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DorianL
Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2013
Posts: 717
Location: Belgium
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 Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 7:48 am Post subject: Battery relocate in the nose? |
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I saw this website dedicated to the restoration of a 68? KG.
Absolutely charming people.
Anyway, they relocated the battery to a shelf they tabbed up in the nose of the KG, in front of the spare tire.
In terms of balance and handling, that does seem like an improvement.
Or does that raise the CG too much?
D |
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Northof49
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2013
Posts: 1759
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 8:41 am Post subject: |
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I used to have my battery in the nose, but to be honest, I can't tell any difference in handling or ride. It now sits beneath the rear seat. It might move back onto the engine shelf, passenger side if I get an urge to do so.
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1958 Karmann Ghia owner |
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retrowagen
Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2004
Posts: 1856
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 9:28 am Post subject: |
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Wow, that would result in a really looooooooooooooooooooooooooong positive battery cable to the starter.
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David Ruby
President, Karmann-Ghia World Club |
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Northof49
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2013
Posts: 1759
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 9:31 am Post subject: |
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Yup. I ran two welder's cables all the way back to the starter. One for positive, one for negative. In my ghia's present incarnation, I have eliminated all that. I still have a separate ground running to the starter.
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1958 Karmann Ghia owner |
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DorianL
Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2013
Posts: 717
Location: Belgium
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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On the Chevy I relocated the battery to the trunk for better weight distribution. The cable to the starter is very loooong. But only live on ignition… I run a Ford solenoid to start.
Hm, Well, it seems that the batt in nose is not really worth it…
Thanks Gents... |
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kiwighia68
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2013
Posts: 2875
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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| retrowagen wrote: |
| Wow, that would result in a really looooooooooooooooooooooooooong positive battery cable to the starter. |
Well, my Porsche 993 has the battery in the front, and my son's front engined BMW has the battery at the back.
Something to do with space and weight distribution, in both instances.
That said, I favour the under-the-back-seat configuration. Passenger side, for weight distribution.
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Festina lente - hasten slowly
1968 Ghia named Emiko
Resto completed Dec 2015 |
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carl4x4
Samba Member
Joined: March 20, 2012
Posts: 679
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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I've gone for the battery under the rear seat (passenger side on RHD) the wiring wasn't too bad, just re-routed to the starter and spliced into the main '30' feed to the front of the car.
I looked into putting it in the nose, but the weight of the thick gauge cable all the way back to the starter, plus the hassle of routing it just didn't seem worthwhile.
Gave me an opportunity to hide away a safety cut off close to the battery, plus freed up a whole lot of room in the engine bay 
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1969 UK Karmann Ghia build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=518789&highlight= |
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jpjohns
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2014
Posts: 882
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 7:15 pm Post subject: Re: Battery relocate in the nose? |
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| DorianL wrote: |
I saw this website dedicated to the restoration of a 68? KG.
Absolutely charming people.
Anyway, they relocated the battery to a shelf they tabbed up in the nose of the KG, in front of the spare tire.
In terms of balance and handling, that does seem like an improvement.
Or does that raise the CG too much?
D |
What's the website?
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-Jared
"Scrapyards are for quitters" - Beetlenut (a Samba member) |
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DorianL
Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2013
Posts: 717
Location: Belgium
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 4:38 am Post subject: |
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This is website - http://www.ghiagirl.com
Charmin' people…
Yes, I may move the batt under the seat to free up some room. But I was hoping to net something tangible in terms of handling.
Still may do it…
Hmmm |
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John Moxon 
Samba Moderator
Joined: March 07, 2004
Posts: 13957
Location: Southampton U.K.
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DorianL
Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2013
Posts: 717
Location: Belgium
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 6:35 am Post subject: |
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| John Moxon wrote: |
| DorianL wrote: |
| But I was hoping to net something tangible in terms of handling. |
You want a bag of cement in the trunk.  |
Will it improve tracking and cornering?  |
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Max Welton
Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2003
Posts: 10697
Location: Black Forest, CO
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60ragtop
Bonneville Belt Bitch
Joined: March 13, 2006
Posts: 7800
Location: Big Wonderful WYO 82401
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:16 am Post subject: |
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| Max Welton wrote: |
Pretty sure the 914 battery is located up front
Max |
pretty sure the stock position on a 914 is on the right side behind rear window in the engine compartment
_________________
Rick
Certified Mechanic by the State of Michigan in 1977
ASA certified in 1987
Certified Hunter Wheel Alignment Master Technician 1986
| tasb wrote: |
I've restored a large number too, but I don't toot my horn quite as loud.
