I was checkin out the MSA website (Z Car Parts.com -- Motorsport Auto -- Home) for fire extinguisher stuff, and I saw a mention of something called a "Battery Frame Insulator." It's supposed to go between the frame and the firewall, where the frame bolts to the firewall. Apparently, its job is to eliminate the frame from rubbing or scratching the firewall.

Would this be a useful part? Would you pay $20 for a rubber spacer? It's just a chunk pf rubber with a slit for the battery frame handle and a slot for the bolt, you'd also need a longer bolt. Couldn't you just substitute a rubber spacer you make yourself?

Motorsport! Battery Frame Insulator, 70-78 240Z-260Z-280Z - The Z Store! Nissan-Datsun 240Z-260Z-280Z-280ZX-300ZX(Z31/Z32)-350Z-370Z Parts

You could buy the same item from Banzai Motorworks for $13,and, for another couple bucks, get the correct machine screw.

I guess you have to figure out if it is part of the vision you have for your car.

I put one on my car because it was an original part for a factory correct restoration.

You need to isolate the bolt from the frame well as isolating the frame from the car.

The long threaded hold down rods can also short the frame to the body so isolate carefully and wisely.

Blue, I have always assumed that the purpose of this rubber insulator was to cushion the battery frame/firewall surfaces, and prevent damage

to these surfaces. The long J-Rod that secures the front side of the battery frame to the battery tray doesn't have any isolators, so, I never

thought of this rubber insulator as something meant to electrically insolate the battery frame from the body.

The bolt sold at Banzai has a large flat washer to help hold the insulator firmly in place, and this rubber insulator is partially split so as to fit over,

and protect, both sides of the battery frame mounting tab.

Let me know what I am missing as I don't mean to mis-interpret what you meant.

Dan

Edited April 27, 201311 yr by AZ-240z

I am probably wrong. I had assumed the fact the terminals come close to the frame and that it was called an insulator it was an electrical insulator.

Blue, you could put all I know about electrics on the head of a pin. Most of the time, my responses to these threads are more a question looking for

clarity. The stock positive battery cable clamp had a plastic cover protecting this cable terminal in the event the battery came loose and the positive post

came in contact with the inner fender.

Dan

Saw this cool trick on this site:

I put about 4 layers of electrical tape on the frame under both terminals and used those plastic terminal covers, but that looks better. No unintentional welding.

I glued a piece of rubber from an inner tube on that frame area.

Bonzi Lon

Ah, but there's never an old inner tube around these days.

Does the DIY store have 1cm thick sheets of rubber?

My tire store gave me one years ago. I bet if you ask your tire store for an unusable one, they would give it to you. I've made numerous things from that tube and still have most of it left.

Bonzi Lon

I'm a bike rider/racer so I have lots of old tubes and use them for all kinds of things on the car. I just used one for the bumper to body insulator on my 510 wagon.

Chuck