Should I even bother! what are the pros and cons. How do I do it? Where in the trunk is the best place?Over axle or in corner of wheel well! What is the norm?

I always thought this was silly for street cars. It's also a fire hazard running the hot wire up the undercarriage to the starter. If it rubs through and touches the frame or body it's going to make life interesting. The plus side is a few lbs off the front and a few added to the drive wheel.

It makes sense for handling, as well as appearance. I am moving mine this winter, while I recarpet and add sound deadening to the inside. I am going to run the cable into the car (via grommets), and then a <nearly> straight shot to the starter. i would think moving 40+ lbs. from the frontmost part of the car to the rearmost makes an impact on weight distribution. I have never had a battery in the engine compartments on any of my classics. It was just an appearance thing.

I think it cleans up the engine compartment. I like it in the trunk.

I agree with thedugan and strick that it cleans up the engine compartment. Just make sure when you run the wire to the back that you use rubber grommets when you pass through the frame, and the trunk floor. I also recommend using a battery box. Here's pictures of the trunk-mounted battery and the engine compartment I had in my pro-street Nova.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i86/dparks69/My%20Pro%20Street%20Nova/trunk.jpg
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i86/dparks69/My%20Pro%20Street%20Nova/engine.jpg

My batteries have been in the trunk since the 70's. Ta Da;
http://epitomesrebuild.com/images/164.JPG

http://epitomesrebuild.com/images/138.JPG
I did it for several reasons. It gets weight off of the top/front of the front tire. Gives more room for an expansion tank/water injection tank. Moves the weight to where it does the least harm and it's just plain neater. I weighed the car after doing this about 78 or so. With my BBC the bias was 54% front, 46% rear. It's better now, but I haven't done the math.

It definitely helps weight distribution, but not quite as much as I thought.
I scaled my car with scales we use on the race car to see where I was at, and for grins moved the battery to the trunk (battery only just to test), and here are the results;
LF- 946 / LF- 971 after RF- 911 / RF- 943 after LR- 781/ LR 761 after RR- 691/ RR- 653 after. (All weights with me in car) The front to rear percentage went from 42.5% to the rear, to 44.2% after. So basically you get a scoche over +1.5% to the rear by moving the battery, not as much as I thought, but still something. After seeing the results I was not in a big hurry to move mine, though no doubt worth a bit. I guess it all depends on what you are looking for.

I believe Herb Adams said moving the battery to the rear was equivalent to shifting the motor back 10" or so. Helps polar moment of inertia not that I'll ever know on the street. I did it to clean up the engine compartment and I'm all for better balance. It's so fun being anal.

Here's the answer to "how do I do it?"...IMO. I'm wasn't smart enough to come up with the diagram below, I owe thanks to Eric68 for it.:thumbsup: It works great on my car.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/Batterywiring.jpg

The battery cable is only hot when it is turned to "Start". I ran the wire inside the car and passed it through the firewall with a bulkhead connector vs. a grommet.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/IMG_1541.jpg

Also, I put a maxi-fuse on the alternator wire.

Make sure you use heavy wire to run current all those long distances. For my battery cable to solenoid to firewall to starter, I used 1/0 wire. Found this to be and Excellent Tip: You can get good 1/0 wire from a welding supply store. Lots of strands and much more flexible than battery cable you would get at an automotive store.

I mounted the ford solenoid directly to the exterior of an aluminum Jegs battery box and the switch to the side. The handle runs out the trunk and through a pre-existing hole in the bumper. When the handle is removed, you'd never know it was there. At the track I use a marker to write Push Off on the bumper. When I get home I take off the push rod and wipe off the writing. The cutoff in the trunk is also kinda a poor mans security system...although it kills your radio presets. I'll try to snap a pic later.

For ground, I have cable that goes to the back side of the trunk hinge mount bracket. Wirewheel the metal and attach using a star washer. Up front, ground straps from firewall to subframe, firewall to block.

Sean (68RS406) is an electrician...hopefully he will point out any errors or suggestions for improvement.

Scott

Sean (68RS406) is an electrician...hopefully he will point out any errors or suggestions for improvement.
Scott
Yeah but I only know the Alternating stuff ;) .
Looks great Scott, I really like the idea of the bulkhead connector and running the rest inside, very nice. I also like the removable switch idea, thats one thing I like about mine as is, I like the factory look and then beating guys with "race cars" at the track.
I will likely eventually move mine to the trunk too, it definitely helps with weight transfer at the track a little, and for the clean look in the engine bay if for nothing else. When I do I'm stealing the bulkhead and switch ideas....:D

Scott, can you post a picture of the firewall side at the starter/engine. I like the bulkhead connector idea and want to see where is the best place to drill the hole so its close to the starter.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/IMG_2361.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/IMG_2359.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/IMG_2360.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/ScottsCamaro/IMG_1365.jpg

Embarrassed to show those pics...needs a little "finishing"...but I got the point where I was functional and stopped the detail work for a while...

The I had to drill a hole in the car for the pushrod to exit, but there is a hole in the bumper in that area that the rod goes through that you can see in the last picture...I hogged it out a bit to make it operate smoothly. When the rod is removed, you never knew it was there unless you're below the bumper.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/IMG_2361.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/IMG_2359.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/IMG_2360.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/ScottsCamaro/IMG_1365.jpg

Embarrassed to show those pics...needs a little "finishing"...but I got the point where I was functional and stopped the detail work for a while...

The I had to drill a hole in the car for the pushrod to exit, but there is a hole in the bumper in that area that the rod goes through that you can see in the last picture...I hogged it out a bit to make it operate smoothly. When the rod is removed, you never knew it was there unless you're below the bumper.
ME TOO!! Funny how that works. :thumbsup: On my 69 the T handle comes out of the trunk in the bracket that mounts the bumper. No paint or body modifications were required in the making of this shutoff switch!. A simple bolt will seal the hole and it can't be seen anyway. Just like yours!:yes:
When I took my car to the track for the first time this year I didn't know of the 'switch rule'. They let me run but asked that I install a switch. They were sorry to have to make such a request of a classic car owner. They could see that mine's not a race car. Also I lost the 'Push Off' sticker. The next race I offered to write it on the bumper but they waved the requirement. Said these switches are all 'push-off' anyway. Great folks. I grew up with most of them.