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Reproduction vintage batteries?
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FIN ME
Posted 2014-05-21 8:33 AM (#441717)
Subject: Reproduction vintage batteries?



Expert

Posts: 2788
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Location: USA - KY
I'm looking at some options regarding a reproduction vintage battery for my '57 Desoto - thinking of the 27's ("maintenance free").

Does anyone here have experience with a company that manufactures these batteries that they could recommend? Any advice?

Here are the two companies I am considering:

http://www.antiqueautobattery.com/

http://www.restorationbattery.com/

OR - maybe these "Tar Toppers" would be the way to go? http://www.tartopper.com/ - red caps.

I know these reproduction vintage-look batteries are pricey, and l have heard that they don't last as long as the off-the-shelf batteries, but whatyagointodo?

I got a rubber battery tray, and I'm going to have to come up with a vintage-looking hold-down - I have already got instructions on the hold-down from Ed Petrus.


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56RoyalLancer
Posted 2014-05-21 11:18 AM (#441742 - in reply to #441717)
Subject: Re: Reproduction vintage batteries?



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Posts: 608
500100
Location: Madison, Wisconsin		I have had a vintage battery from antiqueautobattery. It was very nice in appearance but did not last long. I think I got two years out of it before it started to loss charge. I switched to a modern NAPA closed cell battery with the tar topper. I removed the NAPA stickers (black battery) and put on a reproduction mopar sticker (you can get one on EBay). I think it looks very nice and you really have to look close to tell it is not the real thing. I believe Neil has done the same on his car.
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Shep
Posted 2014-05-21 7:48 PM (#441820 - in reply to #441717)
Subject: Re: Reproduction vintage batteries?



Expert

Posts: 3402
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Location: Chestertown, NY ( near Lake George)		-Seconded on the Antique auto battery maybe 2.5 years for 230.00!!
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FURY
Posted 2014-05-23 10:47 PM (#442094 - in reply to #441717)
Subject: RE: Reproduction vintage batteries?



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Posts: 1049
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Location: Auckland, New Zealand.		I got 6 years out of an antique auto battery model group 24. Not bad I thought. And that was after it sat dry on the shelf for about 7 years before I used it. I would get another one but at that cost plus the shipping to NZ I bought a plain black local battery to replace it, and put the green screw on caps off the antique auto battery.
Glenn.
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DeMopar
Posted 2014-05-24 4:00 PM (#442148 - in reply to #442094)
Subject: Re: Reproduction vintage batteries?


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Location: New Orleans-ish		The repro batteries are nice and pretty, but expensive. Here is how to get the vintage look and still have a serviceable battery that is easily replaced. Start with a basic flat-top/side battery (I've used Mopar and Die Hard) that fits your vehicle. Locate a set of vintage Mopar battery caps (EBay, etc...), preferably discarded from a reproduction battery. Locate a 7/8 tap (pawn shops often have them) and after removing the square service caps, tap the holes out with the 7/8 tap. Some shavings will probably fall in the battery, but they are part of the same plastic as the battery housing so it won't hurt anything if you can't get them all out. Screw on the Mopar caps and finish off with a nice repro Mopar decal on the front. Most people would never know it wasn't the correct repro. When the battery needs replacing, just go to the store and buy another and repeat process reusing your old caps. I've done this for years and it works. This would be especially helpful where shipping presents issues...

Edited by DeMopar 2014-05-24 4:03 PM
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56300B
Posted 2014-05-25 12:48 PM (#442215 - in reply to #442148)
Subject: Re: Reproduction vintage batteries?



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Posts: 480
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Location: The Great Northwest		DeMopar,

Can you post a picture of your battery after doing the 'procedure' on it?
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DeMopar
Posted 2014-05-25 1:51 PM (#442219 - in reply to #441717)
Subject: RE: Reproduction vintage batteries?


Extreme Veteran

Posts: 323
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Location: New Orleans-ish		Here it is...




(Chrysler Battery.jpg)



Attachments
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Attachments Chrysler Battery.jpg (95KB - 315 downloads)
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d500neil
Posted 2014-05-25 4:37 PM (#442234 - in reply to #441717)
Subject: RE: Reproduction vintage batteries?



Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!

Posts: 19146
5000500050002000200010025
Location: bishop, ca		For the shorter Group 24's, you can buy a flat top Delco (great battery, BTW) and then buy a Tar Topper ("Toupee") that sits on its
top, and which is completely covered by the DOD/PLY battery hold-down bracket.

Then, you buy a MoPar "Group 24" decal, and you end up with this:

The 27-series may only have hold-down 'clamps', so the perimeter-edges of the Tar Toppers would be exposed.

Also, on my Topper, I ground-off the "AC" embossments on the cap tops and painted them in bright green.

