50 Ford f1 Truck Battery Ground
 

Could someone tell me the correct (factory) location for the end of the ground strap that goes from the battery (+) to the engine or frame? Mine is connected to the coil bracket on the passenger side front of the cylinder head, but I see replacement cables up to 24 3/4" long and that is far too long to reach that location. That got me to wondering if the factory attachment point was somewhere else, possibly on the frame.

TIA,

Re: 50 Ford f1 Truck Battery Ground
 

The Ford parts book shows three ground straps.
6cyl 13 3/4" 7HC 14301
8cyl 5 1/4 " 7RC 14301
8cyl 17 1/2" 8RC 14301
I had a 49 F1 that had the short one that attached to the fire wall right by the battery.

Bob

Re: 50 Ford f1 Truck Battery Ground
 

Thanks Bob C,the 17 1/2" one would reach where mine is attached and I have read in other places that the connection is to the block…so maybe I have my answer.

Re: 50 Ford f1 Truck Battery Ground
 

BobC's is the way Ford did it, which is "wrong" in so many ways. The braided cable went to a lug on the firewall, and a separate one went from the firewall behind the engine to the BH. I can't figure why they did that, but almost everyone I know runs it direct to the block.

Re: 50 Ford f1 Truck Battery Ground
 

Anticipating a ground issue on the tonner, I ran a separate ground cable from the lug on the firewall to the frame (photo) and then ran grounds directly from all the lights to the frame. Other than that the tonner is grounded with braided cables exactly as it came from the factory and as shown on Ross's schematic (braided ground from batt to lug on firewall and braided ground from firewall to stud on right head). I've had no issues with starting nor with dim head or taillights using this grounding setup.

Re: 50 Ford f1 Truck Battery Ground
 

Another factor to keep in mind: position of the positive battery post. I couldn't readily find a battery with the positive post in the 'right' location for my I6. Result was a need for a longer than stock braided cable.