Dual battery in CJ2A?

Basically, with the SBC swap, I would like to run dual batterys as well. Figure, while I'm in it all, might as well. The reason is, I have a ready welder that I plan to carry with me, and it runs on dual batterys. Where do you guys locate the batterys? I'm honestly not sure there's room under the hood for them, I was thinking one in the rear wheel well (optima, so it can be mounted upside down...And yes, I have old optimas, good ones) and stealing the CJ5 "battery box" lid off the cowl I have out back, but that seems like a far off place to keep them. Ideas? One in each wheel well? R)
Thanks

 

Find an old m38 tub and use the cowl battery box out of it.

 

You should probably be thinking about the weight distribution when you make this decision. I put mine under the bed and in front of the rear axle, on the driver's side. It would have been better on the passenger side, but the 18's offset driveshaft will make that very tight. IMO, best to keep them as low as possible.

 

I had 2 big ol' diehards on the floor in back of the passengers seat with a marine batt. switch, framed and bolted down, worked well but cut into what little space there is back there! New position will be under the driver/passenger (?) seat.

Dale

 

There's a fellow on the 2A page that took a spare toolbox lid & lip & installed them in the floor of the rear of his 2A, mounting the 2nd battery on the back frame rail, turned out really nice, all he had to do was raise the rear seat to access the battery - I believe he used an optima . . . lemme see if I can find the link to his post . . .

http://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/update_topic7723_page9.html

You can see how he mounted the battery on the back of the rear cross member, & fit the tool box lid in the rear floor pan on page 9. Earlier in the thread he details putting in the lid in the floor.

Hope this helps!

 

I like your idea of putting them behind the rear wheels-in the same spot as the toolboxes on an MB/GPW. It's one of the few places with extra space on a flatfender.

 

A customer a long time ago removed the under seat tool box and installed two optima's on their side there. They were easy to access and it worked quite well. Balanced out with the driver weight and the under seat fuel tank on the driver's side.

 

Is there enough room between the radiator and front grill to mount a battery?