up underneath & take some photos today.
 
Here's what it looks like up underneath the GRM car today....oh, the salmon color is the factory primer that's under the undercoating I'm slowly removing.

batterybox01.JPG

batterybox02.JPG
 
Yes of course, undercoating is heavy stuff.
 
Jim...the undercoating/soundproofing/seam sealer in the interior & engine compartment/front wheelwell areas of the car weighed 30 pounds when I swept it all up, dumped in a paper bag & weighed!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Here's what it looks like up underneath the GRM car today....oh, the salmon color is the factory primer that's under the undercoating I'm slowly removing.

[/ QUOTE ]
You know, Tony, that the GRM car is going to be so nice and have so many hours in it when you get through, it will be a shame to take it to the track. The problem with substituting labor for dollars (and spending two years preparing it) is that you might break something that took weeks to get "just right"! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif


Just ask "frankenstang" over in the Triumph section--he has been taking his Mustangs to the GRM Challenge for several years (I think he finished 6th or 8th a couple of years ago). But he is still as optimistic as ever--he is now into LBCs and building a Jensen-Healey with a small-block Chevy. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/patriot.gif
 
Steve - I'm looking forward to getting it out on the track this summer to see how it handles..after the GRM, I'm gonna do it right (heck, might even remove the V6 & go back to MG power for historic racing!)....but, this labor thing is killing my back! There are easier ways to do things but the GRM budget doesn't allow - oh, wait, that's the reason! To see if you can build a good car less expensively!
 
Gesh tell me about the back. Only good deal on old engines is that everything is oil covered and well protected underneath. Have not had to resort to heat yet.
 
Tony, I'm running a DEKA Gel cel that is actually the battery for an electric wheelchair. They now have a glass mat battery that is the same size as a garden tractor battery, but with a lot more power.
I've never had any starting problems, even with a hot restart on a 16:1 engine.
Jeff
 
Jeff...I never would've thought of that...how much does it weigh? What are dimensions?
 
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