Cadillac & LaSalle Club Discussion Forum

I need to order a battery like the one in this photo for a 1960.

Where is the best place to get these from?

Thanks,

Brian

Brian,

  The only one I know is Antique Auto Battery http://www.antiqueautobattery.com/ (http://www.antiqueautobattery.com/).  I use them for my 56 Cadillac and 70 Electra.  I recommend the sealed units with tipping those things into place (especially the Cadillac behind the fender well). 

I ordered mine from Restoration Battery in Ohio and have been pleased with it so far.  It has an AGM battery inside a reproduction case.  No leaking - EVER.

I believe the group 60K I ordered was $395+shipping.

Finally something in AGM!  I might have to replace the one in our 68 a little early.  Thanks.

Gene

I just looked at the website.  His prices have come way down.  The battery for your 68 is down to $295.

http://www.restorationbattery.com/r71s.html

My 60K is down to $285.

I find the toppers are ok on a car where you only see the top.  On the Cadillac, it just doesn't look right.  You see too much of the case, and in my application, you have offset posts also.

The real deal looks the part.  Yes, more than a conventional battery, but on par with a standard AGM battery at only slightly more. 

(https://forums.cadillaclasalle.club/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1189.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz421%2Fdan_leblanc1%2FE5915187-4865-4EA7-BC60-37D0FF5CD640_zpsz1i7ttke.jpg&hash=59dd82ac2ea9528c8b0f19058b67ed36bd1ed255) (http://s1189.photobucket.com/user/dan_leblanc1/media/E5915187-4865-4EA7-BC60-37D0FF5CD640_zpsz1i7ttke.jpg.html)

Like the spring ring cables!.  Have for my Nova but haven't seen for my 65/66 Cadillac's.  Any one know who has these in reproduction for 65-66?  Thanks!  Chuck

I searched the internet and the battery companies , for the battery for my 53 , which is one weird style battery , for quite a while . In the end I went to my local Battery World franchise here in AUS . They had never seen anything like it , especially with a rubber casing . I was enquiring about having the old one rebuilt . Long story short , I had a new one installed within a day . Try one of your big franchises .

The 53 style battery is usually available here in Australia cos they are used on forklifts.

Group 3EE, I believe.

If you don't  care a lot about judging, go to Walmart buy the big 800 CCA battery, strip off the decals and install.  Buy the period stickon DELCO yellow and black sticker from the battery guy in Ohio, and stick it on the front.  I am beyond caring that I have great radial tires on my '58, serrated belts, electronic ignition and a 3 year guaranteed Walmart battery!

Dan,

Yes, I was salivating when I was looking at their products.  As I said before, FINALLY an AGM battery to fit our Calais.  I HATE liquid-acid-based batteries, but have been looking for an AGM battery that has the capacity for our Cadillac, and this is it.  And it'll look period-correct, to boot!  Not that that's a show-stopper, as we only occasionally show our car, and even then, it's just to local cruise-ins, just for fun.  But yeah, we'll be paying this guy a visit soon.

Quote from: Dan LeBlanc on December 02, 2014, 10:21:21 AM
Gene

I just looked at the website.  His prices have come way down.  The battery for your 68 is down to $295.

http://www.restorationbattery.com/r71s.html

My 60K is down to $285.

Gene

It's been 18 months and I'm very happy with mine.  The first year warranty is free replacement and then pro-rated for 4 years after that.  5 year warranty, no leaks, good reserve capacity (I have let the radio play for a few hours in the garage while working on the 61 and still have plenty of starting power left).  It was a no-brainer for me also.

The biggest bonus - it fits the tray and the hold-down perfectly!

 
On my 1964 Coupe DeVille, I have been running a Type 60 reproduction battery from Restoration Battery for at least 5 years with zero issues, and have been very pleased.

On the spring ring type terminal cables, you can scout around for something similar to the length you need if nothing made for your year. For me the 1969 Camaro cables available from Heartbeat City were the exact length for the positive cable (52 1/2") and just 1/2" longer than specs on the negative cable (28 1/2") . The only thing I had to do was transplant the bottom braided ground wire from an old donor cable to the new cable, and paint the alternator feed cable black since it came brown.

