So... I removed my battery today and about 60% of the tray was stuck to it and I can see now why everyone says it is such a big 914 problem... Any pros or cons to just relocating it in to the rear cargo area? Is there a kit out there to do so??

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I took a old bed frame and welded a bracket that the battery fits in and attached it to the trunk floor. Works real well. Summit makes a nice battery mount Link.

Just me but I would cut out the old one, clean up the mess and put it back in the same position. There are replacement pieces and they don't cost very much. If the hell hole and inner fender are still in good shape the amount of welding should be minimal. Finish it with POR 15 and you're good for another 35 years. I'm not a CW but I don't like a battery in the trunk.

You can land a stock, OEM replacement tray on eBay for $20 including shipping. I'm not sure but it seems logical that the battery is in the engine bay for several reasons- balance against the weight of the driver on the left & free up trunkspace, which is very necessary in the back for your targa top & needed up front for your spare. Whatever you do don't put a wet cell back into that car.

The battery will fit nicely in the passenger side forward corner of the rear trunk.

Problems with original location was rain water (acid water running into mount and long) and mounting height in chassis (which is only important if you are a racer and trying to move weight lower in the chassis). First problem supposedly fixed with an Optima type battery.

Problem with moving battery to rear or even front trunk is venting the gasses produced during charging (and sometimes boil over of the electrolyte).

Mount it in a marine battery case, provide a vent (hose) through the trunk floor and you should be "good to go".

Best location would be pass side footwell or front trunk. First location, your pass might might complain. 2nd location, you lose your spare tire.

When I first decided to move my battery to the rear I was going to use a marine box only to discover that it was to tall for my targa top to fit. When I start the rustoration I will relocate to the front trunk

I will try to put it back in the stock location if I can find the replacement tray. Is there any place that actually has lots of 914 parts or is every place just this and that like I have found online. Seems like doing a resto on this car is going to be easy once I can find parts!!!

Most parts are easy to find, eBay, Restoration Design for replacement metal, Pelican Parts for most other parts and of course there is Auto Atlanta. Also check the "Member Vendors"

And also

aw, thats just a flesh wound.

If only my hell hole looked so good...I could only dream

When I bought my 71, the battery was relocated to the trunk. I painted the trunk and decided that the trunk looks too good to put the battery back in the trunk.
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So I welded the aftermarket battery bracket in the original location.
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What's the ABS pipe for?



and why is your fire wall cracking?

Unless the car is dedicated to racing I say keep it in the stock location, just make sure you only buy gel-cell batterys like Optima. Having that extra storage space does make a difference with the small trunks!

Just about anything you install in the rear trunk will prevent you from mounting the roof panel... Pull the motor. Do it right.

The PVC pipe is the heater hose coming from the booster fan. I did this fix before I knew I could get the flexible hose.

The firewall was coated with tar and painted and the paint is cracking.

Pull the motor?!? Clearly I missed something, and am I must be out of context here, and am drunk3r than I thought, and will be begging for ConeDogger's forgivess later when I sober up since I clearly quoted him out of context.


I put my battery in the front/right corner of my rear trunk. In a plastic battery box. Fitting it and making sure it fit with the targa top in the trunk, with the lid down was NO trouble.

Just use your common sense and fabrication skills! A little carving and fabricating is exactly what we thrive on around here.

If you can't figure it out your own, then get some help. Plenty of that available!

If you use this battery you can mount it just about anywhere. 11lbs and very compact.

and

Is the Optima battery someting you order online, and if so from where? Or is it from your local auto-parts?

You should be able to find them locally and online. Optima is a brand name of spiral gel cell battery. You can mount them in any position and they won't leak. They cost about ~$120.00