Cheap battery cut off.

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

I suppose a race marshal would have a conniption fit, but it works. My own carelessness caused a wiring fire in my Seven. I managed while rewiring the tachometer to connect the two sides of the battery together. From that I learned that 1) it takes forever to get to the battery to disconnect it, and 2) the 1960s rack for my fire extinguisher is difficult to release. So, I took a cheap battery disconnect blade switch similar to this one

 

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Disconnect-Vehicle-Negative-Vertical/dp/B0896YT9MY/ref=sr_1_5?crid=VY2TW8IEJTP5&keywords=battery+disconnect+switch+12v&qid=1687962487&sprefix=battery+disconnect+switch%2Caps%2C338&sr=8-5

 

drilled out the rivet that acts as the hinge pin for the blade and tied a piece of red paracord to one end. I mounted the switch on the battery, and ran the cord through the firewall, under the fire extinguisher release, and out to a handle hanging just below the panel on the passenger (left) side.

 

Pull the handle and the fire extinguisher falls into the passenger foot well and the blade exits the clamps for the switch, disconnecting the battery.

 

Details: I have a positive ground system with the negative battery pole nearer the firewall, so I had to make sure that the blade completely exits, rather than connecting the negative battery pole to the aluminum firewall. My bonnet comes close to the battery posts, so I added insulation where contact could occur.

 

There are far more sophisticated ways to skin this cat (ouch), but it works.

[IamScotticus]

I want to see the OH SH1T! knob on the other end

If you ran a solid rod attached to the cowl and tied the string to it, it could be a collision cut-off too.

Edited June 28, 2023 by IamScotticus

[jbcollier]

On amazon, you can buy a more traditional cut-off switch for under $10*.  You can use a pull rope/rod on it as well.  It will also look a lot less like you Rube Goldberg'd it

 

* not endorsing cheap switches, just pointing out they are available.

[Timothy Keith-Lucas]

Amazon has a $26 remote control battery cut off switch that would be a super high-tech way to go at it.  In this case I didn't spend money or wait for delivery - the switch was sitting in a parts tote within 10 feet of the Seven. Here:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Disconnect-Negative-Vehicle-Anti-Theft/dp/B0C23LBFMV/ref=sxin_26_sbv_search_btf?content-id=amzn1.sym.6cfa532e-9c8f-48d2-87a3-a61547a0d356%3Aamzn1.sym.6cfa532e-9c8f-48d2-87a3-a61547a0d356&crid=VY2TW8IEJTP5&cv_ct_cx=battery+disconnect+switch+12v&keywords=battery+disconnect+switch+12v&pd_rd_i=B0C23LBFMV&pd_rd_r=8f4683ee-019e-4fc1-8535-f022be83aa82&pd_rd_w=UyC8A&pd_rd_wg=IoHVQ&pf_rd_p=6cfa532e-9c8f-48d2-87a3-a61547a0d356&pf_rd_r=QA7CWNE0BBT9550ZNZDT&qid=1688043517&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=battery+disconnect+switch%2Caps%2C338&sr=1-1-5190daf0-67e3-427c-bea6-c72c1df98776