One of the easiest modifications anyone can do to their project vehicle is to relocate the battery to the rear of the car. Not only will you improve weight distribution by adding it over the rear tires, it will also free up space in the engine bay, giving you a much cleaner look. It wasn't long ago when doing this type of installation presented a host of minor issues. Most parts were sourced from various companies and getting large-gauge wire had to be acquired from any number of hardware and/or welding supply stores. These days many manufacturers offer kits that come complete with everything you'll need. To take advantage of one of these systems, we decided to order one up for our nose-heavy Nova; which would be an added benefit for the serious suspension tuning we have plans for.
Cruising Summit Racing's website, we opted for their premium battery box relocation kit (PN SUM G1231-K). This package comes with everything, including a sealed, durable plastic box; a 20-foot length of positive battery cable; a 3-foot length of negative battery cable; plus all the battery terminals and mounting hardware. To complement the battery box, we also ordered a battery cutoff switch (PN SUM G1432) from Summit; at less than $20 it's a steal. The switch will allow us to shut the battery off in the case of a short or an accident at the track. What you may not know is that whenever the battery is relocated a cutoff switch is required to get through Tech at most sanctioned tracks.
Getting things started, owner...
Getting things started, owner Joel Rode began by disconnecting the battery. Rode first removed the ground followed by the power cable from the battery. With the battery out, we could remove its tray that's held by three body bolts.
So far we've listed a lot of positives for the minimal price, coming in at less than $150. To get the job done, we headed over to Hot Rod Specialties in Upland, California. Our install took a single afternoon; with the most difficult portion coming from running the lines and drilling a hole for the battery cable and vent tube. Not bad for a few hours of work.
Quick Notes
What We Did
Moved the battery to the trunk and added a cutoff switch
Bottom Line
The battery will be easier to get to, transfer weight to the rear, and give us more room in the engine bay
To gain additional access...
To gain additional access to the chassis, we raised the Nova up on the lift. Joel went ahead and relocated the ground from the engine to a better area on the subframe. From there, we utilized the old bolthole that was once used for the older two-speed transmission. We installed the supplied terminal to the ground cable and bolted it on.
We had a difficult time finding...
We had a difficult time finding a suitable location for our Summit box, only because the trunk of the Nova has a lumpy floor with the fuel tank directly below. Also, the floor in some areas (along the rear fenders) has a shelf which would require longer studs and more drilling. Luckily, it only takes two holes to fasten the box down. We found a great flat area of the trunk just off center. We dropped in the battery, and using the supplied bracket marked where we needed to drill the box.
Using a 3/8-inch drill bit,...
Using a 3/8-inch drill bit, Rode drilled the two holes we needed to drop in our studs, which would eventually hold the battery in the box.
Now that we had the holes...
Now that we had the holes drilled into the box, we used the box as a template to mark the holes in the trunk floor. Using the same drill bit, Rode made two holes into the floor. Be sure to take special note of the fuel tank's location.
Next, we placed the battery...
Next, we placed the battery back into the box, setting the bracket on top of the battery and sent the studs through the bottom of the trunk floor. Using the supplied hardware, we used the large washers and threaded on the locknuts on both studs and tightened the studs down with a 9/16-inch wrench.
To run the power and ground...
To run the power and ground cables, we drilled two additional holes into the floor of the trunk. We used a hole-cutter and made two 1 1/4-inch holes side by side. Then, we placed the supplied rubber grommets to protect the wires from rubbing on the edges of the floor.