John, It would take a tremendous amount of jarring to cause the battery to hop around inside the battery compartment enough to cause plate damage, therefore I believe your fears of battery damage due to bumps in the road may be unfounded. Due to the "goofy" battery buckle set up, few DeLoreans have the strap securely buckled. "We're here to help you" DMC Help / De Lorean Services / <dmchelp@xxxx> Web Site: (TEMPORARY)<www.geocities.com/dmcjoe>