When it came time to locate all the engine management electronics relating to our 383 build, of which we’ll be wrapping up next month, it occurred to me that it would be a disservice to simply mount these items in plain sight. With half of our efforts going into making the engine look like it came straight out of the early ’60s, it would be a shame to mount the MSD Atomic Power Module, Digital 6AL ignition box, and Blaster SS coil in a conspicuous location. I started brainstorming a few ideas and it occurred to me that we had an unused area in the shape of the stock battery tray (the battery had been relocated). This gave us enough real estate to house said items, but I needed a good vessel in which to hide them. My initial idea was to find an old battery that was era-correct, cut it apart, and use the carcass to hide the components. Then I found out how much a junk, vintage battery cost and the dangers involved in cutting it apart, and decided to nix that idea. During my search however, I stumbled upon Legendary Battery Toppers and my idea was blown wide open.
If their name, Legendary Battery Toppers, sounds like they might make tops that cover batteries, that’s correct. They offer four different GM/Delco-style battery toppers that are designed to fit over a modern AC Delco or Sears 24 Series maintenance-free, smooth surface, top post battery. Though we weren’t planning on simply “topping” a battery, I figured their DC12 topper, based on the Delco batteries from the late ’50s, would be the perfect starting point in building a custom container to house our components.
With a trip to the local craft store turning up a handful of various ABS sheets and a call to Classic Industries for a genuine Delco DC12 decal, I was ready to start fabricating my dummy vintage battery.
01 This is the topper as it arrived from Legendary Battery Toppers. We opted for the black tar top–style cover with the black on yellow caps. This is correct for a late-’50s application.
02-04 Here are the components we need to house: an MSD Digital 6AL ignition box, Blaster SS coil, and Atomic EFI Power Module.
05 The first step is to cut the bottom of our box to size, as well as the front and two sides. These specs are determined by the dimensions of the battery topper. We’re using black ABS for our box, which is actually a lot of fun to work with as it’s easy and quick to glue together and machines fairly well.
06-07 I decided to mount the 6AL box first since it was the largest. Using some aluminum angle I had lying around that I trimmed to fit, I then drilled and tapped the angle and bolted the box to each length using the rubber isolators MSD provided in the kit to minimize vibration.
08 I then drilled and tapped the brackets to ¼-20 and drilled matching holes in the base ABS sheet, mounting the box in the process.
09 Then I applied ABS cement to the edges of the base and clamped the side panels in place. I also used a pair of “glue blocks” at the corners (my uncle Doe would be proud!) for added support.
10 The next move is to add the upper “shelf” panel to the ABS box, but before we can do that, it’s necessary to glue the front panel in place.
11 Here, the shelf has been added and drilled to accept the fasteners to secure the ignition box.
12 The coil and the Power Module also came with vibration mounts, which will be used to mate the components to the ABS housing. I used 1/2-inch ABS pieces, glued to the front panel, drilled, and tapped for the coil, while the Power Module mounts are simply drilled and tapped into the ABS shelf.
13 Additional glue blocks were added under the shelf to support the components.
14 Here are the electronics mounted in their new home.
15-16 A dry run to ensure that everything fits under the topper and I could have stopped here, having completed what amounts to a black box, but I want to replicate a vintage battery…
17 That meant I needed to recreate some of the vintage battery’s architecture, which meant adding an upper and lower trim surround as well as a stippled center section. Here, I’m using a heat gun and a makeshift break to fashion a clean 90-degree bend for the lower trim section.
18 While the ABS is still warm, I applied a section of aluminum plate to help flatten the panel.
19 Acetone, applied carefully, can be used to polish the surface of ABS plastic, removing any surface imperfections that result from the working process.
20 With the lower trim piece glued to the box, I’ve also installed the Delco decal I purchased from Classic Industries, which will be flanked by a stippled panel, just like the original DC12 batteries.
21-22 I marked the dimensions of the decal on the stippled panel and then used a punch to create the rounded corners. A sharp razor blade and a rule are then used to trim the rest of the opening.
23 Then, the stippled panel was glued in place, surrounding the decal in the process. A heat gun and some patience was then used to bend the stippled panel around the box.
24-25 A narrower top trim piece was also fabricated, using the same process as the lower to add more dimension to the battery box. With the topper and a pair of dummy battery cables installed, it almost looks like the real deal…
26 …all the while hiding the modern engine electronics inside.
