AdamH65

Hello all,

I need to purchase a new battery and I want to ensure I get one that not only fits the tray but also so that the shield fits over it.

Will an optima red top fit or do I need something else?

62Jeff

What year car do you have? If a 63 or later, do you have air conditioning?3

AdamH65

65 convertible, no A/C

The original battery tray is virtually gone due to a battery exploding while it was stored years ago. no hold down straps, shield, etc. is with it. Since it has no A/C and enough remains of the original, I figured out which tray is needed and it seems from my research it would have had the shield type top over the battery since it had no A/C

Please correct me if I am wrong

5thvet

That's correct and I have a 65 no air and use a red top.

toddalin

The Optima will fit the tray, but the top frame with the shield is too big and the fit is sloppy. Also, you may need to deal with the "bumps" on the top of the battery where the plastic turns down for the front terminals. (You can see what I mean looking at the battery near the top left corner of the expansion tank.)

When I was running the stock shield/hold down, I made some shims to go between the top frame and battery (Yellow top). I later found someone who makes a top frame for the Optima in billet aluminum that works with the stock tray that is marketed to the Tri-5 group. It doesn't have the heat shield, but I don't think the Optima needs it. (BTW, if you need a stock reproduction top frame/shield in excellent shape, I no longer use mine, so...)

AdamH65

I like Optimas, I use them in both my Jeeps, so it's good to know a red top will fit.

Can someone share the part # for the red top that fits / you used? I think the best would be either a 34 or 34R but they all vary slightly in dimension based on the Optima web-site. The CCA and CA are all roughly the samel.

Thanks!

AdamH65

I posted a pic of what's left of the original tray in my gallery. Thank goodness the frame is fine underneath.

toddalin

The Optimas, yellow, blue and red all have nice rounded corners.


But the battery top frame has squared off corners, so provide a lousy fit. And as I menterioned, if the Optima has side posts, there is a bump along the top to contend with.

AdamH65

What if I ordered the battery shield spacers like Eckler's sells.. would that solve the fitment issue? I have yellow tops in my Jeeps, maybe I should just take one out and try it once my new tray arrives. I thought about just ordering a repro "old" battery since it would fit just fine but cost of the battery and then shipping is so much more than just getting an Optima from my local auto parts store.

From the pics on the Optima site, it looks like I can get a model 34 without the side posts.

Jims66

I took my battery hold down to the parts store and bought the highest cca and reserve battery that would fit. Just my 2cents. Good luck with whatever you decide.

LB66383

I have an Optima red top without sideposts in my '66. So, yes they are available. To hold it down, I just made up a steel bar that fastens to the original holddown hooks and runs across the middle of the top of the battery.

AdamH65

Used the Optima redtop 34 along with the shield. The spacers did the trick and all seems to fit well. Thanks!

LT1driver

original size was group 24 which is still available almost anywhere.

FlaVert

I just put this Optima in my 66 no A/C:

Optima Red Top Group 25 battery RED25 (SC25A RED)

No side posts. The shield is too long for it, and just barely touches the sides to hold it in. Seems solid enough, but it ain't pretty. I also had to use the extended base that comes with it to make it tall enough.

jomphe50

Hi folks! My -64 coupe needs a new battery for next summer (a six month wait).The car is in Europe and I`m in South-East Asia so I can´t check dimensions and polarity.She is an A/C version.
Could someone please help me.I need to know battery group (physical dimensions),polarity (left hand or right hand +).Naturally top terminals.
Tar Tops are no-no.
Thanks -J-

JohnZ

Group 24, standard configuration - available everywhere.