I'm relocating my battery to the trunk. Where do people route the battery cables through their firewall? I have a stock firewall (not smoothed). Thanks much.

Most run them under the carpet along the sill to the rear seat and into the trunk compartment. I have seen holes drilled at the point where the floor starts to rise up at your feet in the passenger floor area. Just be sure to use a grommet and use seam sealer arround the holes.

Kev

On the 69 there is a groove underneath the sill plate, that is where I ran mine. I used a bulkhead fitting on on the toe board pass. side, there is a ledge there. On the neg. cable I ran it to the trunk to the battery mount. I also ran a ground from the frame to motor and frame to body. Google Mad Electric there is really good info there .

On the 69 there is a groove underneath the sill plate, that is where I ran mine. I used a bulkhead fitting on on the toe board pass. side, there is a ledge there. On the neg. cable I ran it to the trunk to the battery mount. I also ran a ground from the frame to motor and frame to body. Google Mad Electric there is really good info there .
That's what I did. Just buy one of these, http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SUM%2DG1431&N=700+115&autoview=sku

I also ran a remote starter solenoid kit so the positive cable running under the carpet is only hot when cranking the motor.
http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/st-1.shtml

Call MAD Electrical first and they will point you in the right direction.

Here's a pic of where I put a bulkhead connector like Rod linked to:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/IMG_1541.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/IMG_1539.jpg
It's only hot when the key is turned to "Start".
Eric68 was kind enough to share the following wiring diagram which worked great:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/Batterywiring.jpg
I put a maxi-fuse on the alternator wire.
Works very well.
More than you asked...sorry about that.
Scott

Perfect. Thanks guys.

Hey scott, im in the exact same place and that diagram helps more then you know ;)

But men!!!! The wiring methods look great,,,,except,,,, why run the cables all the way to the firewall inside the body?:confused: Mine have exited via holes in the trunk floor and then forward via the frame. I first did that in the 70's.

apbtrock,
glad that helped...wish I could take credit, Eric68 is the one who drew it. I added a Maxi-fuse between the alternator and battery. 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. You can get good 1/0 wire from a welding supply store. Lots of strands and flexible. I mounted the ford solenoid directly to the exterior of the 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.

Mr. Ficara,
Why wouldn't you run it in the car? :confused: The passenger door sill is channelled just as the driverside is...perfect for cable routing. Nothing inside the car is going to abraid the wires worse than road debris would. I mounted my battery on the passenger side and routed the cable on the same side...if underneath the car, I would have to take care not to run it in proximity to the fuel line.
Scott

Here's a pic of where I put a bulkhead connector like Rod linked to:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/IMG_1541.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/IMG_1539.jpg
It's only hot when the key is turned to "Start".
Eric68 was kind enough to share the following wiring diagram which worked great:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/Batterywiring.jpg
I put a maxi-fuse on the alternator wire.
Works very well.
More than you asked...sorry about that.
Scott
One thing you might want to do is run the wire, with a fusible link, from the Alternator to a distribution block, then you can run wires to the battery, tie in the main harness, etc, etc. This also allows you to splice into the wire from the S terminal of the remote solenoid and run it into the the engine bay. Connect you remote start switch to the distribution block and S terminal wire and crank away.

Patrick,
Mr. Ficara,
Why wouldn't you run it in the car? :confused: The passenger door sill is channelled just as the driverside is...perfect for cable routing. Nothing inside the car is going to abraid the wires worse than road debris would. I mounted my battery on the passenger side and routed the cable on the same side...if underneath the car, I would have to take care not to run it in proximity to the fuel line.
Scott

I have a lot of stuff in those channels but my concern is the bulkhead connector shown above the carpet. That looks scary. And what's wrong with the fuel line? Makes a great thing to clamp the cables to.

I have a lot of stuff in those channels but my concern is the bulkhead connector shown above the carpet. That looks scary. And what's wrong with the fuel line? Makes a great thing to clamp the cables to.

Not sure why it's scary. It's a purpose designed 'through bulkhead' electrical connection. If you look at the wiring diagram, the only time that post and wire are hot is when the engine is actually starting...as soon as the key is released to 'on' or 'run', the solenoid drops power to that line. As to the fuel line, I'm pretty sure the rule book says you can't run your power cable in proximity to the fuel line...if vibration wore the insulation and it arc'd while attached to the fuel line...that would be bad. Scott

You know Scott,,,the more I look at your schematic,,,,,, Hmmm. I took off my Ford solenoid a couple of years ago. I had it wired according to Hotrod Magazines Personal letter to me. (cool) I think I'll use your method. Still not sold on the need to run cables inside the car,,,,

On my 73 Nova I ran it through a watertight grommet in the firewall close to where the one in an above picture shows the through fitting. I put a 90 degree bend on the terminal end on my 1/0 wire to where the wire hugged close to the top of the starter solenoid. I do like the through fitting in that if the motor has to be removed the cable can be unbolted at the firewall unlike mine that is one wire from the starter solenoid to the rear mounted ANL fuse and relay system. If the bare stud on a connection like on the through hole bushing seems unsafe from an uncovered power source, take some tool handle rubber dip material or some silicone and put it over the connection. Should you have to service it later the coating peels off.

As far as routing always try to route in inside the car where it can more easily be protected. Very flexible 1/0 is run under a vehicle will exhibit some droop between the clamps but a person could add a counduit onto the outside of it like they do with some home wiring. Here's a shot of some 1/0 I added braided heater hose over the wire to make it look nicer and to help prevent any abrasions or heat from affecting the wires insulation. It's the braided line below the spark plugs in the below shot.


http://image02.webshots.com/2/4/98/90/94049890YaHrGT_ph.jpg


I had to run some 1/0 under a 66 Impala last year and what a pain. I would have preferred doing it under the carpet but some idiot glued the carpet down to the floor. If you do opt for under car or even in area's you need support buy the better Adel clamps. These clamps have a rubber insert in the metal portion that clamps onto the wires insulation.

On my 73 I have a seperate ground wire off of the tranny tailshaft bolt and this is run back to the battery using one of the floor plugs I modified to pass the cable into the interior.

When you make the terminations, solder the connection.

Regardless of where you run the wire, protect the wire with a fuse. I've wired many a rear mounted battery system and I use ANL style fuses and holders.

http://image08.webshots.com/8/6/43/35/114764335lzaqIa_ph.jpg

Jim