overdrive Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 I need to buy new battery cables for our 70 SS454 and the build sheet shows heavy duty battery. My car had a side post battery when I got it, and I think that's correct for the HD battery. I think all SS454s came with the HD battery, and it was optional on a non-SS. American Autowire makes both cables for a Monte with side post. The positive cable is 45" long and the negative is 28". I've measured to see if those will work, but without buying them and checking fit, my tape measure shows they may, but may be slightly short. Does anyone here know what length cables I need? Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monte70car Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 Dan I did the same with my 72 ordered 45” long cable going to the starter and it is short. So I’ll be buying another battery to start cable when I have the funds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72jrfan88 Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 My 72 custom also came with side post heavy duty battery cables. I'm pretty sure they are around 50 inches on the positive and negative is around 32 when I measure. This also gives the cable some slack going to both spots. But searching parts places it's difficult bevause they don't show alot of measurements Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdrive Posted September 23, 2017 Author Share Posted September 23, 2017 Thanks guys. American Autowire can make whatever length I need. The Parts Place and American Autowire both show the same length cables for a top post battery in a Chevelle and a Monte, but for the side post, the Monte cables they sell are 4 inches longer than the Chevelle cables. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1970mcss Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 Dan, is American Autowire the place to buy side post cables or did you go with the parts place. I'm also looking for a side mount battery but don't ready want to spend 359.00 on the R-79. Any idea what battery will do the job and allow for a topper. My battery is 6 years old and I'm still having intermittent starter problems. The prior owner put a top post battery in the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdrive Posted July 16, 2020 Author Share Posted July 16, 2020 Yes, call American Autowire. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdrive Posted July 16, 2020 Author Share Posted July 16, 2020 Yes, call American Autowire for the cables. Don't mess with The Parts Place. They don't know the correct part numbers, and their customer service sucks. You'll need the codes for the cables from your build sheet, or I can get them for you. You can get almost any black side post battery that the topper will fit. I recommend you buy a topper and take it with you to get the battery. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdrive Posted July 16, 2020 Author Share Posted July 16, 2020 My positive cable code is NH. Negative is LC. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1970mcss Posted July 16, 2020 Share Posted July 16, 2020 Thanks Dan, it looks like the parts place has the same part numbers as american wire. The parts place is 20 minutes from my house so it's hard not to call them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1970mcss Posted July 16, 2020 Share Posted July 16, 2020 Dan, I just double checked my build sheet and the codes are: positive NH and negative PF. I got lucky with the parts place having the correct cables that came from American Wire. You are correct that some of the folks there have an attitude problem. There is a couple old gear heads that work the counter that are pretty good to deal with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70MC402 Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 On 7/15/2020 at 8:50 PM, overdrive said: Yes, call American Autowire for the cables. Don't mess with The Parts Place. They don't know the correct part numbers, and their customer service sucks. You'll need the codes for the cables from your build sheet, or I can get them for you. You can get almost any black side post battery that the topper will fit. I recommend you buy a topper and take it with you to get the battery. Dan How do you go about getting the build sheet for a car? I have a 70 MC like my name would state and I'm having issues with the positive battery cable. Im not sure what the car had originally but it has top post cable ends on it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC1of80 Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 What is the issue? The Monte Carlo came with both top terminal and a side terminal battery options. Big block or small block. The battery cables for a Monte Carlo are longer than the other a-bodys gm made. My 70 SS I made my own cables. Thicker gauge wires. Top post. My 71 402 "barn find" has a side terminal battery. Those I ordered from the parts place and are the M&H brand cables. Fit real well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragCat Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 I too made my own cables, got a set from "Painless". The kit comes with both side and top post terminals so you can do either. I try and keep my wires and cables tucked in nice and orderly and the painless kit let me cut my positive cable to the exact length I wanted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70MC402 Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 Its a 402 big block. If I take the car out and get it hot, shut it off and run into a store quick, yesterday I was getting a headlight bulb for my wife's car, I come back out 5 minutes later and my starter just clicks, solenoid moves but the starter motor doesnt engage. Had the wife crank it over while i tapped on the starter thinking it was going bad as I recently put headers on the car. No change. Wiggle the battery cable at the batterybterminal clamp, it arcs a little then fires up the car. Someone also cobbled the negative battery fender ground before I got the car too and id like to replace it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragCat Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 Just throwing this out there, been discussed many times, look into high torque mini starter especially if you have headers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dtret Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 On 9/23/2017 at 2:51 PM, overdrive said: Thanks guys. American Autowire can make whatever length I need. The Parts Place and American Autowire both show the same length cables for a top post battery in a Chevelle and a Monte, but for the side post, the Monte cables they sell are 4 inches longer than the Chevelle cables. Dan I ordered a set from opgi. To short. I called American and they have the correct ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1970mcss Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 I bought mine from the parts place. They are from American Autowire. They have the matching codes on the cables that are on build sheet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70MC402 Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 If i dont have a build sheet is there any way to find out what codes the build sheet would have. Or any way to have a build sheet reproduced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Peters Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 19 minutes ago, 70MC402 said: If i dont have a build sheet is there any way to find out what codes the build sheet would have. Or any way to have a build sheet reproduced? Richard, regarding the build sheet. Check your VIN number. If there is an "F" in the VIN your car was made in the Flint Michigan plant. Nobody has ever found a build sheet in a Flint built car so I would not start tearing it apart looking for a build sheet. Regarding the battery. I think you said it is a 402. If that is the case I think all big block Monte's came with the heavy duty battery and I think all of the heavy duty batteries were side mount but I would not swear to that. rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1970mcss Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 Rob, I know the 454 should be hd battery and side mounted cables. Not sure about the 402 but I would think they are the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC1of80 Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 My 71 402 has a side terminal battery and cables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70MC402 Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Going off the VIN decoder my car started life in Los Angeles, or whatever VIN L indicates. Ive had both front seats out, the rear seat and storage tray out, no build sheet found. Also the previous owner stated he looked for it as well, so the battery I have is likely incorrect, can i just make my own cables or would it be better to convert it back to ulitizing side cables and a new battery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC1of80 Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Depends on what you are looking to do with the car. If going for a totally stock/factory look then side terminal. IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70MC402 Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Im not really going for a restored look, just something that's functional and doesnt have excessive voltage drop like my current cables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC1of80 Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 I went with an optima battery in my 70 SS. I used the top terminals and I believe 1gauge wire. 2x as thick as stock. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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