C2 replacement batter

[Dino L.]

What is the Delco modern top of line battery that i stop post Positive to engine and fits with original hardware? Group 26?

[Brian M.]

Re: C2 replacement batter

Group 24

[Joe L.]

Re: C2 replacement batter

Dino and Brian-----

Yup, that's the one. The current "Top of the Line" is known as the Delco Professional 24-7YR. I believe the case is GRAY on the Delco Professional line, though, so if you want a black case, you might want a "lesser" model.

[Tom D.]

Re: C2 gray batteries

My view only:

I would not expect the same variety of AC-Delco battery choices in the future. This is a GM decision of course, but the their new suppliers may be more forceful in battery line "consolidation" efforts.

The entire battery line formerly supplied by Delphi to GM has been sold to Johnson Controls (JCI). JCI is a Milwaukee company and they currently still source some of the battery parts back to Delphi.

If you want to see a "worst case" view of what is left of Delphi in the US, drive past the former location of Delco Remy in Anderson, Indiana.

Tom Dingman
4889

[John D.]

Re: C2 replacement batter

Dino, In my area that group 24 is a special order battery. They are being phased out is the rumor that I heard from a dealer. Don't know if it's fact or not. Pep Boys sells Delco batteries but they would not order a group 24 in my town. Seems like anything that we use for our old Vettes that has Delco on it is becoming history. Buy a really nice resto battery from our own Tom Kobman of Restoration Battery in Cincinnatti, OH. Tom's in all the mags. John

[Randy S.]

Re: C2 replacement batter

Dino,

I just bought Delco 24-7YR Professional battery. Case is black, top post only.
Dealer had to get it from local Delco warehouse. Also it is a sealed unit, someone posted earlier that these were no longer available.

Randy

[Joe L.]

Re: C2 gray batteries

Tom------

Yes, the battery supplier to GM/Delco is no longer DELPHI (although DELPHI may still have a few battery manufacturing plants due to "contract obligations" with the UAW). Just as DELPHI became a supplier to GM and produced batteries to GM's specifications, now Johnson Controls (and, likely, others) will do the same. Johnson Controls may, of course, try to INFLUENCE GM's specifications for batteries, but GM still is "in the driver's seat". For a commodity item like batteries, I would expect that GM will "hold the line" on their battery specifications, particularly the "visible" attributes (it's an important part of marketing in batteries since most batteries are not sold "boxed") and with respect to internal features affecting durability/service life.

For example, Sears does not manufacture any batteries, at all. Yet, their Die Hard brand is virtually iconic. Sears has had these batteries manufactured for years by different battery manufacturers (Delco/DELPHI was one and Johnson Controls was another). However, the batteries were made to Sears specifications and were not just a "generic" battery with Die Hard labels on the case.

We'll have to wait and see how the departure of DELPHI as a battery manufacturer affects the Delco-branded products, both in appearance, model consolidation, and durability. I do expect that, with or without DELPHI in the battery manufacturing business, we're going to see a gradual phase-out of side terminal-only batteries to be replaced by dual terminal. GM started rapidly phasing out side terminal batteries in 2003 in favor of top post. Since GM was the only car manufacturer that ever went to side terminal on a widespread basis, the market for side terminal will shrink as few, if any, new cars are being made with side terminal. This is bad news for C4 owners----a dual terminal battery will not fit in most C4 cars.

I have not been to Anderson, IN in years, but I would like to take another trip there to see what's become of the old Delco-Remy operations. Actually, DELPHI was not a "big player" in Anderson, although they did have/do have some operations there. Prior to the DELPHI spin-off from GM, GM spun off the Delco-Remy operations to another new company called, as I recall, Delco-Remy-America. That company "trimmed" the Delco-Remy AUTOMOTIVE product line by large amounts and, presumably, disposed of a lot of the manufacturing operations in Anderson (and elsewhere). I believe that the focus of the new company is to manufacture electrical components for heavy duty trucks and industrial applications. As I also recall, the spin-off company only had the rights to use the "Delco" name in their company name for a limited number of years and that's expired now. Now, I believe it's known as Remy International. However, I believe that they still sell some products under the Delco Remy brand, but few, if any, of these are for the automotive market---just HD truck and industrial applications.