Trunk mount battery

[Jbarela]

Hey all, would any of you be so kind as to share any pics of the trunk mounted reverse post autolite battery. If I remember right the correct one was a tar top but I cant remember and not sure what was the service replacement for that battery.

Thanks in advance.

[Bob Gaines]

Hey all, would any of you be so kind as to share any pics of the trunk mounted reverse post autolite battery. If I remember right the correct one was a tar top but I cant remember and not sure what was the service replacement for that battery.

Thanks in advance.

It was not a tar top. The battery used was one I believe Shelby got a deal on and made a bulk order of Prestolite (according to invoice) or Autolite. Prestolite became Autolite. The batteries were a larger size like the group 24 which were needed for the long cable run to the trunk mount. I believe it was a Mopar application given the reverse post . The special Cobra vent cap assemblies were designed to be used with the special push on battery caps used on Prestolite and Autolite batteries of the era. The push on caps were enclosed in the snap together Cobra marked vented cap assembly. The vent cap assembly was to send the noxious and corrosive fumes to the outside of the car.  The Cobra vented cap assembly was designed for the reverse post battery (reverse from regular Mustang battery) only given the vent tube orientation which keeps the caps from being used on a regular Mustang battery post orientation. The posts are in the way on a regular post Mustang battery. Cobra Automotive has made a reproduction of the Cobra vent cap that although is not exact is a very nice looking similar reproduction. Because of demand Cobra Automotive has made caps that will work with reverse post battery and also Cobra vent cap assemblies that will work with regular Mustang Post orientation. The problem is that the push on original and repro cap assemblies will not fit properly in the screw in openings of most vintage or modern batteries.   

[Jbarela]

awsome info bob!! thanks!!! I tried searches on the web for pictures of this battery but could not find any, I am hoping someone has some good pics of what this reverse post battery looked like.

[Bob Gaines]

awsome info bob!! thanks!!! I tried searches on the web for pictures of this battery but could not find any, I am hoping someone has some good pics of what this reverse post battery looked like.

Good luck with that.

[madeulook]

If you are going for period correct, better buy a ground cable from Marti now, wind it up on a piece of 1" copper pipe real tight, zip tie it and stash it for two years. You will have a perfect pigtail ground cable.

[NC TRACKRAT]

For a factory photo, see Colin Comer's book, "The Complete Book of Shelby Automobiles, p.109. It shows what appears to be a yellow-top battery, assuming it to be a 24F since the POS terminal is right under the trunk hinge. The NEG ground wire is not in a spiral-wound pigtail.  Also, in Colin's book, "Shelby Mustang 50 Years", there's a re-print of MotorTrend's review in the May 1965 issue and on p.27 of the book, it shows a pic of another trunk with a yellow top 24F battery and this time, the NEG cable IS a pigtail.  Both batteries appear to be AUTOLITE.

[madeulook]

Do we agree that is should be....?

[Bob Gaines]

For a factory photo, see Colin Comer's book, "The Complete Book of Shelby Automobiles, p.109. It shows what appears to be a yellow-top battery, assuming it to be a 24F since the POS terminal is right under the trunk hinge. The NEG ground wire is not in a spiral-wound pigtail.  Also, in Colin's book, "Shelby Mustang 50 Years", there's a re-print of MotorTrend's review in the May 1965 issue and on p.27 of the book, it shows a pic of another trunk with a yellow top 24F battery and this time, the NEG cable IS a pigtail.  Both batteries appear to be AUTOLITE.

I suppose you are not aware that the earliest cars got a Ford assemblyline battery typically 24 F with yellow caps. There are pictures of that car. That is not a regular production car and so it is not prudent to expect all of the same things that are on that car to be on a regular production car. Yes the spiral wrapped negative cable was typical on later rear battery cars so that the regular long Mustang cable could be reused in the trunk where the length did not need to be so long. The spiral took up the slack.  The smaller assemblyine 22 F battery that came with the cars as they arrived at SA from SJ was not up to the task given the long cable run to the trunk. A 24 F Mustang battery was substituted for a short period of time. There was more then one type of battery used  in 65 production . At least 3 different types were used in 65 production. You must be unfamiliar with rear battery GT350's otherwise you would know that the regular Mustang battery positive post does not align with the trunk hinge. In the case of the regular Mustang positive post it is on the outboard side of the trunk hinge. The reverse post battery sets on the inboard side of the trunk hinge . Both of the different styles of battery positive posts are the same distance from the trunk hinge just opposite each other. That trunk hinge urban legend I suppose evolved to explain the need for a reverse post battery. The people that made up that false fact didn't take into consideration the business side of things. Shelby was trying to save money with the bulk purchase at a most likely highly discounted price given the odd ball Mopar application and the obsolete style of battery case they were.   The reverse post batteries that were used later on in the rear battery cars was a earlier Prestolite/Autolite style case version that was most likely already obsolete when they were purchased given the style of battery caps which is why I speculate it was a money issue . The odd ball Mopar battery version instead of a regular Mustang version battery also supports that theory. The vent cap assemblies were developed at the same time specifically for those reverse post batteries given the amount of batteries purchased most likely .     

[NC TRACKRAT]

Bob-
   Thank you for your learned and informative dissertation on rear mounted batteries in 1965 GT350's. We can always count on you to wax eloquent with your vast knowledge about these vehicles.  I'm somewhat perplexed as to why you imply that I don't know what I'm talking about.  I'm just responding to the OP's request for pics.  For what it's worth, I do know that the POS terminal is exactly in line and under the rear hinge on 5S071 which has been in my possession for some 25 years.  You will recall, no doubt, that the earlier cars did not have the bracket for the spare tire hold-down, hence the ability to position the battery tray slightly inboard. I did not state that it rendered any safety issue or interference. 

[Bob Gaines]

Bob-
   Thank you for your learned and informative dissertation on rear mounted batteries in 1965 GT350's. We can always count on you to wax eloquent with your vast knowledge about these vehicles.  I'm somewhat perplexed as to why you imply that I don't know what I'm talking about.  I'm just responding to the OP's request for pics.  For what it's worth, I do know that the POS terminal is exactly in line and under the rear hinge on 5S071 which has been in my possession for some 25 years.  You will recall, no doubt, that the earlier cars did not have the bracket for the spare tire hold-down, hence the ability to position the battery tray slightly inboard. I did not state that it rendered any safety issue or interference.

The OP was requesting pictures of the reverse post battery not the regular Mustang post battery that you referred to in your example. I was trying to stay on subject. Given the subject and your example I didn't think you were aware of the variations. I apologize if I offended.

[texas swede]

Here is a picture of an original battery for a 65 Shelby. Please remember that some of the cars had Cobra battery vent caps.
Texas Swede

[Jbarela]

Here is a picture of an original battery for a 65 Shelby. Please remember that some of the cars had Cobra battery vent caps.
Texas Swede
Great pic, from the orientation of the pic is the pos post on the right or left.

[Jbarela]

Guess I dont know how to quote correctly. Tex..where is the pos post in that pic right or left side? And thanks so much for that pic, that was exactly what I was looking for, but I ended up getting a lot of great info!!

[texas swede]

This is a reversed post battery, i.e. Chevy type. As Bob said it's called PB11 (Prestolite). Howard told me many years ago
that they found an invoice for this type of battery and that his car 5S350 came with one even when his car had a front mounted
battery.
Texas Swede

[Jbarela]

So does the autolite logo on the side in the pic face the tank or quarter panel