Here is mine with my home made hold down.

 

That kind of looks like it belongs there.

 

I have the same tray for my sixty. What I did was you can buy the identical bottom tray and I just had my friend take the welds off and then I just re-attached the new tray after blasting and painting the sides. You can still get the end tabs on some batteries ( I found the Sterling 29N fits just right) and then you can use the stock clamp (still available) and the bracket from the tray on the other side. I found the bottom tray at Mac's for a 61-64 ford car part # C2SZ-10764-A. The bottom tray was identical to the one on the 59 and 60 ford trucks. Good luck.

 

How exactly does that clamp hold the battery in place?? I'm guessing you are referring to the black piece on the left hand side of the tray?

 

Wow, old thread. The top part I made from 4 pieces of 1" angle iron. The one in the front and the one in the back are turned so they clamp down on the battery. The ones on the left and right are turned out so the all thread can go through them and that is where the nuts go to hold it down. I welded the all thread to the existing tray bottom. Overall it is pretty simple and has worked well for a dozen years or so.

 

Ok, I know the thread is old and parts could have been changed. I think my 59 4x4 had the original and it has the sides more like shelf brackets. I just got another 59 and it has the triangle sheet metal ends like the one pictured. I also have one of those I saved from a 60 I parted out.