Bitchin’ products finned aluminum battery box bolts together in two sections with brass cable-attachment posts that screw into side outlets on the battery.  Aluminum plate and foam pad are placed beneath the battery to shield it from the mounting screws in the bottom of the case.

Optima battery chosen for this application is the RedTop® Battery; Group 34/78; Cold Crank Amps 800; Crank Amps 1000; Reserve Capacity 100; Ampere Hour 50; Dual Terminal; L-10 in.; W-6 7/8 in.; H-7 13/16 in.

Mounting plate for the battery was originally fabricated from angle iron to hold a larger wet-cell battery.  It was trimmed down to accommodate the new battery/battery box combo.  Rectangular tubing serves as the rear support leveling the mount and weld-on studs provide attachment points to the floor.

Mounting plate for the battery box sits level because rectangular tubing was welded to the bottom of the plate.  Tubing was cut so that the excess on the sides could be folded and welded to close off the ends.

Grommets protect the 01-size cables from the sharp edges of the holes and keep out moisture.  Size of the holes and grommets will vary depending upon the size of the cable that is used.

The protective aluminum plate and foam insulator are placed in the bottom of the battery box and the battery placed inside.

Cable ends can be soldered but crimping is preferred because solder can wick up the cable reducing its flexibility.  Inexpensive crimping tools for large cable do a satisfactory job but high-end crimping tools like this provide the best connection.

The first connection made was the black ground cable to a clean spot on the frame.  It was clamped to the frame and a loop made to allow some slack in the cable.

Holes were drilled in the frame rails to accommodate the self-threading hex-head cap screws used to mount the insulated brackets that hold the cable in place.

Posts for attaching the cables are doubled-nutted and installed in the side mounts of the battery through the holes in the case.

Cable clamps hold the cables in place and protective boots cover the battery connections.  Power cable actually connects to the disconnect solenoid, and then back down through the floor in this installation.

The positive cable was routed along the left frame rail to the starter solenoid that is located on the left side of a Buick Nailhead V-8.  For cars with a starter that is located on the right you may want to route the battery cables and place the battery box on the right side of the car.

Inexpensive battery boxes like the plastic-case type used in marine applications on the left or top-of-the-line aluminum boxes from Bitchin' both work well for locating a battery in the trunk.  Regular lead/acid type batteries can be placed inside the vehicle trunk if vented properly: but new sealed batteries like the Optima are a better choice.

The cast-aluminum box is sized ideally for the new Optima Spiral Cell battery.  Other standard size wet-cell batteries can also be used if ventilated properly.

OPTIMA®'s unique SPIRALCELL® design offers the newest technology surpassing any of today's traditional lead/acid batteries.  The OPTIMA® battery, with its spill-proof case, 2x longer-life, vibration resistance and multi-position installation can provide all the power needed for this application.

Floors in early hot rods usually are not flat.  My deuce highboy has a 90-degree rib in the floor that reaches across from side-to-side that I reinforced with angle iron trimmed and welded to the body side channels.  Mounting plate for the battery box bolts through that angle and is secured to the floor.

Holes were cut through the floor so the power and ground cables could be routed through to the inside of the left frame rail.

Holes are drilled in the bottom of the battery box and mounting plate and then attached with the appropriate hardware.

Cable can be cut with a fine-tooth hacksaw but the job will be much cleaner using a combination cutting tool like this that both cuts and strips heavy cable.

Protecting the connection from the elements is best accomplished by covering it with glue-filled shrink tubing.  Heat can be applied carefully with a small torch but a heat gun like this is the preferred method.

Then the power cable was bracketed to the frame and routed forward along the inside of the left frame rail.

Insulated brackets were placed at intervals along the inside of the frame rail supporting the cable and offering a solid point to attach the wiring harness to in the future.

Protective boots are placed on both cables and then the cables are attached to insulated posts projecting through the side of the battery box.

Many options are available when fabricating a mount for the battery box.  The important factors to consider are placing it in a secure and accessible location and keeping it level.

To guarantee a solid ground a separate grounding cable needs to connect the engine/drivetrain to the frame.  This short cable attaches to the transmission bellhousing and the frame X-member.  Slack as left in the cable to allow for engine movement while running.