Back to work on the battery relocation and front disc swap on the 57 Bird. Does the positive battery cable need to be routed under the car? I have mocked it up routed from the trunk into the interior behind the seat and along the drivers side floor under the carpet to the firewall, then out a hole to the engine compartment to the solenoid. Bad idea? Routing it under the car on the drivers side puts the cable in close proximity to the fuel line and there are problems with the X member to run it on the inside of the frame rail. Thanks.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

Just a general comment but, I am not comfortable with a heavy gage cable (I used 2/0) constantly "hot" running the length of car. In my '57 Custom 300, I moved the starter relay to the trunk next to the battery so that the big cable was only hot when the starter was engaged. A much smaller fuse protected wire(s) can then be run to power rest of the system as necessary. I found some flexible electrical sleeving that I ran under the carpet next to the OE wiring as a "conduit" for extra insulation. Maybe a little overboard but "better safe..." and all that. JMO

On my car(sedan,not Bird),I ran the cable on the outside of the frame rail and fastened it to the fuel line.It's been that way for 10 years or so and about 35,000 miles with no problem of any kind.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

On my `57 Bird, I nested the Optima passenger side, tween the spare tire and quarter panel, and in front of the fuel fill... ran the cable interior toward the rocker panel but jogged over toward and along the tranny hump, then up and out the firewall... I didnt like the way the cable (double zero?) made the carpet buldge along the door sill, and felt it was better hidden in the crevis created at the transition between the hump and the floor board.

I might ponder it differently and do it like gekko did if I were to do it again.

Cheers... Brian

Cylinder Index = 84

Current Experiment = `57 Tbird, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Thanks Brian,

Finished that up this morning and set the battery up like yours. Going to add a second solenoid in the trunk to keep the positive cable hot only in start.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

A question about the positive battery cable for a trunk mounted battery. With a second solenoid in the trunk what size cable connects the 100 or so AMPS from the alternator into the battery? I seem to be missing something here. Not that unusual. Thanks Pete

Details, details, details. Just glad I sorted out the battery installation and cable routing today. I have the positive cable hooked directly to the firewall solenoid now. Used rubber grommets to insulate the cable where needed. Ran the cable under the carpet along the drivers side and through the firewall where the original tachometer cable went through. Not using the cable driven tachometer. Didn't think of that and means a charging circuit, etc. for a second solenoid.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto