Batteries question
Discussion
Hi,
Long story, but short bit of it is I have an under-capacity battery in my ZR1, which in this cold weather has trouble starting after about 4 days
Both this *and* my Cadillac use (I think they're called) "Freedom" terminals - these are the screw in terminals, not the normal clamp on terminals.
(a) does anybody know a good [cheap
] dealer for these types of batteries (I can get them for £130 from Claremont I think)
(b) is it easy to change the terminal type to the more-common clamp types, and then I can go for some nice heavy duty battery which'll cost me about £60.
(c) Sorry for being so tight about money... Crimbo and all that
Long story, but short bit of it is I have an under-capacity battery in my ZR1, which in this cold weather has trouble starting after about 4 days
Both this *and* my Cadillac use (I think they're called) "Freedom" terminals - these are the screw in terminals, not the normal clamp on terminals.
(a) does anybody know a good [cheap
] dealer for these types of batteries (I can get them for £130 from Claremont I think) (b) is it easy to change the terminal type to the more-common clamp types, and then I can go for some nice heavy duty battery which'll cost me about £60.
(c) Sorry for being so tight about money... Crimbo and all that
Not sure about the C4 but the C5 eats batteries and if anything requires an upgrade to an Optima Red Top from the stock AC-Delco unit. The stock battery has a habit of dying so it may be a false economy in the long run. Otherwise, it may be better to do a Google search in the UK for side terminal batteries. Good luck.
c4koh said:
Hi,
Long story, but short bit of it is I have an under-capacity battery in my ZR1, which in this cold weather has trouble starting after about 4 days
Both this *and* my Cadillac use (I think they're called) "Freedom" terminals - these are the screw in terminals, not the normal clamp on terminals.
(a) does anybody know a good [cheap
(b) is it easy to change the terminal type to the more-common clamp types, and then I can go for some nice heavy duty battery which'll cost me about £60.
A) Batteries : www.autopontiac.co.uk/Parts.shtml
B) I have side mount adaptors on one of my Trans Ams. They clamp on to a standard round post, top mounted battery (actually a high capacity Mondeo Diesel battery) they are solid lead and provide the side thread for the origianl leads. I'll post a picture up later...
>> Edited by ws6 on Wednesday 29th December 19:29
ws6 - thanks for the info.
I'd be very interested to see your mounting of the side terminals to a normal battery, thanks - so I await the pictures... is it that the thread just fits onto a round mount?
Oh - and a beaut of a trans-am you have, by the way. I will remain perpetually saddened that Knight-Rider was a trans-am and not a 'vette
!!
I'd be very interested to see your mounting of the side terminals to a normal battery, thanks - so I await the pictures... is it that the thread just fits onto a round mount?
Oh - and a beaut of a trans-am you have, by the way. I will remain perpetually saddened that Knight-Rider was a trans-am and not a 'vette
!! 
They are solid lumps of lead that clamp on a top mounted round post and have the thread for a side mounted terminal on the back.
They do not put the thread in exactly the same place as on a pukka side terminal battery (as you can see the Negative has a bit of a stretch) but I think I paid about £6 a pair and saved ££££££££££££ by not buying Delco side mounts :-)
(next your gonna ask where I got them - and I'm trying to remember - was about 15 years ago
) Well you cant exactly "stretch" the battery leads, wrong choice of word , in any case the Mondeo Diesel battery is a much higher capacity and cranking amperage than the original Delco, but maintains exactly the same footprint as the original. Not pretty, I'll agree, but functional. This was never a show car but a daily driver...
Thats not to say the leads have a bit more give on a vette in which case the adaptors would be at right angles and look better.
Thats not to say the leads have a bit more give on a vette in which case the adaptors would be at right angles and look better.
ws6 said:
... but I think I paid about £6 a pair and saved ££££££££££££ by not buying Delco side mounts :-)
(next your gonna ask where I got them - and I'm trying to remember - was about 15 years ago
ws6 - thanks for the pix, very interesting idea, and it utilizes the original side-terminal "screws" anyway [so I think this counter's Lu51fer's worry as of course an original ACDelco battery could be fitted at any time]...
So, now on the hunt for those adapters then - I'll post back if I find anything
(Although I'm wondering if I take apart an old [dead] side terminal battery that I have whether I could rig something up????)
Well, that didn't take too long:
www.solarseller.com/battery_post_connectors_conversions_adapters_repair.htm
... I'll see if they'll send internationally ...
www.solarseller.com/battery_post_connectors_conversions_adapters_repair.htm
... I'll see if they'll send internationally ...
My battery went dead on my 1973 c3 in June and it sounds like its got the same terminals. I live in Locksheath near Fareham and I was advised to try Barden(UK) Ltd on 01489 570770 who are literally on j9 of the m27 at Segensworth. They actually had 2 types in stock and I picked one up there and then. Can't find the receipt which is unusual for me but I am sure it was well under £100
I remember I bought them from a battery supplier in Twickenham, Sixth Cross Road, now just need the name/number (it was well over 12-15 years ago)
Also as above www.autopontiac.co.uk/Parts.shtml but dont know the rating of them....
Also as above www.autopontiac.co.uk/Parts.shtml but dont know the rating of them....
mickn said:
My battery went dead on my 1973 c3 in June and it sounds like its got the same terminals. I live in Locksheath near Fareham and I was advised to try Barden(UK) Ltd on 01489 570770 who are literally on j9 of the m27 at Segensworth. They actually had 2 types in stock and I picked one up there and then. Can't find the receipt which is unusual for me but I am sure it was well under £100
Strange; my stock 73 has normal ie on the top terminals. Cannot believe your 73 would not take a battery with terminals on the top
LuS1fer said:
Not sure about the C4 but the C5 eats batteries and if anything requires an upgrade to an Optima Red Top from the stock AC-Delco unit. The stock battery has a habit of dying so it may be a false economy in the long run. Otherwise, it may be better to do a Google search in the UK for side terminal batteries. Good luck.
Symptom of not driving the car? My C5 original AC D battery performs as it did the day out of the showroom after 3.5 years and 50K + miles (and of course it will now fail tomorrow!)
[quote]
Strange; my stock 73 has normal ie on the top terminals. Cannot believe your 73 would not take a battery with terminals on the top[/quote]
Well I just swapped like for like and it was screw in side type terminals
mickn said:
My battery went dead on my 1973 c3 in June and it sounds like its got the same terminals. I live in Locksheath near Fareham and I was advised to try Barden(UK) Ltd on 01489 570770 who are literally on j9 of the m27 at Segensworth. They actually had 2 types in stock and I picked one up there and then. Can't find the receipt which is unusual for me but I am sure it was well under £100
Strange; my stock 73 has normal ie on the top terminals. Cannot believe your 73 would not take a battery with terminals on the top
[/quote] Well I just swapped like for like and it was screw in side type terminals
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