Original battery location

Battery's up there as a source of ballast, I think. As always, you are advised not to crash this car...

Some go with a smaller battery (Optima gel or mower).  You can lower the battery some(2") for more room (cut out bottom and refiberglass lower).  OldYeller moved the battery to front right wheel well just behind the horn grill (I plan to do that). I like having the extra 25# up front in the nose.  It could be moved behind the rear seat firewall area though (cut access hole in back seat back fiberglass).  I don't think there is great spark danger up front - the old 911's had it there (of course they were fire resistant steel not volatile fiberglass.

Mine is back of the rear +2 seats. It is a gel battery but there's loads of room in there. I have a (think) it's a 155 spare wheel where it should be.

I have an Odyssey gel battery that's only 14 pounds including the metal case (for heat resistance).  It's about the size of two medium (or one large) hardback books and can be put in any position except inverted.  I've had it for 5 years or so, and it's still going strong.  In my Beck there's a bit more room in the engine compartment, so I have in mounted there.  It's light enough that it doesn't upset the weight balance of the car.

Lane- Having both the engine and transaxle in the back, these cars are decidedly tail heavy (42/58%? front/rear or some such number, just like a beetle), so mounting the battery in the front will help balance the car and make achieving predictable handling that little bit easier. Al  

And carrying about 40 lbs of tools up front helps as well...

True.  That's why I keep the full-size spare up there.  All Becks have the battery in back, but I saved quite a few pounds switching to the Odyssey from the old lead/acid one.  At 14 pounds this one is light enough to easily carry in one hand.  That's probably 20+ pounds less than the original.

When DannyP had his corner balancing scales at Carlisle a few years back mine came in at 1700 pounds with a 39%/61% rearward weight bias.  I was shocked to learn that this is better than a new 911.  I think this was before I switched batteries, so I might be 40%/60% now.  Hmmm...  I could add several bricks behind the spare up front.  That'd be an interesting experiment.

I generally prefer some junk in the trunk...just sayin'

And I don't particularly care how it gets there either.  Hope this isn't too much Jack :-)

http://missxpose.com/2013/08/i...ims-kim-k-butt-fake/ 

I have 16" rims so I'm running a "space saver" spare from a full size Cadillac (yes, the bolt pattern is the same).  It lays flat with one end on top of the front-mounted battery and the other end up close to the gas tank.  Fits fine and the trunk closes no problem.

And speaking of the gas tank in the trunk, and not that I would ever argue with a firefighter, but there have been millions of VW beetles and thousands of 356 Porsches made, all with the gas tank in the trunk.  I've never heard of a fire in the trunk.  Fires in the engine compartment, yes... (usually started by the carburetors coughing and the vapor catching fire) but never heard of one in the front trunk.

Think the real fire concern was with the battery also being up there too.  Some of the VW wiring to fuse block was probably worse than any battery.

FWIW - in my '95 VS, my spare is a 145x15...with tools and other odds & ends! 

Many of us old timers will recall that the VW battery was under the rear seat on the passenger side.  This was before the days of battery terminal covers.  If one of your buddies was a porker, it made for an interesting experience when he sat on the rear seat and the seat springs arced across the terminals.  Oh man, were we dumb or what!!  It's a wonder all of us meatheads are still here (present company excepted of course).

Jim- IIrc there was a cover that went over the battery, but it almost always got thrown away as it "wasn't needed".

I took Musbjim's idea and have a 155/80 under the hood and yes...fill it with small packed items when travelling.

Jim Kelly....wow, what a memory trip. When I got married in '71 I drove a '68 Superbee. The new Bride and I quickly realized it would take too much time to save to buy a house so we sold the Bee and bought a '68VW Variant and yes it had the battery under the back seat. No block heater so I'd dangle a ( lit ) light bulb beside the battery on those cold nights and it would start even on the coldest mornings.

Gordon...just curious here. Is your space saver tire from the Caddy the VERY SAME diameter as the tires on your Speedster ?

I've got a space saver on an AL 3-1/2" sand-rail rim. It isn't the same size as any of the tires-- but if I get a flat in the front, I just change it out. If I get one in the back, I change one of the fronts, and move the front to the back.

It's a bit complicated, but I've got a lot more space in the trunk than most guys with spares.

"Is your space saver tire from the Caddy the VERY SAME diameter as the tires on your Speedster ?"

Damn good question - I'll be out there working on the "Garage MaHal" tomorrow and I'll measure it and let you know.  By "fitting", I mean that they have the same 5X130 bolt pattern, but I never much checked the outer tire diameter.

Been there, done that Stan. Just North of Spanish Fork, Utah to be exact. That's why I asked Gordon about his. Exactly what happens to the diff if you drove some distance with odd circumference rear wheels ?  Can't be good I'm guessing.

One can of fix a flat, and I've never had to use it.

"Exactly what happens to the diff if you drove some distance with odd circumference rear wheels"

There is no problem unless you have a Limited Slip Differential or AWD/4WD.  Suspect it puts a little strain on transaxel - but you could always mount spare on the front.   

Tom,  I hope that is photo shopped?  Why would such a pretty face attach a boat anchor to her rear??

David:  sorry for the delay - I was working on my new walls out there yesterday and forgot about this;

My "space saver spare" is 23-1/2" in diameter (and it looks like 4-1/2" wide), while my rear tire (the largest) is about 24-3/8" in diameter, so there is a miss-match of about 1/2" in radius.  I'm pretty sure the differential can handle that for a few miles to get me somewhere that I can get the regular tire repaired or replaced.  It would be the same as driving on a curve in the road all the time for a while.

Thanks to everyone for their reply's and suggestions.  I now have choices to move forward to the completion of this task.

A beautiful day, out here in sunny California.