heavy duty under hood storage box idea

[Moparmat2000]

I installed a diesel battery tray in my 94 about 20 years ago. The intent was to eventually make and install a removable storage box. Well i later on bought one of those plastic ones out of the junkyard off a 95 up truck to fit in place of the battery tray. It wasnt going to fit easily in a 94 and older truck without some drilling and modifying. I was hoping it was a straight bolt in.

I decided to test fit a 50 cal ammo box. This fits real nice with a little modding of the tray. Your local military supply should have these for $5-$7 each used, or "china fright" has em brand new for $15, plus a 20% off coupon. I am going to pick one up and just make it a permanent bolt in, paint it semigloss black and remove the handle off the lid.

I posted this in engine performance for lack of a better place to put it. Maybe a moderator can move it to a more appropriate spot. Anyhow, I plan on keeping a spare fan belt, ign coil, ICM, 1 long spark plug wire, along with the tools to change the belt and ICM in it. My spare coil has a ground wire w alligator clip on it. All this along with a photocopied page of the fault codes, and a paper clip.

I think the box is actually better than the GM storage box in the fact that it is metal, latches pretty tightly, and uses a gasket to seal it from dust and moisture. It may also be larger in size too.

Matt

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[fancyTBI]

Well, I know what I am doing here soon. Great idea. Could give it a rubber coating or some sort to hold up to the IL snow and salt where I live.

 

[Moparmat2000]

Or even powdercoat it. I will be working up a mount that will clip it into the battery tray soon without modding the tray. Stay tuned for updates.

 

[2 Sweet]

Very nice! That's a great idea

 

[Eveready]

I thank you and my 1993 truck thanks you. GREAT idea. A little grinder work and that handle never existed and won't rattle. Those boxes (at least the real military ones) would take years to rust through if you did nothing to it. A good coat of rustoleum and it will last forever. You have just set the industry standard for underhood storage on older trucks.

An idea for mounting it might include a really strong speaker style magnet cut into the floor of the battery tray that would make it removable if needed but hold it in pretty well.

 

[Moparmat2000]

I will be making a plate that hooks in on one end like the batterys do, and bolts in with a knob that has a stud on it at the other end where the battery mount bolt goes.

 

[jjupiter100]

Awesome idea!

 

[Chuck_13]

Had the same idea for my 98 K1500 with the plastic battery tray.Had an old ammo box,not sure but I think it's 5.56.It fits almost perfectly,and if I trim the tray a little bit,might can fit two side by side.

 

[Moparmat2000]

Well in my world things move slower than molasses. Too much going on at work and home plus i buy, repair and flip classic car parts to feed my hobby, and that is like a job in its own right. However i did get some time today as work let out early for Christmas eve, and the wifey was gone by her parents with the kids a few hours away.

So i hit up China Freight for an ammo box, had a 20% off coupon and a coupon for a free multimeter. Sure its kind of a cheapie digital one, but will make a nice addition to the under hood storage box. So for $12 and change i got the ammo box and the multimeter. I took some cardstock i bought at hobby lobby that i use for templating out stuff before i whittle it out of metal, and made a base plate template that i plan on cutting out of .125" aluminum plate.

Thank God i have access to a hydraulic shear at work. Cutting it with a cutoff wheel would be a *****, though i will have to do that, and use a rotary file to get the shape right where the mounting tab is with the bolt hole. I plan on removing the carry handle from the ammo box or its rattling under the hood would drive me nuts. So i am a little closer to getting this done. I have only had that diesel battery tray bolted down in there to do this for oh about 20 years LoL.

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[Moparmat2000]

I got a little farther today. Have to trim it a bit more to get it to fit the battery tray a little better.

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