Given any improvements in battery technology over the years (of which I have no knowledge), I was wonder if it is necessary to find a replacement battery that utilizes the vent hoses on my 70 coupe?

Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Hi 70,
No. You can use a readily available 'sealed' battery of your choice….. with no provision for the manifolds/hoses.
Save the 2 manifolds and hoses in the event that someday you want to buy a 'reproduction' battery that's an 'original' looking case with a sealed battery hidden in it; but would use your manifolds/hoses just for appearance.
Regards,
Alan

 

The wealth and knowledge that this man gives out and shares is astounding. And his pictures that he posts are second to none. Alan, if we ever meet, I feel like I owe you a beer even though we have never directly chatted.

 

I was also surprised that Alan didn't post a pic of a sealed battery !!

 

Wait for it

 

If you really feel the need, you can pop both 3-hole caps on the new battery and install the vent tube stuff on it. But, totally unnecessary. No one will see it.

 

There's a lot of good info here on new technology batteries and different brands good or bad. Even though this is primarily about C5's the battery info applies equally to C3's.

Your car calls for a Group 78 battery. Other batteries will fit, but that would typically be the largest to fit your vehicle. My personal preference these days is for an AGM battery. The cost is not outrageous and my experience is that they typically last about 10 years or longer.

As far as which battery to buy, there are only a few battery manufacturers making batteries in the U. S. these days. One of the largest is Johnson Controls. It looks like Johnson Controls is making batteries for most of the bigger names of old including AC Delco and Ford. Go to this site (Last Updated on July 19, 2016) and scroll down to Johnson Controls. You may be surprised who they're making batteries for.
http://jgdarden.com/batteryfaq/batbrand.htm#J

Exide makes and AGM called the Edge...
https://www.amazon.com/Exide-FP-AGM7...let%3Acorvette

and AC Delco also has a Group 78 AGM...
https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-78AGM...iglink20400-20

ODYSSEY also makes an AGM called their Extreme Series Battery. It's a bit pricier than most AGM's however.
http://shop.odysseybattery.com/p/75-pc1230?pp=12

Good luck... GUSTO

 

In 1976, Chevrolet started installing the sealed, maintenance free, "Delco Freedom" battery, in all new Corvettes. The vent hoses were eliminated, when they went to the Freedom battery.

 

So much information. Thank you very much, gentlemen. Will replace the battery this weekend. Previous owner had installed a small, deep cycle battery if you can believe it!

 

Glenn, I bought a new Corvette in 1977 and it came with the UA1 Heavy Duty Battery (GM's Freedom Battery) option. The battery was not intended to be able to add water to it as had previously been possible because the tops of the cells were now glued to the case of the battery. However the top did have places on each side to connect vent hoses to it that exited through the bottom of the battery box. My Freedom Battery was equipped with the vents and hoses that exited through the bottom of the battery box.

While I believe the battery was generally intended to be "maintenance free", (no need to add water over time) I really think it was expected to be replaced by the time that the "water" in the battery was gone. Most of them lasted 5 years or so. I pulled mine out at about 5 years when it started to not hold a charge and realized there was almost no liquid left in the battery. I tried prying the top (cell caps) off but discovered that the Delco Freedom top was glued to the case. I also realized that I could tilt the battery about 30 degrees on its end and slowly add water through the higher vent. The water ran across the top of the cells (and out the lower vent) but also trickled into the cells until it looked like each cell was 3/4's full. (The case was actually translucent enough that you could see the water level in each cell.)

I dried everything off and charged the battery. It lasted another 2 years until I sold the car.

Good luck... GUSTO

 

Wal-Mart batteries are made by the same maker as for other common battery brands. They have a good warranty that the actually honor and their cost is reasonable. It is also very easy to find a store...

I buy them for my cars and have not been disappointed on life characteristics or performance. Plus, you CAN pop the covers off to check/service the fluid, if you want (and you should, if you want the battery to have a long useful life).

P.S. Deep-cycle batteries are for golf carts...not passenger cars. The latter needs LOTS of amps on a short-term basis (for starting). Golf carts need significant amperage for long periods of time. You can burn up a deep-cycle battery in a passenger car if it has any difficulties during starts.

 

i agree on the wal mart batteries as i have purchased many for all my cars and so has my family with good results.

 

I have Interstate batteries in my fleet.
I've been happy with their service.
When I worked at GM back in 1980-84 we had the maintenance free
Delco batteries with the green eye. If the eye was black it was dead as in no recharge dead.
It reminded me of the site glass on the receiver dryers.
We went through a hell of allot of batteries.
Marshal

 

Anyone installed a smaller lighter battery, ie Odyssey or something similar?

 

I had a cheap battery in my C3 for a while and it was a problem. HEI didn't like it, had more trouble starting than it does now. I'd be concerned of introducing those kinds of problems if going with a smaller lighter battery.

 

years ago I bought an optima battery and a Wal-Mart battery about the same time, ( correct amps ) of course the optima was much more than the wally world battery and so far both have been doing fine, and I haven't seen any reason to pay all that extra for the 6 pack battery and from here on out will buy Wal-Mart batteries....

 

The repro batteries use one of the smaller optima batteries on the inside.

 

walmart batteries here also.

 

Costco batteries, believe they are interstate, when one goes bad under the warranty just return for a new one, no testing. They just give you one on your word that it is bad. Mark

 

I use a dry Sears battery.