Technical wingless' 1968 Fiat 500L Battery Hold Down Questions

[wingless]

First, I'm very glad to now be part of this forum and hopefully in the not too distant future my (expected) onslaught of questions will be replaced be assistance offered to others. Thanks in-advance for any help and insight that may be afforded to me.

The battery in my new-to-me 1968 Fiat 500L rests in a front trunk cavity, covered by a loose fitted rubber floor mat, as shown in the images, w/ front being up. Note the water on top of the battery is from a recent {sloppy / rushed) wash w/ incomplete drying.

The battery is loose, restrained by gravity. Every other vehicle I've owned was designed w/ a clamp to hold the battery securely in-position.

Is there a correct / proper / OEM battery clamp to properly secure the battery? If so, what are the options for clamping the battery?

There are some vendor images in this topic discovered during my search.

BP-500-073

LC-500-010

LC-500-019

 

[the green vanper]

Hello,

Remember that the original battery could have been smaller. And the holes in which you put the hooks from the pictures you posted could have been forgotten in the welding proces during the renovation.

Normally the hooks go into the holes in the battery base, the flat part goes over the battery and you screw the hooks through the flat part.

It looks like the black BP-500-073 base is very similar to what you have under your battery. I assume looking on the sides of the battery on the two photos of your car

 

[wingless]

Don't have anything like BP-500-073 in my vehicle. Does that part go under the battery? Should I have one of those in my vehicle? I don't currently understand where to use that part.

Only have a thin flat board or pad under the battery.

Do I get something like LC-500-019 or LC-500-010 and put the hooks into holes in the front / rear walls and the strap over the top center?

 

[the green vanper]

The BP-500-073 looks like a base to me. I wrote the one you've got under your battery looks similar to the BP-500-073. Try looking at those stripes I've marked in colors on the first photo below. Aren't they similar? It is probably an aftermarket part, it can be slightly different from the original. And / or what you have in your car can also be aftermarket.

The second photo shows how the LC-500* parts are supposed to be mounted over the battery. Those could be also mounted longitudinally on the battery, but this way as shown below is better.

Then, the small hole on the BP-500-073 is where the hook from the LC-500* should go (third photo).

 

[wingless]

Thank you very much!

The required / missing parts have been ordered.

 

[fiat500]

Somebody has possibly butchered the original battery-tray in order to fit a bigger battery. You do seem to have a part of it fitted. It is a welded-in part.
I get nervous about the original style of securing clamp as it is metal and close to the terminals. The aftermarket
version that I received was also thinner and weaker than the original and didn't grip properly on the battery.
I have now fitted a plastic, friction-buckle strap as is found on some modern cars.

 

[wingless]

I get nervous about the original style of securing clamp as it is metal and close to the terminals.

Agreed about the concern.

The installation of the metal hold down bar will include verification that the parts are not possible to short positive to ground.

FWIW, my boat also has metal bars securing many of the large batteries and (knocking on wood) that hasn't been an issue for almost a quarter century.

Also, understanding that this doesn't alleviate the concern, I've also ordered the rubber cable clamp boot.

 

[the hobbler]

Agreed about the concern.

The installation of the metal hold down bar will include verification that the parts are not possible to short positive to ground.

FWIW, my boat also has metal bars securing many of the large batteries and (knocking on wood) that hasn't been an issue for almost a quarter century.

Also, understanding that this doesn't alleviate the concern, I've also ordered the rubber cable clamp boot.


View attachment 436727

View attachment 436728

I use a 'traditional' cross-bar-at-one-end-and-2-hooks system for holding the battery on my 500. It is a larger battery than was originaly fitted at the factory (45 AH as against the original 35AH). There is normally a hole in the panel in front of the battery and a hole in the panel behind the battery into which my hooks hook into. I have cut away the cross bar slightly where it goes behind the (in my, and most cases, the positive) terminal and before I fit the lead to the battery i have put a large rubber washer over the terminal; this also goes over the cross-bar and stops the lead shorting out. I have used this system for about 9years and never had a problem with it. I will conced that fitting the hooks into the holes in the panels is a bit fiddly---easier to fit them into place before you drop the battery into place.

 

[wingless]

I use a 'traditional' cross-bar-at-one-end-and-2-hooks system for holding the battery on my 500. It is a larger battery than was originaly fitted at the factory (45 AH as against the original 35AH). There is normally a hole in the panel in front of the battery and a hole in the panel behind the battery into which my hooks hook into. I have cut away the cross bar slightly where it goes behind the (in my, and most cases, the positive) terminal and before I fit the lead to the battery i have put a large rubber washer over the terminal; this also goes over the cross-bar and stops the lead shorting out. I have used this system for about 9years and never had a problem with it. I will conced that fitting the hooks into the holes in the panels is a bit fiddly---easier to fit them into place before you drop the battery into place.

Post an image of your setup?

 

[the hobbler]

Post an image of your setup?

Apologies, but as a "useless with computers retired old git", I have never managed to put a picture onto the Forum, BUT, if you would like to contact me direct ( [email protected] ) I will take a photo (with my wife's phone) and e-mail that through to you.

 

[wingless]

The attached images show the slightly updated battery setup on my 1968 Fiat 500L.

The battery tray still has a small plywood scrap on the tire side, used to improve the battery remaining level.

The new hold down system works great. The long hooked arm grabs onto an existing centered battery tray hole. The short hooked arm grabs onto an existing centered body hole.

The new black rubber boot led me to transpose the clamps attached to my existing positive and negative leads. Will likely replace these wires in the future due to incorrect color and because of aged insulation.

MUCH happier that the battery is now clamped down, instead of retained by gravity and that the positive clamp is protected by a boot.

 

[the green vanper]

Looks great. And definitely is safer and better for the battery