BATTERY

[NANCY CHARLES]

Has anyone out there expierienced the new delco maintainence free battery from restoration battery ? (1980558 DC 12 ) 1963 -1965 corvette built after DEC 1962. THANKS

[Rick A.]

Re: BATTERY

have one in my 1963 Z06

[NANCY CHARLES]

Re: BATTERY

so how is it holding up , any problems yet ?

[Donald B.]

Re: BATTERY

Have one in my friend's '69 Z28 for about 9 months. My impression is that it does not have a large capacity and therefore if/when it sits for a long period of time it will be "dead" before a "normal" battery would be. If you don't know - the battery consists of a smaller maintence free battery inside the outer case (make sense).

All that said - I still like the idea that it is maintence free and looks original. Important on models where the battery is very visible (not like on my '62 vette).

[John D.]

Re: BATTERY

HI Nancy, I bought one for my early March 63 but never put it in yet as I have an original one in the car. Problem with the original that it's full of thumb prints-CC's included from the last show. heeee
Meanwhile I bought the sealed battery from Tom Kobman of RB at Corvette Carlisle. It was fully charged then. Well last week I remembered that it was still in the box sitting in the garage and I figured I was going to be in trouble. So I put the charger on it and I was fully impressed that it was still fully charged. That's over 6 months of sitting. Don't forget to install a battery shutoff. A lot of the members of our Pittsburgh Chapter have Restoration Batteries and we all are pleased. Tom is one of the good old boys and wonderful to do business with. John D.

[Charles P.]

Re: BATTERY

Funny you should ask. I purchased their maintenance free battery for a car and it lasted precisely 10 months. It was put in a car for NCRS in January 2006. The car is driven 4 to 5 times monthly and I use a cutoff switch between use.
I brought it to NAPA after it failed to start my car on 3 occasions over a couple of weeks in November 2006 for evaluation the final time. They said that they had never seen a battery with such a low amp reading (ie it would take a few hours to evaluate). I am in Florida and November here is like late summer in Pittsburgh so weather is no influence. My $250 date coded plus postage battery was "maintenance free" for 10 months. I have had a Chevy dealership purchased Delco battery since then sans problem. As a side note I returned the battery to Tom in Kissimmee and 2 months later have yet to hear what the resolution is with it. I understand that aesthetics are a concern for battery that is exposed under the hood as in judging. If that is the case buy the Restoration battery, only don't expect it to last long term. If you have a 68 and up get a Delco. My 2 cents and then some.

[John L.]

Re: BATTERY

I bought that battery from the manufacturer -- Antique Auto Battery. It has been in the car going on three years with absolutely no problems. It has way more cranking power than the old type restoration batteries. I have a 66 L72.

[Joe C.]

Re: BATTERY

I have one in my 63- no problems- I use a battery tickle device that keeps the battery charged when sitting and it has given me no problems. You still get point deducts anyway.

[John D.]

Re: BATTERY

Charles, Yes you will have that once in a while. I bought a new GMC and the battery lasted one year. Went to Corvette CArlisle and had to get jumped to get the thing going. Drove 170 miles miles home pulling a trailer. Stopped for gas and the damn thing wouldn't start. Anyhow the dealer said the battery had two bad cells. So once in a while you get a bad one. I have had three Restoration batteries with no problems so far.
But I do agree with you that if you aren't planning on showing the car just buy a nice new Delco battery. If you do show it plan on losing 50%. Take care, John

[Charles P.]

Re: BATTERY

I agree you will get a bad one now and again its happened with over the counter batteries I have had. The problem I have with Restoration Battery et al is why would it take 2 months to evalauate and replace a battery? At this point I have moved on to a Delco.