Battery tray hack and slash

[Jjmoonen]

So, being as I'm up to my gentleman bits deep in to the disassembly of the Tii have committed to pulling the engine. This will allow me to do several things with "relative" ease. Clean up the engine bay, fix/upgrade any wiring, replace motor mounts (currently sketchy as hell) and remove the battery tray.

 

The last item leads to my question, what's the preferred method if any? It looks like they are welded in together and in place? I'm thinking just a angle grinder with a cutoff wheel. 

 

There is some rust around it that I refuse to leave in place (I have an severe hatred for the brown creeping death) and I want to make sure everything  under the tray is ok. Plus I plan on relocating the battery anyway, and removing the tray will allow more space in the engine bay to work.

[Mike Self]

On roundies, the battery tray was bolted in; the factory switched to welded for squarelights, saving a few pfennigs on sheet metal bolts.  You can

1.  carefully cut yours out and either reuse (by welding on flanges or some other method to bolt in)

2.  find a bolt-in battery tray from a roundie and install in your car--if it's from a carbureted car you'll need to modify it for the lower placement found on a tii, or...

3.  relocate the battery to the trunk or under the back seat--lots of archive material on these conversions

 

mike

PS--strongly suggest replacing that braided fuel hose visible in your picture with modern rubber hose meant for higher pressure injection systems.  If that braided hose is old, there's a good chance it's cracked, and the cracks won't show under the cloth cover.  

 

 

 

 

[Jjmoonen]

8 minutes ago, mike said:

On roundies, the battery tray was bolted in; the factory switched to welded for squarelights, saving a few pfennigs on sheet metal bolts.  You can

1.  carefully cut yours out and either reuse (by welding on flanges or some other method to bolt in)

2.  find a bolt-in battery tray from a roundie and install in your car--if it's from a carbureted car you'll need to modify it for the lower placement found on a tii, or...

3.  relocate the battery to the trunk or under the back seat--lots of archive material on these conversions

 

mike

PS--strongly suggest replacing that braided fuel hose visible in your picture with modern rubber hose meant for higher pressure injection systems.  If that braided hose is old, there's a good chance it's cracked, and the cracks won't show under the cloth cover.  

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the input Mike.

 

This is indeed a square tail light car (76 Tii). I don't have any plans on reusing the tray as it's just in the way. I will be relocating the battery anyway.

 

I have not got around to plumbing yet (brakes and fuel), but all of that will be replaced. The car has been sitting since the mid 90's so I am almost positive all rubber is dry rotted or cracked. I may move that filter out of the engine bay as well just to clean things up and create slightly more access to things.

 

 

[SydneyTii]

The fuel filter?

or the Tii air filter?i run a K&N lots of talk about performance loss, I’ve never really noticed it, mind you my Tii is not in its first flush of youth, but it still gets all just fine?

[wegweiser]

If it were me, and it's an original tii, I'd be hesitant to chop sheet metal and alter it. Over the years, I've found that there are very few tasks that the battery tray makes miserable.

 

Alternator removal sucks

fuel filter is a minor nuisance

 

With that said, I won't get all judgy on ya' - but think seriously about long term effects on what might be otherwise a really decent unmolested tii shell. 

 

Mike Self is half correct - ALL tiis DID have welded in trays (early and late). 

 

And I'm in the "keep the air filtration system stock" camp. I've never been a K&N fan. I use them only on Webers when nothing else is affordable or practical. the stock filter assembly can be removed in 5-6 minutes, when routine repairs are needed. Gets more cool air, etc etc. there are dyne sheets from years ago that support the claim of better performance. YMMV.

Edited July 3, 2018 by wegweiser

[SydneyTii]

Talking about air filters Paul, when I fit my standard Tii filter, it rubs against last nut on the intake runner. I’ve tried gently massaging the end of the filter but it always did the same, any ideas what’s bent?

sorry thread hijack?

Wrt the battery tray note, I’ve chickened out of the TEP brace twice now I can’t bring myself to drill the rear shock mounts, and believe it or not the last PO broke the welds that hold my tray in, the tray is actually held in by stainless self tapers, doing oil changes, alternator work etc is a 5 min strip out of the tray and battery.

i have considered a battery box, but when your tray is removable it’s kinda a bit pointless, other than looks if that’s what you care about... I’m to lazy to?

 

The battery box box would facilitate a cut out switch though and depending on my work schedule leaving the battery connected and not driving the car seems to drain it a bit...

Edited July 3, 2018 by SydneyTii

[wegweiser]

13 minutes ago, SydneyTii said:

Talking about air filters Paul, when I fit my standard Tii filter, it rubs against last nut on the intake runner. I’ve tried gently massaging the end of the filter but it always did the same, any ideas what’s bent?

sorry thread hijack?

Wrt the battery tray note, I’ve chickened out of the TEP brace twice now I can’t bring myself to drill the rear shock mounts, and believe it or not the last PO broke the welds that hold my tray in, the tray is actually held in by stainless self tapers, doing oil changes, alternator work etc is a 5 min strip out of the tray and battery.

i have considered a battery box, but when your tray is removable it’s kinda a bit pointless, other than looks if that’s what you care about... I’m to lazy to?

 

The battery box box would facilitate a cut out switch though and depending on my work schedule leaving the battery connected and not driving the car seems to drain it a bit...

That *IS* odd. Can you post a photo of the contacting parts? You can "adjust" the attitude of the filter housing ends a little (it's why the loops on them are longer than the spring loaded clip hooks) to elevate the intake snorkel up / down a bit.

[SydneyTii]

Ok I will be doing some work on the car soon, so I will dig out the filter and mount it with pics, I noticed my nearly new rubber boot from filter to TB was also a bit torn, but couldnt work it out as the engine is very firm on its mounts.

i hadn’t thought of rotating the end up, that may do it, how did I not think of that, can’t see the wood from the trees comes to mind. I’m not always that thick... 

cheers

[Stevenc22]

Jjmoonen, just cut it out. It is in the way and looking a little tired.Try not to damage the actual fenders. 

 

 

[02Les]

22 hours ago, Jjmoonen said:

 

This is indeed a square tail light car (76 Tii).

 

 

Really? A '76tii.

[Jjmoonen]

Wegweiser, I totally get where you are coming from. I did just take out the alternator the other day, and while it was annoying it was by no means an impossible task. This car has been in my wife's family (from original owner to us now) since it was bought new. It's never going to leave our possession while we are alive and will be passed down to one of our kids. So resale value isn't a consideration so to speak. That being said though, I have been mindful to only make bolt on modifications to this car so far. While replacing the battery tray would involve welding, I guess I still view the move as reversible.

 

I have already had the stock airbox blasted and powder coated, so that is staying. 

2 hours ago, SydneyTii said:

The fuel filter?

or the Tii air filter?i run a K&N lots of talk about performance loss, I’ve never really noticed it, mind you my Tii is not in its first flush of youth, but it still gets all just fine?

I was referring to the fuel filter in the photo. I'm planning on doing the E30 in tank pump conversion. So I thought a filter under the trunk or along the bottom of the car somewhere out of the way would make more sense. 

 

Thanks for chiming in guys, it's always great to hear others thoughts.

[Jjmoonen]

5 minutes ago, 02Les said:

Really? A '76tii.

Hmmmmm, apparently my fat fingers are faster than my brain this morning. It's a '74 Tii, not a '76 (which if I'm correct was never made since '74 was the last year for the Tii in the US).