Here is an article I included in one of our newsletters last year: http://api.ning.com/files/l8tah2vExAVwVvbOsZVcRNlIDt5BSbowwW4usSfIGi9vHDqjw7y3SnSCbzx6xecH2GwbuJ0iLdGpWT5Q0ocsUSYXsUmXUp-t/OriginalBatteryandBatteryCables.pdf (http://api.ning.com/files/l8tah2vExAVwVvbOsZVcRNlIDt5BSbowwW4usSfIGi9vHDqjw7y3SnSCbzx6xecH2GwbuJ0iLdGpWT5Q0ocsUSYXsUmXUp-t/OriginalBatteryandBatteryCables.pdf)

Here are some more detailed pictures of the Type 60 battery from Restoration Battery:
http://6364cadillac.ning.com/photo/albums/original-type-60-battery-with-correct-spring-ring-battery-cable (http://6364cadillac.ning.com/photo/albums/original-type-60-battery-with-correct-spring-ring-battery-cable)
 

Excellent Jason!  I can remove and measure mine one of these days, but does anyone know f the lengths for the 65-66 battery cables are the same as 63-64..or know length?  Thanks!

From the master parts book: 

I will just say I have $300 invested in a nice reproduction maintenance free battery from Restoration Battery that fits correctly in my battery tray and with the correct hold down hardware and it doesn't looked "rigged" and has given me many years of service at this point.  When I go to car shows, the battery and correct spring ring terminals are eye candy for those that remembered the way they were from the factory and probably get more positive feedback from the "old timers" on this item, than any other thing I have done under the hood. When you are at a car show in a sea of Type 27 and other ill fitting batteries with modern bolt terminal cables, I think the investment I have made has given me a lot of satisfaction.  I have the Pertronix III setup under the distributor cap, and an Eldebrock 750 sitting under the original air breather and on top a heavily modified but original intake, for better ignition, and fuel delivery, but nothing is as rewarding as having that original look under the hood.... IF that is what you were after. I know if I were going custom it would be a different story. 

Quote from: Dan LeBlanc on December 02, 2014, 10:21:21 AM
Gene

I just looked at the website.  His prices have come way down.  The battery for your 68 is down to $295.

http://www.restorationbattery.com/r71s.html

My 60K is down to $285.

Down to $295  ??

When I can get a superior Delco 6 or 7 year  with more CCA for about $100   ???

Quote from: TonyZappone #2624 on December 03, 2014, 07:59:40 AM
If you don't  care a lot about judging, go to Walmart buy the big 800 CCA battery, strip off the decals and install.  Buy the period stickon DELCO yellow and black sticker from the battery guy in Ohio, and stick it on the front.  I am beyond caring that I have great radial tires on my '58, serrated belts, electronic ignition and a 3 year guaranteed Walmart battery! 

I like this - except for the wally world part. I prefer the above mentioned AC-Delco.


...
Toppers - really  ?

Quote from: Jason Edge on December 07, 2014, 09:45:40 AM
I will just say I have $300 invested in a nice reproduction maintenance free battery from Restoration Battery that fits correctly in my battery tray and with the correct hold down hardware and it doesn't looked "rigged" and has given me many years of service at this point.  When I go to car shows, the battery and correct spring ring terminals are eye candy for those that remembered the way they were from the factory and probably get more positive feedback from the "old timers" on this item, than any other thing I have done under the hood. When you are at a car show in a sea of Type 27 and other ill fitting batteries with modern bolt terminal cables, I think the investment I have made has given me a lot of satisfaction.  I have the Pertronix III setup under the distributor cap, and an Eldebrock 750 sitting under the original air breather and on top a heavily modified but original intake, for better ignition, and fuel delivery, but nothing is as rewarding as having that original look under the hood.... IF that is what you were after. I know if I were going custom it would be a different story. 

???

Man, some folks are really into fakery.

How about an actual ORIGINAL Ignition and Fuel system?

I have no starting problems with my Original Rochester QuadraJet, Original design Delco P&C ignition, with Original DELCO Coil, cap and rotor. The ORIGINAL intake has all of its vacuum and electrical lines as per the original specs.

It starts in less than 1/4 second.   :)

Here's my take on this.

I want something that will work as needed with no issues or surprises down the road. If I can get a GM / DELCO item, so much the better, but I'm not going to put something on my car just because it is so-called "authentic" (which is BS in itself because unless it's a genuine NOS item, it's not), only to "look correct".

The came goes for hose clamps, coolant recovery, protecting pressurized AC and PS lines, etc. I want something that will not require constant replacing or repairing.  On the other hand, the P&C has always worked fine for me, and I see no reason to ever resort to an HEI abomination, no matter how well its faked into looking like an original P&C ignition.


An AGM sounds like something to consider. I have to look into it.

I'm not into fakery either

If I could get an original group 60K dry battery, I'd add the electrolyte and charge it up.  Have NEVER seen one available for sale, so I improvised.  That's what's available, so that's what I use.  It's really not that much more expensive than a plain jane conventional case AGM battery.  Bonus is, I have no leaking battery to rot out my battery tray or eat the anodizing on my grille.

