The Lakewood has a small area to put a narrow 51R type battery in the rear driver side of the quarter panel. I'd prefer to put more of the weight up front, not have the battery in such a tight area and given the price of batteries these day it will get "shared" with some of my other cars that make easy access a plus.

The Fronk already gets the spare tire so the most logical place to put it is upward on the passenger side. Though lower would be more ideal (CG wise) it would also put the battery forward of the front wheels. So I see it as a 50/50 trade-off between CG (lower battery)and polar moment inertia (battery between than in front of the wheels).

Regarding running the cable, going underneath seems like an problem in the making. There is the steering, the fuel tank and in the enclosed lower channel there is the potential to tangle with the throttle linkage. The most logical route seems to be coming into the interior on the passenger side, vertically down the hinges and then in the channel that get covered by the sill trim. From there I can go under the rear seat and through the vertical rear floor to the solenoid. I would of course provide protection at all pass-thru and side scuff areas.

Before I proceed I was checking to see if others had done similar or had a better idea.

Put it in front of the spare...far right.

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Wittsend: Someone in the future might appreciate it if you put a plastic/vinyl tray underneath your battery. If you are in a very dry climate, it’s probably not a big deal, but areas with humidity can have the battery ‘sweat’ with temperature changes and trap moisture underneath it. Leaky batteries are pretty much a thing of the past, but it’s not just leaky batteries that cause battery boxes to rust away. YMMV.

Craig T
Central NY
1961 Tramp (truck with a ramp)

Only 'food for thught': I use the marine battery boxes in my late cars to keep the battery contained. There is a cover too in case you want to place other things in the trunk without concern of something metal crossing the battery posts.

The only couple of times I have moved battery to the front was in autox type cars. I ran the battery cable from fron to rear through a length of garden hose to help protect the wire cable from damage and/or wear. Yes a pain but I considered it good insurance against a serious shorting possiblity.

best wishes, Steve
Rear Engine Spec. Inc. Golden, Colo.

1962 spyder 3.0L turbo---1965 Crown V8
1967 monza 110/4---1968 monza 110/4
1971 amante gt 110/4
CORSA/RMC/PPCC/V8 Registry

Thanks, yes, a tray at a minimum or better a battery box. I have a few battery boxes around here..., somewhere. The battery in the picture I just picked up at random from my pile and tossed it in place for positioning testing. At $22 core value each I take them when no one else wants that "old battery sitting around." And, like I said with the prices of batteries these days I'll need to share it with some of my other infrequent driven cars.

I don't know where the battery in the Fc's go but in the Lakewood it is tucked into that area adjacent to the driver side quarter panel and I already have the trans cooler located near the area. So, I want to eliminate one more thing in the incoming air pathway. The battery isn't in an open, unobstructed area like the sedan/coupes.

This will also allow me to run a 24 series battery. They are usually the least expensive and CCA rating aside I believe a less taxed battery compared to a smaller 51R that is the only option for rear placement.

Hey Tom, I am not sure this has any value to you but some of the Volvo cars I work on have the battery in the trunk. They run the positive battery cable all the way up to the front engine compartment and have these cables nicely insulated. If you want this cable stop by your local Pick A Part and remove it. Applications are 01-09 S60, 99-06 S80, 01-07 XC70, 03-15 XC90, etc. Lots of cars in other words.

Isn't this the car that is only going to see a couple hundred miles a year, at the most?
considering that the engine presents over 300 pounds hanging out the tail-end, I can't really see a (what? 35-50 pound) battery making much difference on the Polar Moment if it is in the front of the trunk.

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WA. state, 1 mile south of the Canadian border, I am not at the end of the world, but you can see it from here.

One thing to remember is moving weight is twice as good as removing it as far as balance goes and the battery is higher than the engine so lowering the weight also makes a big difference.
I think the best place is the passenger rear floor but most wouldn't want it there. If you could fit it under the rear seat that would be ideal.

Joel
Northlake, TX
5 Ultravans, 145 Corvairs and counting...

I agree with Joel in that you are not only removing 30 or 40 lbs from the rear, but adding that to the front. That equates to a 60 to 80 lb advantage.
Also, Steve Goodman has a great (cheap) way to protect the big cable; putting it thru a garden hose.

Doug Ward
Orange, Calif.
65 Corsa 180, 64 Monza convertible, 61 Lakewood, 61 Monza

Timothy, thanks for the Volvo tip. I actually have about 20+ feet of welding style cable. But I have other cars that eventually will also need a longer cable. Pick A Part use to be my monthly vacation destination for 25+ years. Covid stopped the monthly 40%-50% off sales and I haven't been back since. Maybe you have given me a reason to go again.

Mel, yes, likely only a few miles a year. Even my daily driver has about 300 miles since my smog check on July 5th, 2022. So, I really don't drive much at all.
I only made mention of polar moment of inertia for the ONE person that MIGHT want to discuss placing the battery lower but forward of the axle line vs higher, but back of the front axle line. Most every car has the battery mounted that high and many quite forward of the front axle line. So, I'm actually at an advantage having it just back of the front axle line even if higher than it could be in the front well. Like I said in my first post I see it as a 50/50 trade-off. But all technical arguments aside the main reason I want it higher is simply to access it with easy. And I say that typing right now having thrown my back out this morning for the thousandth time in my life.

Joel, the Lakewood actually has a removable panel on the wagon section floor that goes over the transmission. It allows access to the differential cover, governor, modulator and starter. I'm not running a heater (So. Cal. weather) and there is enough room to put a battery there. However, the panel has EIGHTEEN screws holding it in place so access isn't easy when stuck at the side of the road. Everything seems to have its trade-off.

So, for all, just to be clear. I wanted the battery out of the small area in the back because it allows me a larger, less expensive 24 series battery that I can share with other cars. I want it higher for easy access (Oh my aching back) and gain the advantage of it being slightly within the wheel base than lower (Oh my aching back - again) which though having an advantage CG wise also puts it forward (a disadvantage) of the front axle line.

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***'61 Lakewood, a "Freebie" in hibernation for 28 years - In the process of applying CPR.***

If the trunk is where you want it remember the roll center of the front axle is fairly low so the lowest part of the trunk is about the only option, one compromise is a less than ideal polar moment.