65 Rear Mounted Battery Photos

[Texas Swede]

Hi,
Please help! I have never seen any factory photos or 1965 Magazine
article showing the 1965 GT350 rear mounted battery with COBRA
Vent Caps. Have you seen any or better yet, still have it so you
can share. Also, was the battery a Tar Top Autolite Sta-Ful or
like todays 24F repos. I have two (one used) Autolite 24C with green text
but they are both dated 1969 to 1972. However, the COBRA Vent Caps fit fine on the 24C. The original Shelby 1965 parts book specifies BP11MS
in one place and PB11MS in another place. I have not been able to
found any information on any of these.
Thanks,
/Texas Swede

[Snakepit]

I'm sure I've got an original picture or two around here somewhere. Used it as reference for one of the restorations.

There was a period (if I remember correctly) where they might not have installed AUTOLITE or FoMoCo batteries. Believe there is a comment about that on one of the early add-delete sheets from San Jose

[Texas Swede]

That would be great. Shelby must have replaced the batteries
on the cars when arriving from San Jose' as they couldn't use
them due to the reversed posts on the COBRA Vent Cap cars.
Thanks,
Texas Swede

[steveshelbymustang]

I found this photo Black and white is factory photo while color photos are restorations. Hope this helps

[eljimb0]

Originally Posted by steveshelbymustang

I found this photo Black and white is factory photo while color photos are restorations. Hope this helps

I love it that the restoration pictures are different that the original photo.
(obviously the original is wrong)
jimbo

[Texas Swede]

Thanks,
The factory photo is from a very early 65, second is 5S238 restored by David Randall and third I have never seen. This is neat but not what I was looking
for which was a factory or 1965 Magazine photo of a COBRA vent cap
equipped car. Heard many years ago that there was a magazine
showing this but when I was able to locate a copy it didn't include any
Shelby 65 at all.
I knew this wasn't going to be easy.
Thanks again,
Texas Swede

[steveshelbymustang]

I know that you are looking for an original factory photo of the Cobra vent caps. I remember an article pertaining to the vent caps being installed on the cars because of complaints from buyers having gasses venting into the cars and also being a method of getting rid of the acid from overcharging batteries into the trunk. That changed when the batteries were no longer placed in the trunk. I believe the photo you may want may be in the form of service bulletin to dealerships service departments. The factory photo may not exist because this procedure was done outside the factory. This is only a opinion. Not fact. I can not remember the artilcle location but I know and remember the topic. I think that was a conversation with Chuck Cantwell somewhere! The last photo was taken at SAAC31 5S200 by me

[Texas Swede]

That's an excellent point that some cars got them installed at dealerships
due to complaints from customers. Probably is the answer to why some
cars with fairly early numers have been found with the caps.
Most cars probably got them at the factory though because the
holes drilled in the trunk floor were exactly in the same spots on the cars I have checked 5S235, 5S256, 5S266 and 5S262. 235 drawing from earlier owner, 256 and 266 photos and 262 measured by myself. Also Howard Pardee told me that SAAC has copies of the Purcase Orders for 500 Vent Caps and Batteries with the reversed (Chevy type) posts. Anoher reason, I would like to see the factory photo is the discussion as regards the battery clamp for cars with Vent Caps. The holes for the clamps were drilled unevenly which means that the ones shown on your pictures of the restored cars have been changed as they have the standard clamp. All cars mentioned above have
these holes drilles unevenly. Personally I think Shelby used the 65 full size
Ford clamp shown in Corcoran's book about Shelby Mustangs (5S266).
Thanks and hopefully some photos may show up.
/Texas Swede

[steveshelbymustang]

As Jim pointed out the restoration photos are different than that of the original and just a small point to make on the restorations having group 24 batteries while all the archive photos I have (I have a lot) show group 22F. I believe unless you have an unaltered car every car needs to be examined close as to what is original on the car you are restoring. I have not found two alike exactly. Love these early cars. I was disqualified in 1977 for not having an outside mirror on my car while the car I was being judged against had a 66 mirror. He won!! mine is still original but I do have a Talbot in the box for all those skeptics. That was the last show I ever participated in. If you need a photo let me know. It will save you the time of buying magazines that may or may not have a 65 in them.

[Texas Swede]

Thanks,
Please send the photo to my personal email or post it here.
If you send it to my personal, I can reply with some photos of my car 5S275 including trunk mounted battery with Cobra vent caps.
Don't know how to post them here.
/Texas Swede

[eljimb0]

Here is a shot from 5/65 motor trend.
..This car may have been a clone.. so remember to use whatever you see in it with reservations..

[eljimb0]

Here is what I notice from the mag picture.
...The double wire is really the wire and the shadow of the wire.. see the shadow of the guys arm
...the tray that the battery sits on is bigger than the battery.. look close.
Most of the reproduced rear battery restorations I have seen get this wrong. They must all be copys of howard pardees car or something .. I dont know.
...the long j-bolt things are zinc or cad plated?? there are washers on them and the nuts are wing nuts
...I think the tray is bolted to the floor (under the battery) of the trunk and the battery is bolted to the tray
...if there are any cobra battery caps with this car they are in the glove box with the bag of chili mix and the can of pit stop anti-perspirant





On my clone I put the battery inside a big zip lock bag.. I have a plastic 1" diameter plastic line in the bag with the battery the other end of the hose sticks out through the inside wall of the well behind the battery in the picture (where a rubber grommit thing was) 5 years no problems no smell.. the bat. terminals still look new.. It's to bad you can't get away with tricks like this if you have a real car..
jimbo

[steveshelbymustang]

Hey eljimbo
The tray looks larger because the battery is smaller than the resto photos. Even the wire clamp is smaller for the group 22 batteries shown in all early photos. You will notice the shadow in the 1st photo I posted. Here is another resto photo using a group 24 battery
Texas Swede
You can check out yahoo geocities and learn about http web page design and learn how to post photos. Its easy once you do the first. You just need a host site to maintain your files

Steve Shelby Mustang Cars Parts

[eljimb0]

Why can't I post normal sized photos??
jimbo

[steveshelbymustang]

What is your normal size? Are you using the thumbnail links because that is what is showing up. If you click on the thumbnail the photos will enlarge to normal size