MOT Question - Battery Box

[ChasR]

My MGB is almost done with the welding with the floor now done (that didn't take long, honest), with the battery box now left.

Basically on the MGB, the battery sits in a frame that hangs off the rear bulkhead.

Now the frame has rotted out in the corner. I would repair this, but it is pretty close to the petrol tank (about 6-8 inches away) and a brake line is bolted onto it (I don't think it originally was). So that's two reasons for why I would wish to avoid welding it if I could.

The question is, if I got a Battery bin for my battery (a plastic box that hangs from the bulkhead) would the car still fail on the battery box being rotten in the corner?

If not, how can I protect the brake line/fuel tank, and myself from catching fire?

[Oldbus]

Sorry not a MGB expert but can´t you just drop the tank and weld it up properly?

[whitbytom]

If the battery box isn't structural to the integrity of the car, or within 30cm of a load bearing part of the suspension, then I'd say no. If you just want to get it through a test it'll pass. If I remember right the battery doesn't have to be secured, as long as it poses no risk of shorting against the body and causing a fire.

[retrowagen1234]

dunno if this is any help
tells ya how to take it out, meaning you could fix it properly without hurting yourself
www.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgoc&a=&p=emg/emg010901.htm

[Nathan]

It should pass mate.

Like you said the plastic Bins you buy are secured at the top away from the old frame. An MOT'er would/Should not fail you as its not structural. Remove it altogether as they weigh a fair bit.

Brake lines secured to this bit are a new one on me mate (rubber bumper or not), TBH it sounds like its had new bits in the past.

[ChasR]

Yup, I suspected as much. It's a copper line and I'm assuming it's a pure copper line as opposed to the CuproNickel stull which is easier to flex.

I'd rather not take the tank off as this car's bolts have been a pain in a number of ways (read an oversized pin forced into the damper which is why it was a royal pain to take off (angle grinder, grind again, heat, tap, more heat, then it finally came out after chewing up a mole grip).

That white car was miles easier to work on, and as you said, the line on that was secured in the factory position.