Doug Shelby Engineering - Battery Cover

[FoxyChicken]

I recently installed a battery tender hookup and recall it being a total nightmare unscrewing the battery cover in the trunk. If you haven't had the pleasure of unscrewing this thing, let me tell you, you're in for a treat. Not entirely sure why a metal plate requires 5 bolts that could secure a fighter jet to the flight deck (sarcasm) but seriously, the bolts are ridiculously large and long.

I'm trying to strum up some interest for this product from Doug Shelby Engineering so that they can bring it back into production:

Doug Shelby Engineering - Quick Release Battery Cover

I'd imagine anyone that's replaced their battery or hooked up a battery tender is aware of the nuisance of accessing the battery. Any interest?

 

[Steve-Indy]

I certainly agree with you,FoxyChicken...removing that cover can be a real bear...especially in an emergency. The excessively LONG bolts are open to corrosion due to their unshielded position...PLUS, the bolts being Torx head type only adds to the difficulties.

Some may ask "what emergency" ??

Think of an on track issue where the car backs into the wall...noting that Gen III and IV Vipers have the positive battery electrode at the rear where it is quite vulnerable. Now, if that red terminal cover is cracked or displaced, BINGO...the battery can short start a fire with all of that amperage. It has happened !

Interestingly, I got a call one afternoon from a person who was driving a Gen III on a major beltway when the car began to misfire, stall, and "went dead". When he pulled off of the road and got out of the Viper, he saw smoke coming from the trunk. Jump ahead...after it was examined at a reluctant Dodge dealership, it was noted to have inadequate positive terminal shielding which caused an intermittent short to ground. Interestingly, the owner later told me that his Viper had been pre-owned, and the trunk never closed normally. One has to wonder if there had been a previous accident to the car's rear end.

By the way, as FoxyChicken stated...if you have not removed the battery on your Gen III or IV...please take the time to do so. A little presoaking of the bolts with a penetrating oil (Kroil, Schaeffer's Penetro 90, or PB Blaster...or even WD-40 ) will help. A Torx 27 bit is a good choice to use with a ratchet to carefully break the bolts loose...using a good amount of downforceon the bolt to keep the Torx bit seated without rounding out the Torx head. Then, I switch to an electric driver to get these long bolts all the way out.

Doug Shelby solved the above issues in one great step. His covers fit perfectly, were coated, and could be remover in seconds.

FoxyChicken, may I suggest that you start a specific thread dedicated to just who might be interested...names/contact info...then approach Doug directly to see if he is interested in resurrecting this product.

At some point, I will give him a call as well.

Thanks for a valuable post...and, I must say that I think that you have a very good looking Viper!!

 

[FoxyChicken]

Thanks for the write-up Steve. If that's not reason enough for everyone to buy one of these battery covers I don't know what is. Per my email with Doug at DSE, this was the first product they produced for the Gen III & IV as they saw it was clearly a weak point. They're definitely a bit on the spendy side of things, but in an emergency such as the one indicated above it seems as though this item is a must have. I'm honestly already concerned about having to remove this cover the next time it comes up out of fear of stripping them (which is unbelievably easy to do).

Rather than starting a fresh post, if anyone is interested lets please just start your post with INTERESTED in ALL CAPS, or Steve if you'd like to to take the lead on it go for it as a veteran member here you have a bit more weight than me.