When you have to replace your battery and re-anodize your grille, that bill will be way more than the extra $195 I spent on my battery.

And you can't say modern flooded lead acid batteries don't leak and cause that damage.  I used to work for a battery manufacturer.  I'd go through a pair of pants a week handling new batteries because they were eaten by acid from NEW batteries.

I still run points and condenser, generator and voltage regulator, mechanical fuel pump with glass bowl filter, tower and corbin clamps, and bias ply tires.  The car needs no special attention with these items.  My hoses don't leak, my car starts fine, and the battery is always charged.

To me, a modern looking AC Delco battery is just a battery in a hole to start the car.  The closest fit is a group 27F in the 61 and it doesn't fit the tray right and looks like lipstick on the Mona Lisa.

If my battery left me stranded, I'd buy a modern battery to get me home until I could get the "fake" battery again.

Dan, say it right - "lipstick on a pig"

1961s, yes, these probably looks quite different inside the engine bay.

As to leaking, yup, that can happen, but my grille and passenger side directional were de-anodized and / or de-chromed 40 years ago (they are original and un-restored), so I'm not really concerned. the AC-Delcos have not leaked on me - so far!.

I's also like to get an original DELCO 6 cap with the "eye" but nor for $300 when better performing modern ones cost only $100 or so and have more power. I like the new ones. I can leave my underhood and trunk lights on for several hours and it starts up just fine.

Lipstick on a pig?  Who cares, most can live with that.

Lipstick on the Mona Lisa would be a tragedy.

I stand behind my original analogy.

After monkeying with these old cars for 50 years or so, I find the item that had me hitchhiking in most often, was contact points.  The advent and use of electronic ignition is not offensive to me.  Just as medical advances have provided the means to do my quadruple bypass have improved to the point that it is no longer the procedure that caused probably 80 to 90 percent fatalities 50 years ago.  Moreover, I don't know how to drive on bias-belt tires anymore.  Even the staid Packard club (also the CCCA, has allowed radial tires).  Purists are entitled to their opinions.  I haven't hitchhiked in since I installed Pertonix in my 47 convert, 58 convert, and even a 1936 Pierce Arrow!  We elect our directors to do what they think is the best for the CadLas club.  I think they do a great job.  I am not critical of them at all in their attempt to keep our cars as original as possible.  In any event, I find that most observers at shows are so enthralled with looking at a breathtaking 58 convertible coupe, yellow at that, that they don't even notice my poor Mickey Mouse battery.

I agree with Mike about the ignition and fuel delivery and in time will convert back to factory on my 64 CDV.  For now I like the fact when I pop the hood it is starting to look original as when the car was new.  In the past few years I have converted the loud dual exhaust back to original setup, removed a few "Fleetwood" interior items and replace with the correct DeVille amenities, replaced my aftermarket wire pull over Delco brakebooster with an original style Delco booster and master cylinder, etc.  I tell people that I feel like I have restored 2/3's of my 64-6357 but feel like I need to go back and redo the first 1/3! Some of that (e.g. ignition, carb and intake) is going through and restoring items to original.  10 to 15 years ago, the carb and Pertronix were easy mods that quickly resolved recurring problems that I did not have time to keep dealing with, but look forward to returning that to original.

As far as tires, I have never driven my 64 with anything but the correct 8.2 x 15 bias ply. I have found that people often run radials to compensate for loose steering and suspension. With all new suspension under my 64 CDV I can take my index finger and drive it anywhere. Radials do give a bit better road handling, but I drive my 64 CDV to work and back thru down town pot hole ridden city streets and constantly under repair interstate road in Raleigh, NC with the bias ply effortlessly.  Bias ply on any car with old worn out suspension will give you a workout. I remember the day about 8 years ago when I bit the bullet and replaced ALL front suspension components and it was like I was suddenly driving a different car. I can (and have) written volumes about the tires! LOL

Back to the battery, it is whatever you want. There are some fantastic, powerful, non factory style batteries out there and can understand the issue with price, but I can tell you, I enjoy gradually restoring my car back to original look, and going with the Type 60 Battery and correct spring ring terminal cables has been very rewarding. I will just add, I find it funny reading about these older cars with bolt terminal battery cables and all the discussions about quick disconnects and what works best.  With the original style spring ring terminals, I simply keep a good set of pliers in the glove box and trunk, and can disconnect as fast as it take me to squeeze the handles.   They are truly a work of art and are what someone would have seen when they first popped the hood on their new Cadillac back in the day.

