'62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

[Christopher R.]

I don't get it. How do people replace batteries in '62 Corvettes? I just did mine. Took over 1 hour, and the engine and splash pans were out so I had good access. I have 4 "J" bolts, all bought from well respected sources. I'm using a Group 24 battery.

How was this done on the line? In the field?

[Wayne P.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

Only uses 2 "J" bolts. Remove fresh air hose from heater inlet, bend out of way. Remove two battery cables. Remove two "J" bolt nuts. Remove hold down. Remove battery, must be stood on end. Reverse to install. Will probably take 30 minutes. Splash shields can remain in place and all work done from top side.

[Stuart F.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

Be glad you have a C-1 for this. On most C-2 SB's, we also have to drain the radiator down enough to remove the heater hoses and surge tank.

Stu Fox

[Gene M.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts, mid yr is easy

Stu,
I just changed the battery on my 65 yesterday. You do not need to drain anything or take the heater hoses off. Just unbolt the two 1/4" screws securing the expansion tank to the bracket and tie off the tank out of the way. You have full access to remove the old battery and stick in the new one. If you are not using a sealed battery be sure to duct tape the caps so acid don't leak out.

[John H.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

On C1's and C2's, the battery was installed and secured to the frame with the hold-down on the Chassis Line, prior to Body Drop.

[Stuart F.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

To Gene: Perhaps there is enough difference between a 65 and a 63 to make taking the battery out possible by just swinging the expansion tank out of the way, but I'd hate to try that on my 63. Maybe I didn't leave enough slack in my heater hoses last time I changed them, but it is hard enough to get mine out even with the hoses disconnected. Of course, I do have a wet battery now and I like to do the manuver as fast as possible. I don't usually have much of any leakage through the caps, but maybe next time I will tape them over.

Stu Fox

[Richard G.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

I had a fellow C-1 owner tell me he takes off the right hand valve cover when he takes his battery out. He claimed it made it easier to take the battery out. It does look like the designers of the '61 Corvette must have forgot about needing a battery until the first one was built and they tried to start it. Checking the fluid levels is a trick to do too.

[Christopher R.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

When I get it in place properly tightened down, there's about 1/16"-1/8" of "J"-bolt thread showing over the wing nuts. That tells me that the "J"-bolt and battery height are the right sizes. But that also means that there's not enough length in the bolts to maneuver the hold down to get it on. When the "J"-bolt drops down, even if it stays in the battery tray slot for it, there's not enough length to get it through the hold down and get the wing nut started.

The only way I've ever been able to get the wing nuts started on the "J"-bolts is to tie a string to them to hold them up. Hold them up with one hand. Start the wing nut with the other. Curse a lot. This is real fussy, and it fails a lot. Not a repeatable process, or one designed for success or ease. That's why I was wondering if I was doing something wrong. Or had the wrong "J"-bolts. Or if modern Group 24s were taller than the older Group 24s.

[Stuart F.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

Isn't it funny what seems like a simple project on your small Vette can amount to a long time consuming and frustrasting project? When I last changed out the battery on my 63, I went through a lot of the same gyrations that you experienced too. I thought I had it all planned out even to include one of them anti corrosion pads under the battery to prevent loss of another battery box, etc., but no no, that extra 3/32" thickness (or there abouts) won't allow you to put the hold down bracket on, to say nothing of the "J" bolts. It seems to be that they are built like Swiss Watches!

Stu Fox

[Christopher R.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

Right. Little ordinary tasks can be such a big deal. So, that gets me thinking. It couldn't have been that way in the day. What'd the guys at Sears do? They install hundreds of batteries a week. What'd the local grease monkey do? No way did these guys treat these cars the way we do. The economics of the situation are such that there's no way those guys could have spent so much time on installing a battery. Sure, I know that in some instances they'd cob job it just to get it out the door.

[Stuart F.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

I'd like to think, although a Corvette is not a Ferrari, it was still a premium brand back in the day and there probably weren't too many 18 year olds at Sears working on them. Having had my 63 since it was new, I can attest to this to some degree. When mine was new, I had a starter short out on me after driving it from Wisconsin to New Mexico. I had to pull the battery cable to shut it off. Each time I would shut off the ignition, it would start up again by itself (scary!). But, being new, I took some PTO and went into El Paso to a Chevy dealer. Beyond that, I tried to do most of the service myself except for any major stuff; like changing to new tires, or warranty claims. Most Chevy dealers had mechanics that were trained Corvette specialists, and I left things like rear end alignment to them. I gave them some work too by running off the road a few times.

Stu Fox

[Rob A.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

Regarding simple jobs turning into big deals....when I work on my car now, even on what I think should be a small and quick project, I plan on it taking the day and if it doesn't...it's a bonus.

[Stuart F.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

Rob;

I know what you mean. I wait until the wife goes out of town for a few days before I start my projects. I want to leave enough time and don't want any interruptions, unless I make them myself, such as a trip to Mac's for a burger and some fries. If I have a dilema to deal with, that helps me think. The only thing better is "sleep on it". Many of my solutions come to me in the middle of the night like; how to put a heater core in my 63 all by myself, etc.

Stu Fox

[Richard T.]

Re: '62 Battery Hold-Down "J" Bolts

When installing a battery in a C-1 I find it helpful to put the battery in two or three plastic bags, the type that the grocery stores use. The thickness of the bag determines how many you will need. Now you have a built in handle that allows more control when dropping (no pun) the battery in place. Once on the tray simply cut the bags away and remove. Rich