AltBantam
Active Member
I am currently planning out the fine tuning of things which are important but not visually pleasing. Battery location, fuse box, etc. On an original Bantam, the battery was located in a box placed on the passenger side underneath the hood but inside the cowling. I tried to find a good photo but I couldn't. At first I though about doing the same. I would weld a Speedway battery holder to the subframe I will have underneath the cowling. But that would require glassing in underneath the mount as well as cutting out an access for the battery in the extended cowling and upper firewall. So I either have to place the battery underneath the car or in front, I'll get to that option in a minute. There will not be access through the floorboard. If the battery is mounted underneath against the chassis, it will need enough clearance to be removable. The battery would also be visible from underneath, which I don't really like. The easiest location is the very rear of the car. Behind the frame's rear crossmember, I can mount a battery there. But I would have to snake the cables from the rear to the front. Looking at the photo below, you can see where I added in a faux battery. The other place to mount the battery would be the front, the very front in front of the radiator. Placing the battery out front is closer to the engine and starter. But a big battery sitting out there is not the best looking option. I have plans to add a small fake gas tank up front to give the car that dragster look. I did wonder if I could make a battery box which looked like a 2.5 gallon spun aluminum gas tank. 
While searching on the forum last night on battery locations of other builders, I ran across many builders using small Odyssey batteries about ten years ago. The battery is only 3" tall when laid on its side. That would leave less than an 1" visible underneath the frame rails. But the little battery only shows 170 cold cracking amps. On a small motor, okay. On a big block? That is an option but only if others with big blocks have used the Odyssey 680 successfully.
So my current thinking is the very rear of the car, but having to use over 6 feet of battery cable. The very front of the car but hidden inside a fake aluminum fuel tank. Or an Odyssey battery laid on its side, if it is reliable enough. A regular battery would extend over 4" below the frame rails, which I don't think I would like.
While searching on the forum last night on battery locations of other builders, I ran across many builders using small Odyssey batteries about ten years ago. The battery is only 3" tall when laid on its side. That would leave less than an 1" visible underneath the frame rails. But the little battery only shows 170 cold cracking amps. On a small motor, okay. On a big block? That is an option but only if others with big blocks have used the Odyssey 680 successfully.
So my current thinking is the very rear of the car, but having to use over 6 feet of battery cable. The very front of the car but hidden inside a fake aluminum fuel tank. Or an Odyssey battery laid on its side, if it is reliable enough. A regular battery would extend over 4" below the frame rails, which I don't think I would like.
