OhMonte Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I'm in need of a new battery. I'm not a huge stickler for originality, especially with a battery. I would like to know if the original battery was top or side post. And any other info anyone can share about using those old style Delco battery toppers. They look cool when put on. I'm looking for a battery around 800 cca. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monte70car Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Joe I have a top post die hard platinum battery in my 70 P-1 34|50034 880cca. I told Sears it had power door locks, power windows and an after market audio system. So far I've had it three years and it has been on the battery tender since I got it. As for top mount or side mount its base on the cables you have and during the years they could have been switch to the other type, if you had the build sheet you would be looking for hd 30 amp-hr battery which would be side mount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtankjones Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Sorry. I don't have any info on those Batteries. But I have an Optima Red top. Has top And side posts. Very good battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo's70MCs Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 RPO T60 Battery, 70-amp-hour, back in the day it used to be known as a BCI group 24. Today's Power Ratings: Cold Cranking Amps (CCA at 0 deg.F): Reserve Capacity (RC): differ from batt to battery. I used to swear by the Optima batteries but after two of them failing on me, I'm not so sure. Die-Hard or Interstate for my money. When you're looking for performance as well as a company that will back their batteries warranty, you want an established company that will honor their warranty nationwide. Not that Optima is a bad battery, they keep mighty clean and their AGM battery is bar-none ahead of its time, I just happen to have bad luck with them. Did I mention their hefty price. Although they look good under the hood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 and I've had good luck with my optima had it for at least 5 years, but!!! I sent the first one back, it failed in the first 2 months!!! my '70 assem manual shows side post battery in parts and top post in other pictures, I think it's side post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewTimer Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 and I've had good luck with my optima had it for at least 5 years, but!!! I sent the first one back, it failed in the first 2 months!!! my '70 assem manual shows side post battery in parts and top post in other pictures, I think it's side post before I figured out my wiring on my one wire alternator, my yellow top always had a charge and started the car when I would drive to the parts store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stangeba Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I had my previous Sears for 10 years, this one, also Sears is about 4 now I think. I have side terminals bringing up a question, didn't SOME 1970 Monte's have side terminals if they had a big block or something like that? In 71 they all had side terminals and I remember old mechanics complaining about how bad they were and they hated them because jumper cables didn't stay on. Sorry, went on a rampage like those old mechanics from 1971. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCfan Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Bruce, both of my '70 BBs have side terminal batteries (and, yes, it's hard to keep jumper cables from "jumping" off! ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I had heard that the side post battery was created for two reasons: It wasn't as tall and needed little clearance allowing lower hood profiles, and I heard it was for the new Chevy Vega which had a unique shipping requirement. They would drive the completed car onto the sides of a boxcar, and fold up the sides for transport. This meant the car would be positioned nose-down for extended periods, and they had to develop a way to keep the batteries from draining in this position. I did some Google on the subject, and see that some GM models had them as early as '69? Maybe the thought of shipping was to extend to all models of GM, but who knows. No other MFG'rs caught on to the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo's70MCs Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 weird all my '70s had top terminal batteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70mcarlo Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 My Dad's '70 came with side-post terminals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo's70MCs Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 My Dad's '70 came with side-post terminals. Is your's a top terminal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70 Iron Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 My 70 ,Build Date 11-69 shows on the buid sheet HD Battery T60 and has always had side terminal cables,I replaced them with the same prt# on the existing cables and the build sheet codes,NH for the pos cable and JK for the Neg. also on the hand written order form states HD Battery and the cost was an additional $15.80 There was a dicussion a while back on here about the Bat cables and the prt # for side and top post. Terry BTW, I went with an AC Delco HD Battery side terminal just because I like the looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70mcarlo Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Originally Posted By: 70mcarlo My Dad's '70 came with side-post terminals. Is your's a top terminal? Hi Rod. No - I have side terminals as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo's70MCs Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Funny that as Sam pointed out I dug-up the assembly manual and the T60 is shown with side terminals, none of the pictures show a hold-down clamp on pg849, but when you look at pg341 it shows the hold-down clamp the battery tray, and a top post battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhMonte Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Thanks everyone. The old battery in my car was deader than a door nail. It needed a jump everytime the car was started. The alternator tested just fine. I ended up going with an Interstate Megatron Plus size 24 battery. (MTP 24) Top mount. The car came with top mount so I just stuck with it. I finally got the car back into my hands for good this past Saturday. As fate would have it, a fresh coat of snow blanketed Northeast PA the day before, but the main roads were dry. I drove it a few miles to a temporary storage unit until Mother Nature gives me the go ahead to hit the highway and get her home. The car ran beautifully. I'll post some updated pics under my "Heart Transplant" thread in the Engine forum. I hope to do that late tonight. Again, thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichG Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 My 70 big block was a side terminal from the factory. I've always used DELCO batteries. Bought my current one in 1999. I don't use the car much, 200 miles a year or so but it stays on a battery tender most of the time. I had always heard that the side post created less corrosion than top post. Don't know if it's true or not. By the way, OhMonte (Joe) where in DELCO are you? There are a couple of us in Chester Ccounty, me, and 7tonemonte (Tony). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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