have to drill holes in a 1912 frame for the starter button and battery holder. Where do I drill?
I can eye ball it and guess, just wanted your feedback in case there was a definite 'do not' drill here or there.
I bought a sealed 12V "maintenance free" battery and put it under the back seat so I would not have to drill any holes in the 1912 frame.
I used a starter solenoid so I would not have to have a starter button sticking through the 1912 floor boards. Just a tiny hidden push button for that rare occasion when I might stall the engine in an intersection.
The thought of drilling extra holes in an early frame is cringe-inducing. I like Royce's alternative.
It's only an original 1912 once! I am with Steve why ruin an original car. Royce's suggestion is the only way to go to preserve the vehicle for the future IMHO.
I agree! So then I assume you built a cage or brace for the battery under the rear seat, drilled a hole under the seat and ran it along the frame channel to the solenoid. (There is about a 2inch by 2 inch square cutout of the sheet metal already cut under the drivers left knee from previous owner. Maybe the button can go there?
Does a starter solenoid with a starter button do the same as a starter push button? In other words, instead of cranking the car, can you just push the solenoid button. Like all of us, I cannot afford to break a wrist. I have no idea what a solenoid does - I can fix bodies, but never was intuitive with automobiles.
Robert a solenoid allows you to run much smaller wires to the push button since you can think of the push button as a remote control for the solenoid which handles the large cable needed to operate the starter so you don't have to run the heavy wire any further than necessary you only need 14 or 16 gauge wire from the push button to the solenoid and the solenoid is between the battery and starter
The solenoid is sort of an electric version of your foot. It "steps on the starter button" for you, so you don't need to have the actual starter switch under your foot. As Royce says, you can have the solenoid button hidden wherever you want.
On another aspect of this subject, if you're going to all the trouble and expense of installing electric start simply to avoid a case of chauffeur's elbow, I consider it unnecessary. The cure for that is to always use correct cranking technique. This deceased equine has been pretty thoroughly mauled in previous discussions, but I can elaborate if you wish.
Robert,
The floor under the back seat is wood. I nailed four sticks of wood to the floor to keep the battery from moving side to side. Got a universal battery hold down bracket from the auto part store. Negative battery cable (48" long, coiled up under the floor) attaches to one of the gas tank mounting bolts at the frame.
I used a Motorcraft starter solenoid P/N SW3 for a '65 - 73 Mustang / Cougar / Fairlane / Falcon. Screw it to the underside of the fixed floor board with wood screws.
Robert, Texas T Parts has them http://www.texastparts.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TTP&Product_C ode=T5014-S12&Category_Code=p and they provide wiring instructions. http://www.texastparts.com/mm5/manuals/T5014-S12.pdf They even show the push button option as Royce described.
Alternatively a wooden "tool box" can be mounted on the running board to house a battery if required. As battery technology is very good these days with sealed units etc, even a running board box is unnecessary.
I understand why you are moving over to a self starter. I would much prefer to see people out driving a car rather than it sit idle in a shed.
I agree with the above, do not drill you chassis; it is a one way piece of vandalism. I have removed all of the starter rubbish off my 1911 and gone back to hand cranking. However, I am sorry to say all of the evidence is still there including holes on floor boards and non-original holes in the chassis. Just my opinion.