Batery tray repair

[5bzhive]

Hello everyone.

I am about to dig into my hole under the battery tray and I have a question. Now this might seem stupid but I want to know my options. I am trying to find a source of inexpensive sheet metal and came up with an idea. It is not a new idea but is it an ok idea? Would the sheet metal in a freezer or refrigerator be thick enough to use in the repair. Maybe there is another appliance that would provide a suitable gauge. I see appliances all the time set out for the trash and I have three freezers right now that I could strip down instead of taking them to the scrapper.

Thanks.

Glen

[jfa.series1]

If I recall correctly from making patches to fill the A/C line openings in my inner fender, the Z body panel thickness is about .030 - .032". So, measure the thickness of the donor panel you are considering. Another consideration will be the rigidity of your donor metal - can you easily form the curves for your patches? An option might be to visit a junk yard and obtain a scrap body part that can be cut and formed to shape. It will probably be within a couple of thousandths of the correct thickness.

[grannyknot]

Glen, your Z is a Uni-body and it's strength is built in, the gauge of metal is an integal part of that strength. That metal under the battery tray is 20 ga., if the metal you want to use or reuse is as thick then it might work well but you will have to deal with the with cleaning off the white ceramic paint. Most of the freezers that are made these days use thinner metal than 20 ga.

I'm all for re-using thrown away metal, I do it all the time, the waste drives me nuts. If you use thinner metal it's not like the car is going to suffer for it but you also want to think about the resale value. If you come across thicker metal than 20 ga that will work fine as long as you can bend it to the right curve.

I have also heard that an old Z front fender has the perfect curve to replace the sheet metal under the battery tray, if you have access to one then it might be worth a look.

Chris

[5bzhive]

I wish the junk yards around here had some older Zs but I have seen ZXs before. I will have access to the metal again this weekend so I was going to get a measurement. as far as resale my 73 is no longer stock since a L28 and 5 spd swap. the floors are pretty much gone also so I want to get it sound again as much as I can. I am going to get the fender off soon so I will see how bad it really is in there then but it feels bad. I do have an old truck bed that I could cut up but it may be too tough for me to shape. Thanks for the sensible replies and not laughing at the idea.

[ZCurves]

Unless your Z has a huge gaping hole that the battery is falling through (as mine once did), I suggest that your time would be better spent looking (and waiting) for a cut-out from another Z. You will be much happier with the results AND the unibody will be stronger. Nothing is worse than hack job body work on a Z. I would start asking others on this forum to see if someone might have a good cut-out. I will check my parts car to see if it is any good. If so, I will trade you mine for a gallon of Tennessee White Lighnin . There may be pics of my battery repair in 'MyAlbumz' below my signature.... If not, PM me and I'll see if I can dig some up.

[Hardway]

Finding a battery tray to cut out to use as a donor will be very hard as so many of them have suffered the same fate as yours. Lowe's carries sheet metal in 22, 20, and 18ga. If you have never done any metal forming before there are plenty of videos and sites on the net that discuss the topic. Buy several sheets and be prepared to do it twice or 3 times before you get it right. If your freezer metal is truly 20ga or better that might be an option but the time you would spend just prepping and cleaning it may be worth more than just starting with a clean new piece from the store. I too am all for recycling old metal when I can but when it comes to bodywork you may end up making a lot more work for yourself trying to use old metal.