Very believable effect, and the Toppers, now, may not have the "AC's" on their fake-fixed 'caps'.

One 'mistake' that I made was to de-shine the Tar Topper's top, to try to make it look more 'rubbery/flat'.

If I had to do it over, I'd apply an industrial clear-coat to it, to preserve its shiny-ness, because the sides
of the battery are shiny, as is the hold-down bracket.







Edited by d500neil 2014-05-25 4:45 PM




(PICT0404.JPG)



Attachments
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Attachments PICT0404.JPG (106KB - 172 downloads)
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d500neil
Posted 2014-05-26 3:00 PM (#442321 - in reply to #441717)
Subject: RE: Reproduction vintage batteries?



Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!

Posts: 19146
5000500050002000200010025
Location: bishop, ca

Here's what the "Group 24" size/style Tar topper looks like (you can't really see the "AC" on their
fake-caps' tops), and the Delco battery that fits and works wonderfully...






(PICT0003.JPG)



(BATTERY.JPG)



(PICT0002.JPG)



Attachments
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Attachments PICT0003.JPG (108KB - 227 downloads)
Attachments BATTERY.JPG (108KB - 220 downloads)
Attachments PICT0002.JPG (111KB - 172 downloads)
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56300B
Posted 2014-05-26 5:41 PM (#442347 - in reply to #441717)
Subject: Re: Reproduction vintage batteries?



Extreme Veteran

Posts: 480
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Location: The Great Northwest		Nice alternative to the old battery installation...................
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FIN ME
Posted 2014-05-27 9:22 AM (#442445 - in reply to #441717)
Subject: Re: Reproduction vintage batteries?



Expert

Posts: 2788
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Location: USA - KY
Thank you for all of the great advice and photos, guys!

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wizard
Posted 2014-05-27 10:34 AM (#442452 - in reply to #442219)
Subject: RE: Reproduction vintage batteries?



Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+

Posts: 13055
50005000200010002525
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island
DeMopar - 2014-05-25 7:51 PM

Here it is...


That's a good solution - thanks' for sharing!!!
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56RoyalLancer
Posted 2014-05-27 12:12 PM (#442469 - in reply to #441717)
Subject: Re: Reproduction vintage batteries?



Elite Veteran

Posts: 608
500100
Location: Madison, Wisconsin		Here is what mine looks like. Note that the caps do not say AC Delco. You can order them that way from tar topper. http://www.tartopper.com/



(dodge_001.jpg)



(dodge_002.jpg)



Attachments
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Attachments dodge_001.jpg (164KB - 293 downloads)
Attachments dodge_002.jpg (152KB - 192 downloads)
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d500neil
Posted 2014-05-27 4:25 PM (#442516 - in reply to #442469)
Subject: Re: Reproduction vintage batteries?



Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!

Posts: 19146
5000500050002000200010025
Location: bishop, ca		Wow; green and NON-AC.

Some folks, like Ronbo, here, have glued real fill-caps over the Topper-fakes.

Greg, Big M, here should have lots of the OEM hold down brackets in his 'yard'.

For anyone else so interested, Gary Goers, and other suppliers, now sell OEM type battery cables.

Back in the 80's+, good condition OEM-type cables were Unobtanium; now, they're readily available!



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wizard
Posted 2015-01-10 6:46 AM (#467154 - in reply to #442148)
Subject: Re: Reproduction vintage batteries?



Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+

Posts: 13055
50005000200010002525
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island
DeMopar - 2014-05-24 10:00 PM

The repro batteries are nice and pretty, but expensive. Here is how to get the vintage look and still have a serviceable battery that is easily replaced. Start with a basic flat-top/side battery (I've used Mopar and Die Hard) that fits your vehicle. Locate a set of vintage Mopar battery caps (EBay, etc...), preferably discarded from a reproduction battery. Locate a 7/8 tap (pawn shops often have them) and after removing the square service caps, tap the holes out with the 7/8 tap. Some shavings will probably fall in the battery, but they are part of the same plastic as the battery housing so it won't hurt anything if you can't get them all out. Screw on the Mopar caps and finish off with a nice repro Mopar decal on the front. Most people would never know it wasn't the correct repro. When the battery needs replacing, just go to the store and buy another and repeat process reusing your old caps. I've done this for years and it works. This would be especially helpful where shipping presents issues...


Thanks' for sharing your idea Tom! I have finally found a set of old battery caps and made the work on my battery. My battery has (unfortunately) the fold down carry handle, but I'm going to use this battery until it's time to change.

Here's a couple of Pictures



(Resize of IMG_9979.JPG)



(Resize of IMG_9981.JPG)



Attachments
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Attachments Resize of IMG_9979.JPG (23KB - 298 downloads)
Attachments Resize of IMG_9981.JPG (69KB - 208 downloads)
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