Over the years, I have probably owned thirty Cadillacs and Buicks in the '50s.  I do not remember the snap clips on the batteries on those cars.  I thought they were bolt types.  In fact I would have sworn the positive bolt cable I just removed was a factory original.  I will stand corrected if someone who knows for sure that the 50's cars had snap terminals.

Quote from: TonyZappone #2624 on December 09, 2014, 08:58:33 AM
Over the years, I have probably owned thirty Cadillacs and Buicks in the '50s.  I do not remember the snap clips on the batteries on those cars.  I thought they were bolt types.  In fact I would have sworn the positive bolt cable I just removed was a factory original.  I will stand corrected if someone who knows for sure that the 50's cars had snap terminals.

According to the Serviceman bulletin, spring ring terminals were to be installed on Cadillac cars after March 1st 1961 or when current supply was deleted.  My car was built February 22, 1961 and has spring ring terminals.

Quote from: TonyZappone #2624 on December 09, 2014, 07:14:54 AM
After monkeying with these old cars for 50 years or so, I find the item that had me hitchhiking in most often, was contact points.  The advent and use of electronic ignition is not offensive to me.  Just as medical advances have provided the means to do my quadruple bypass have improved to the point that it is no longer the procedure that caused probably 80 to 90 percent fatalities 50 years ago.  Moreover, I don't know how to drive on bias-belt tires anymore.  Even the staid Packard club (also the CCCA, has allowed radial tires).  Purists are entitled to their opinions.  I haven't hitchhiked in since I installed Pertonix in my 47 convert, 58 convert, and even a 1936 Pierce Arrow!  We elect our directors to do what they think is the best for the CadLas club.  I think they do a great job.  I am not critical of them at all in their attempt to keep our cars as original as possible.  In any event, I find that most observers at shows are so enthralled with looking at a breathtaking 58 convertible coupe, yellow at that, that they don't even notice my poor Mickey Mouse battery.

Tony. with  your 40s & 50s era cars, I can see your point on on points. But for a late 60s thru 73or 74, there is NO valid reason to change that out to any HEI.

As for radials over bias ply. I'm with you there. Same on wiring, cables and hose clamps. I'm not putting something on the car that I know will cause a problem when there is a better performing item available.

Jason, I was fortunate to get my car with all of its original trim and just about all of the original engine compartment components (probably not the original water pump), so I could start with everything. There were a few things missing, like the heater control valve, hood struts, etc. but the rest was there, even if it was in terrible condition.

Funny, the ONLY time I had to hitchhike due to points failure was actually in our 68 Calais, and was just fairly recently.  Even then, the 'hike' was from one side of the storage facility to the storage unit I was keeping it at the time to get my tools.  Luckily, I quickly discovered the problem, and a quick adjustment of the points at least got the car to start so we could move it back to the unit, saving my wife and I from having to push it back. 

But I see the point of this thread.  I'm not at all against updating parts with better, more efficient and safer parts.  I do see the point of a 100-pointer car, but few of our vehicles are that any more.  Heck, even my 72 Trans Am, that I regularly showed had an aftermarket scatter shield and 3" lap harnesses.  It's just safer. 

I had to repair the terminal on the wire from the minus side of the coil to the points under the rotor in a Boston Market one night, but that was because the 35 year old wire had frayed too badly to carry enough voltage to fire the points.

Quote from: cadillacmike68 on December 08, 2014, 12:45:12 PM
Dan, say it right - "lipstick on a pig"

I's also like to get an original DELCO 6 cap with the "eye" but nor for $300 when better performing modern ones cost only $100 or so and have more power. I like the new ones. I can leave my underhood and trunk lights on for several hours and it starts up just fine.

I think you are in dreamland if you think you are getting any more than the cheapest AC Delco battery for less than $100 or even $100.  A decent one seems to be at $125-130 now. (a 6 or 7 year battery that is)

Quote from: gkhashem on August 27, 2019, 05:22:35 PM
I think you are in dreamland if you think you are getting any more than the cheapest AC Delco battery for less than $100 or even $100.  A decent one seems to be at $125-130 now. (a 6 or 7 year battery that is)

You have to know where to shop!

I'll add a data point. My Group 2D Delco tar-top battery with Optima inside was purchased from Restoration Batteries in October 2010. It cost $280, so it wasn't cheap. But averaged over 9 years (including some periods of hard starting with vapor lock)...I'm happy. I expect it will die any minute now.  But I'll take the "fake" battery any day if it will last nine years or more!

John Emerson
1952 Cadillac sedan 6219X