I went to replace missing battery hold downs on what I thought was a slightly rusted battery tray only to discover a badly rusted battery tray with the underlying support partially eaten away as well. I think the rust on the underling body is mostly surface; I was unable to poke a screwdriver through it. I pulled off as much of the tray as possible in various bits and pieces and only the inner end with the two bolts is still stuck to the support. The outer end bolts ripped away, along with a cross member component of the support.

Judging from the archives, it seems that the best way to go, at least from an intellectual standpoint, is to cut away the remainder of the tray and support, grind away the rust from the underlying body, fabricating a new support, and prime and paint the results. I cannot do this myself, and will have to enlist the help of a body shop again.

Are there any suggestions for how to get the battery back in the car and hooked up so I could drive the car until I could get it to the shop? Could I zip tie the battery directly to the support with something soft underneath?