I go out to check my oil and I notice something looks different.

The entire battery and tray has come off of the rusty engine compartment side wall, this isn't good. It looks like the bolts that held it in place are still attached to the tray at least on one side but have ripped through the sheetmetal.
Now the battery is sitting right on top of the fuel line and pump so I'm taking the morning off from work to try to get it back where it goes.
I think I'll be able to get to it and just get another piece of metal to put on the other side (hell hole) for a little more support and bolt it all back up there, hopefully with minimal hole drilling.

That sounds serious!

I've got pics, need to figure out how to get them here.
I'm not on my usual computer...

Same thing happened to Joe a few years ago whe he was driving. We met when i offered to come over and weld on the replacement for him.
At least hit the area with a wire brush to take down the rust and spray it with some primer. if you are bolting and not welding, use some big fender washers on the back to give more surface for the tray to attach to the fender wall.

In Joes case, his tray was just poorly welded on in the first place. It was not a big rust issue.

Zach

You could weld it back, or now might be a good time to consider relocating the battery to the front or rear trunk (mine's in the rear).

without seeing the issue...a piece of angle aluminum bolted through the inner fender and then bolted to the battery tray may be a quick fix available at the local hardware store.

RIch

Now's the time to do it right, as this is the proverbial "warning shot over the bow"!

Your battery tray is welded on the back to the inner wheel housing, and to the battery support under it, which is then welded on the bottom to the top of the rear inner long. There is only one bolt & clamp at the battery tray to the lip on the bottom of the battery to hold it on the tray.

So this tells me - even without pix - that you've got some rust & battery acid corrosion issues there in the hell hole area (liquid or vapor/off-gassing induced).

Rather than waiting to the rear suspension ear to break off, pass rear long to collapse, etc. from this corrosion - take the time now to fully assess the damage
to the entire area, then remove & replace all sheet metal parts which are corroded - including a new battery tray & support.

Just my 2 centavos!

I got it attached well enough to get me to work this morning, I'll get it put in better after the weekend, it'll sit at the office until monday.

This isn't the original battery tray, it is one that the shop bolted in a year or two ago, it looks like there was only one bolt left holding it and it ripped through the weakened metal.

So, I have used a couple of washers to hold where it is torn, and sheetmetal screws in the other two holes. One of the screws has already loosened ( on the front side of the compartment there is a dip in the sheetmetal that made it hard to get the screw in) but it looks like it will hold until I can at least get to my dads house where he has all of the proper tools and hardware to secure it properly.

Pics of my hellhole forthcoming, I think I could fit my hand in the hole...