63 Battery Replacement
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Gaithersburg MD
63 Battery Replacement
Help! I recently purchased a sweet little 63...the car of my dreams. Now I need to replace the battery. Any suggestions on what brand best fits the existing bracket? :crazy:
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 12,712
Likes: 2,271
Re: 63 Battery Replacement (sheliam)
Brand isn't important. What you need is a "Group 24" battery - any Group 24 battery. Any auto parts store should have one, Costco, too. Most "house brands" are made by Johnson Controls. Peel off the ugly stick-on labels and you have a plain black battery that will blend and disappear into the engine compartment, rather than a gaudy label that screams Pep Boys!
Duke
[Modified by SWCDuke, 2:03 PM 11/10/2003]
Duke
[Modified by SWCDuke, 2:03 PM 11/10/2003]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,897
Likes: 1,357
From: Santa Ana CA
Re: 63 Battery Replacement (sheliam)
You'll find it far easier to change if you first dismount the expansion tank. You can then push it out of the way while leaving the hoses intact. If it's nice, protect it against scratches as the aluminum is soft. Putting the bolts back in the straps afterwards is always fun too.
I replaced mine on my '64 with a yellow top Optima but had to do a little custom work to make an adapter for the stock top frame. The stock top frame has a heat shield for the headers. Billet top frames that fit the Optimas are available aftermarket though.
I replaced mine on my '64 with a yellow top Optima but had to do a little custom work to make an adapter for the stock top frame. The stock top frame has a heat shield for the headers. Billet top frames that fit the Optimas are available aftermarket though.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,128
Likes: 1
From: Nashville TN
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: 63 Battery Replacement (sheliam)
Sheliam,
Watch out for the batteries that have the strap holder "ears" on the ends as your cover bracket will not fit over these type. You will need to remove the expansion tank and spill some coolant in the process. Good time to replace the cables, too. I just did mine.......E-mail me with questions if you like.
Cliff :cheers:
Watch out for the batteries that have the strap holder "ears" on the ends as your cover bracket will not fit over these type. You will need to remove the expansion tank and spill some coolant in the process. Good time to replace the cables, too. I just did mine.......E-mail me with questions if you like.
Cliff :cheers:
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 3,631
Likes: 14
From: Fountain Hills AZ
Re: 63 Battery Replacement (sheliam)
Make sure that is a "plain" group 24. There are group 24 T's, F's etc., and they can be a pain in your car. Some versions have the terminals reversed (but still fit ok), and some (non-sealed types) have their fill caps located where it's hard to get to them once installed.
