M38 battery box?

I've got a M38 tub with the battery box in the cowl. So here's the issue, do I keep the box intact, as is, and use it for the battery thus freeing up under hood space (chassis/engine is '70 CJ5 w/ 225). Or I was thinking of cutting off the bottom of the box so it doesn't stick out below the dash and use it for a tool box. Or remove it completely so I could install a heater in that space. Or?

The other feature of the M38 is the little glove box but I'm thinking it won't work with a roll cage. I hate losing the glove box but every jeep I've had for the last 30 years has had a full cage.

 

I'd keep the battery in the cowl. Really frees up space in the engine compartment. Just depends on your needs though.


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Same here, keep battery box. I have a M38 also, original battery box gone when I purchased. Made a box for battery to drop into. On the glove box, I have a roll bar down tube that blocked the glove box. What I did, was remove hinge on door, made brackets on inside of glove box sides. Placed small magnets on brackets, removed original push button catch, replaced with a knob. The magnets hold the door on. Just pull out on the door, and lift up. Looks good and works fine

 

I really do like the idea of not having the battery up front. I'll probably plow snow with this jeep though so it would be nice to fit a heater in somewhere. Maybe a small heater below the dash right in the center?
The magnet glove box door is a great idea, Thanks.

 

Check out the Mojave Heaters from Summit Racing. They work very very well and pretty affordable for what you get. Lots of good reviews on this board about them. I put one in the Daughter's '5 and it works so well I pulled out the '72-'75 heater in the '6 project and am putting one in it also.

Cool idea on the door!

 

On my jeep i put the battery under the hood. It seams safer but I am steal seting on a gas tank.

 

FWIW, I removed mine. Plenty of room under the hood for a battery, IMHO.

 

I've had two other flatfenders with V6's, both had batteries under the hood. I'm thinking maybe cut the box down to about 6" deep for a tool box. Not have to deal with a battery down in a hole and corrosion/acid on the sheetmetal.

 

My vote is to keep the battery in the box. It'll last longer if it's away from the engine heat. Get one of the batteries that is vented via a hose and run the hose out under the vehicle. That'll keep the battery fumes and acid out of the box. FWIW my BMW Z-3 has the battery in the trunk and uses such a hose. When I went to AZ to get a new battery they wanted to charge me an extra $60 for a vented battery and I said "no, just give me a regular one." They weren't happy to lose the extra $60 but it turned out that even the standard battery was set up for a vent hose! My Z-3 is now 12 years old and not a hint of corrosion anywhere around the battery.

 

Another good use for the battery box is to put insulation on the sides, it makes a good cooler for your water while off road.

 

Mine is in the cowl. Freed up the space under the hood for me.

 

Is there enough room in the cowl for one of the marine plastic battery cases?

 

thats where my battery was when i bought my m38 20 years ago and thats where i still put it.

 

The M38 already has a box built into the cowl, not sure you'd be able put a plastic box inside it though. Why would you want to?

 

I was thinking about corrosion.

 

Could line it with bedliner or use an AGM style battery (no free acid).


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That would work.

 

I'm located in the rust belt, the floors of the tub I'm working on were pretty much gone. The battery box in the cowl is in good shape, I'm thinking corrosion wasn't a big problem, not sure why. Maybe just lucky. Maybe was converted to 12V in the 50's and the box wasn't used.

 

I was just thinking about the storage box under the passenger seat, that was always a common place corrosion took hold.

 

wish i had one. i would have two batteries, one for the winch an one for the jeep