DansYellow66

Has anyone posted lately what a giant PIA it is to change the battery out in the mid-year Corvette - w/o tearing something up or throwing out your back??? I guess the 427 motor doesn't help clearance issues. Fortunately the surround gutters survived undamaged again. The last battery lasted about 8 or 9 years and being a couple months short of 61 I'm probably going to have to endure this one, two or three more times before they confiscate my drivers license or I'm warming a chair in a nursing home. Geeezz!

6T5RUSH

DansYellow66,

Know what you mean. Although I changed mine 2 years ago (mines a small block), I had the aftermarket air conditioning hose to deal with as well as the overflow connections and tank itself. A true major PIA!! I had to disconnect the A/C compressor from its mount and bunji cord it over the fender which did give me room from the spider webbed hoses to accomplish this. PIA!!!

You have my condolences!

Jim
In God We Trust!

gwalker

Apparently you were not holding your tongue just right. Just kidding, they are a pain even in a 327 with no air. I just hooked all my cars up on battery tenders and hope that it extends the life along time.

Donny Brass

just cut those ugly gills off the fenders, install the new battery, then install a that new set of '67 fender vents that you always wanted but could never afford

DansYellow66

As I was standing there looking at it after meauring the height of the battery, and the clear space between the fender gutter and the heater hoses zip-tied over against the valve cover, and finding them to be the exact same dimension - I did have a passing thought about cutting a hole in the inner fender and making a sheet metal cover plate to go back over it. But not the gills - I'm kind of partial to 65/66 bodies.

Ron Miller

The access hole in the inner fender makes all the difference in the world. I'd much rather change the battery in my '65 small block with A/C by pulling the wheel and removing the access panel than change the '66 small block battery where I've got to contend with the heater hoses and the overflow tank.

I just got through pulling the heater housing and the heater core where I (again) pulled the fitting loose from my last battery changing episode. Truth was, the damage was done the time BEFORE this last change, but a shot of stop leak got me through until this change when I decided to fix it properly.

Next time, I'm gonna drain the radiator partially down, remove the hoses from the heater gently (cutting them if necessary and replacing) and swap the battery. Sure would be easier in my opinion if all the mid-years had the battery on the driver's side with an access panel in the inner fender.

Tom/99

I changed the battery in my 65 factory air coupe a couple weeks ago. All I had to do was, jack up the left front, remove the left front wheel, remove about ten bolts to get the wheel well acess panel, to the battery off. Then remove the battery. Nothing is easy when working on a C2.

Ron Miller

Yeah, but I'd rather do that than pull the heater housing and heater core to repair it . . . . .

54greg

327Heaven

My back aches just by reading this thread

OldKarz

tjstarduster

Dan you probably won't like this idea, but last summer when I installed the new motor, I removed the blower motor and firewall heater box. Since I don't drive the car if it's really cold or raining, I made heater block off plates like a heater delete car and installed them. I don't miss the heater and it sure is easy to get to the battery. Besides that my heater core was beginning to leak! Good luck.

JL66REDCPE

I take a couple plastic bags from the supermarket. I put one inside the other. I lift the battery one side at a time and slide the bags under and around the battery. I then use the handles on the bags to lift and swing the battery out of the engine compartment. I use the same technique to put the new battery in. Once in I just cut the bags to remove them. You may want to use two or three bags inside each other. This technique also allows you to use both hands. I also have a 427 engine.

SLWRNU

Went one better. Installed new Gen IV Vintage AC/heat and that removed the exterior box on the firewall and relocates the new unit inside the passenger side dash. Adds quite a bit of room. Not sure battery removal will be a snap, but looks to be a bit easier.