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| sb001 wrote: |
| maybe he just snapped cause his car sucked |
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KGCoupe
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2005
Posts: 3580
Location: Putting the "ill" and "annoy" in Illinois
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:19 am Post subject: |
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If the battery were mounted forward of the spare tire inside of the nose, then if you should ever have the misfortune of being in a front end collision you could end up with battery acid all over your newly dented sheet metal.
OK - this is a pretty unlikely scenario, but it may be something to give minor consideration to.
I do think that getting the battery out of the engine compartment and away from the heat of the engine may possibly improve the life of the battery, but that is largely a guess on my part.
Anyway, there must be some reason that Audi mounted the battery under the back seat in the old C4 100/A6 series cars. |
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John Moxon
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Joined: March 07, 2004
Posts: 13957
Location: Southampton U.K.
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PFN
Samba Member
Joined: September 26, 2013
Posts: 159
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 8:56 am Post subject: |
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| John Moxon wrote: |
| DorianL wrote: |
| John Moxon wrote: |
| DorianL wrote: |
| But I was hoping to net something tangible in terms of handling. |
You want a bag of cement in the trunk. |
Will it improve tracking and cornering? |
Believe it or not back in the day that was often used as fix to shift the weight emphasis forward a little...usually in Beetles. |
I knew someone who was bet that they couldn't carry a tonne of cement up a very big hill in their beetle. They won the bet. But they fried their engine in the process. Dad (VW parts manger) confirmed this story regarding a local World War Two veteran who first discovered VWs in North Africa in WW2. I still have parts in the garage that I bought from him 15 years ago. Dick T... An amazing VW man since 1942.
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1962 1/2 Australian Made Beetle
1961 factory RHD Karmann Ghia
(gone now)
1964 RHD Conversion Karmann Ghia
1956 RHD Beetle
1972 Kombi |
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retrowagen
Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2004
Posts: 1856
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 9:55 am Post subject: |
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| John Moxon wrote: |
| DorianL wrote: |
| John Moxon wrote: |
| DorianL wrote: |
| But I was hoping to net something tangible in terms of handling. |
You want a bag of cement in the trunk. |
Will it improve tracking and cornering? |
Believe it or not back in the day that was often used as fix to shift the weight emphasis forward a little...usually in Beetles. |
The early Porsche 911 had lead weights in the front bumper to add a little mass down low and as far forward as possible.
And yes, I do remember the 356, 550, and 911/964/993/etc. models all had the battery box up front, for weight distribution considerations. 914's had it behind the rear seat, in a spot now widely referred to by 914'ers as the "Hell Hole."
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David Ruby
President, Karmann-Ghia World Club |
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mountainkowboy
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2008
Posts: 951
Location: Socal
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 12:05 pm Post subject: |
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My 69 911 Targa had two 6 volt batteries, one on each side of the trunk below the headlights, wired in series to 12 volts. It was done that way to balance the front of the car for performance and weight distribution. So a battery in the nose of the Ghia would be good.....2 6 volts, 1 behind each headlight and as low as possible might be better, and also would have more amps available.....hmmmmmmmm.
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Chuck in Socal
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71 Super Convertible...DD
78 Honda CB750K
06 Honda CR-V (wifes)
63 IH Scout 80 "Beater" |
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VWCOOL
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2006
Posts: 1821
Location: Down under
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Getting weight as close to the CoG of the vehicle is a good idea... and in a Ghia, that is close to being under the rear seat |
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Greezy Joe
Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2010
Posts: 1534
Location: Crawfordville, Fl
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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I run the battery up front but no spare tire, it is way down as low as possible. 911's and 356'shad there bat in the nose for wgt distribution. Plus it makes working on the motor way easier.
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Current:74 Ghia Coupe w/ 2276
71 Ghia Vert w/ 1835
07 GMC Truck
12 Jeep Wrangler
73 Harley FLH 93 cid
89 Harley 883 Sportster (1200)
Owned before: 58, 69 Ghia Coupes, 64 Canvas Sunroof, 68, 72, 73, & 74 Bugs, 63 Single Cab, 65 Bus, 66 & 70 Camper
" Duct tape can't fix stupid, but it'll muffle the sound". |
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