Is a sealed battery boxed required????

I can't find a straight answer. Is a sealed battery box an NHRA requirement or not? Does it matter what kind of battery you are running?

fyi...I run an Optima redtop

Doesn't mater what kind of battery you use. Any relocated battery must be in a sealed box if inside the driver's compartment or it can be behind a firewall.

Mount it in the rear inside a marine box and fabricate a firewall to isolate the rear from the driver's compartment. Probably easier to buy a sealed box. Tayler makes an inexpensive box that's NHRA/IHRA approved.

From the 2008 NHRA Rule Book, Section 4 - General Requirements, 8:1 Batteris:
......Batteries may not be relocated into the driver or passenger compartments. Rear firewall of .024-inch steel or .032-inch aluminum (including package tray) required when battery is relocated in trunk. In lieu of a rear firewall, battery may be located in a sealed .024-inch steel, .032-inch aluminum, or NHRA-accepted poly box. If sealed box is used in lieu of rear firewall, box may not be used to secure battery and must be vented outside the body. Relocated batteries must be fastened to frame or frame structures with a minimum of two 3/8-inch diameter bolts....... ("J" hooks prohibited or must have open end wleded shut.).....

Wolfe Racecraft sells an aluminum panel that replaces the hatch cover. They claim it meets NHRA requirements, but its sort of hard to see how it would, since there doesn't appear to be any sealing to the body.

http://www.wolferacecraft.com/detail.aspx?ID=783

Second question....can I use the AFCo style mount and then Chop up the bottom portion of a taylor box to fit around it and weld it? It would still have a removeable lid and be of proper thickness and vented. It would also allow me to keep the battery in the wheel well. (I pride myself on being able to yank the T-tops off and driving the car)

I guess the question is...can I modify the Taylor box I already have and retain NHRA legality? I want my cake and to eat it too.

Legally, nothing that has an SFI rating can be modified. The boxes are not SFI rated so your modifications are between you and your local tech inspectors.

Since your battery is located, do you have the required master switch mounted and installed as per the rulebook at the rear?

I made a similar mount to the afco with a bottom tray and the Moroso box is mounted to it, and vented outside.....

You could do the same thing....get the box, make a mount a little lager with strip in the middle to mount the 3/8" bolts for the hold down. Then you could put it on the side and keep the t-top things