battery retaining strap

stephen.mather · Post by **stephen.mather** » Wed Dec 31, 2014 6:34 pm

Now we have to have the battery restrained by a strap or similar to get the car through the UK MOT test I wonder what people are doing if their old retaining frame, the original equipment, does not fit their modern battery.

I have a Lucas battery which fits the tray nicely in the horizontal dimensions, but the retaining cage will not fit as the battery is rather squat and the lugs for the threaded retaining bolts foul the body of the car because they are too low.

Has anyone got an easy practical solution, or is it a case of having a strap or bracket made to fit?
Clearly a simple metal bar across the top of the battery would work but not look very nice.
Perhaps I need a different battery, but the modern ones I have seen in the correct dimensions to fit the tray will all be too small in height.

Thanks
Steve

cactusman · Post by **cactusman** » Wed Dec 31, 2014 7:57 pm

I had the same issue. I used a piece of polished stainless steel plate about 2 inches wide I got from a fire place surround. Looks fine. No rust. Just an occassional wipe with autosol. Goes across the battery and I used the threaded long hooks either side with suitable holes in the battery tray. MOT man happy!

paydase · Post by **paydase** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 1:15 am

This is what I also have:

stephen.mather · Post by **stephen.mather** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 3:27 pm

Thanks chaps.
I will make up something like this to get through the MOT, but I may see if I can make , or have made, something a bit more period-looking, maybe even using the original part but cutting down the lugs where the bolt goes through.

If I can improve on the simple strap, I will report back.

Steve

Post by **Heuer** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 3:34 pm

You can use the original through clamps and make up a strap to go between them. I made something similar for my OTS with its lightweight SBS battery although I needed custom clamps because of the orientation. I tidied it up by slipping on a length of black shrink wrap and applying heat to fix it in place:

stephen.mather · Post by **stephen.mather** » Thu Jan 01, 2015 3:41 pm

This is what I had in mind for the "temporary" solution. I still hanker after something more "elegant" though.

Steve

wilkinsi · Post by **wilkinsi** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 10:49 am

I recently imported 62 FHC 886763 from the US and the usual story applied - the battery was no good so I bought from XKS Unlimited a specific repro battery made by a company called Antique Auto Battery of Youngstown, Ohio (see www.antiqueautobattery.com) designed to be a totally accurate reproduction of the early 3.8 battery including the LUCAS logo moulded into the side.

You can get the logo painted white or not and from early photos it appears the 61 cars battery was painted in white for the logo but not the 62 (photo in Definitive E Type Page 145).
I ordered it with an unpainted logo but have decided to paint it anyway.

The great thing about this product is that it is a gel type and has no liquid in it at all which is good for shipping issues. Have had it for 3 months and seems very strong with excellent cranking power but also the normal SNG top clamp fits to perfection.
I also managed to get hold of some correct BIG eared wing nuts from www.etypeparts.com (John Farrell) which really finish off the originality.

Sorry I would like to have uploaded a photo but being new haven't quite worked out how to do that yet!

Ian Wilkins

Post by **Heuer** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 5:28 pm

Ian

viewtopic.php?t=1666

stephen.mather · Post by **stephen.mather** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 5:38 pm

Thanks Ian,
That is useful info as most of the "classic" batteries for 60s cars still come with sulphuric acid solution (not gel) and have poor cranking capability in the cold (by modern standards). I have had two and I was not impressed, hence the modern Lucas one I have now.
I will contact the people you mention to see if they know of a UK distributor for the battery you have. However, I would think forum members will already know if there is one in UK, or if similar goods are available.

I was loath to try yet another "repro" battery because of my past experiences.

Anyway, I have now dismembered then original battery retainer and I just have to braze the cut-down bits together and then see if they fit the new battery!

Best wishes
Steve

Dave K · Post by **Dave K** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 6:03 pm

I went through two of the lead top batteries in a about 4 years and at around ?120 a piece and on the advice of the battery store manager I changed to a modern battery and haven't had any trouble.
My clamp doesn't fit and it's been off since I fitted the modern battery about 4 or 5 years ago, its never been picked up on the MOT.

No way that thing is going anywhere it's almost jammed in the hole. I have some 12mm x 12mm stainless RSA at work so if I had to I could make a battery clamp from st.st.

Might be a money making idea there if I had the time which at present I don't.

Dave

stephen.mather · Post by **stephen.mather** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 6:15 pm

I think it is only last year that the battery clamp became a "must" for the MOT.
People have had their cars fail just because they didn't have one! Maybe make a simple strap for the MOT and then take it off again if it looks ugly?

Steve

Dave K · Post by **Dave K** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:24 pm

I'll do that if it gets picked up.

Dave

neil4444 · Post by **neil4444** » Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:47 pm

I adjusted the standard bracket to fit a modern 005R battery, thus...

From recollection I think I took about 10mm out of the length. Width was fine.

Dave K · Post by **Dave K** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:52 pm

Neil,

Just curious are you still restoring your car? it looks like brand new where mine is nothing like yours in that area.
I suppose the ravages of time, 10 years since my car was restored.

Dave

neil4444 · Post by **neil4444** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 1:35 pm

Hi Dave,

Yes, restoration still ongoing. Hope to start adding some patina from this summer.

stephen.mather · Post by **stephen.mather** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 3:19 pm

Thanks Neil,
I am doing similarly. I have had to remove both length and width to fit my Lucas battery. Yours seems slightly different in all dimensions.
On reflection, it might have been most sensible to find a battery which fitted the carrier but also the retaining frame.
Hard to do on-line and none of the battery stockists around here (Somerset) had anything suitable because I wanted to stay with a name like Lucas as a sop to heritage. Lucas make a range of "classic" batteries.

The battery I have is much smaller in height and I will also have to cut down and re-thread the bolts.

Anyway, I'm going with the simple strap option for a few weeks until I have time to remake the retaining cage.

Steve

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