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R89 Battery

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  • Kevin G.
    Extremely Frequent Poster
    • February 1, 2005
    • 1076

    R89 Battery

    Can someone help me decode an original R89 Delco Energizer E 5000
    date coded OMN 18? Also how rare is this battery? Thanks Kevin
  • Chuck S.
    Expired
    • April 1, 1992
    • 4668

    #2
    Re: R89 Battery

    If it's NOS, they are rare enough that you would have thought that they were made out of diamonds twelve to fifteen years ago. That's when everybody decided, if I can't find a good repro, I'll just buy the current Delco...forget NOS; I'm not rich enough to afford this battery.

    Comment

    • Denny J.
      Very Frequent User
      • November 1, 2000
      • 244

      #3
      over $25 20817 is out

      we would all like to get our fingers on that battery,
      My wife would be proud to wear a Delco on her finger.Denny72

      Comment

      • Kevin G.
        Extremely Frequent Poster
        • February 1, 2005
        • 1076

        #4
        Re: R89 Battery

        I wish it was new. No it's not NOS, it is in used condition, and highly doubt that it would hold a charge. I received it in a care package from a previous owner. I've read that 71 was the year that these batteries were introduced, and perhaps the factory installed? Can anyone decipher the date code? The Mrs. would be happy to accept a diamond for it! Thanks

        Comment

        • Chuck S.
          Expired
          • April 1, 1992
          • 4668

          #5
          Re: R89 Battery

          They were actually introduced as standard equipment on Corvette in 70, thus explaining my previous interest in R89s. I believe the standard equipment battery on 70s was the R89S, and the T60 heavy duty option was an R89W. Sorry, I can't help with the dating on batteries...vandals stole the battery books out of my Corvette school.

          If it's a free care package, then heck yes!...clean that sucker up, test it, and at least set it on a shelf. ("Never Throw Anything Out!") In my case, it would probably set around, wafting/oozing vaporous and liquid distruction into my garage for the next twenty years. If testing shows it's a non-battery, it might be a good idea to empty the acid and get some advice on neutralizing the battery for "storage".

          As I said, about twelve years (15?) ago I seem to remember the last surviving veteran R89 (that I know of) being priced in Hemmings at around $900. Perhaps I thought it was the last because I quite looking for them with the market at that level. (??!! What was I thinking?? Considering such a perishable, high priced item...it would be like buying a weekend with Paris H; my restoration moves in the geological time frame.) Somewhere in that time period, the repros also began to offer a cheaper alternative to the uncompromising purist, but they also have drawbacks.

          Denny, your top offer is $25??!! Dude, I don't think you can even get a fully functional cheap Pep Boys battery on sale for that! We're talkin' 'bout gen-u-wine NOS here on these R89s.

          Comment

          • Terry M.
            Beyond Control Poster
            • September 30, 1980
            • 15590

            #6
            Re: R89 Battery

            Kevin,
            Get in touch with Tom Kubman at Restoration Battery. He will tell you the date code. He stamps the date code on the reproducion batteries he sells -- although I am not sure why as no one I know judges the date on the battery.

            Phone: 513-574-4481

            E-Mail: restorationbattery at cinci.rr.com

            Change the word at to the at symbol and remove the spaces. I put the address in this way to try to avoid the automat email address harvesters. Probably fruitless, but I try anyway.
            Terry

            Comment

            • Kevin G.
              Extremely Frequent Poster
              • February 1, 2005
              • 1076

              #7
              Re: R89 Battery

              Thanks Terry, will do!

              Comment

              • Denny J.
                Very Frequent User
                • November 1, 2000
                • 244

                #8
                Re: R89 Battery

                Kevin
                Just checking if you call Restoration Battery 513-574-4481
                on follow up info.
                2/9/07 I bought a new battery from him
                He said yes it will pass NCRS judging but you will loose 7 pts for hardened tar.
                Cost 255.00 3 hole vents 50.00 and the date code is 12.00 and s/h 31.23 total $348.23
                on my date code it has 2 HV 19 He said this is for a late 1972 "Dates don't mean to much"
                What he said take a battery put in the car.
                He is a very nice guy to talk to lots of info.
                Your #s were OMN 18 any of the letters backwards?
                Kevin lets try to save the battery.
                This is the fun stuff.
                Denny72

                Comment

                • Terry M.
                  Beyond Control Poster
                  • September 30, 1980
                  • 15590

                  #9
                  Re: R89 Battery

                  NO tar on the R89 -- it is a plastic case.

                  ""Dates don't mean too much" I like that -- We don't need no stinking dates.
                  Terry

                  Comment

                  • Chuck S.
                    Expired
                    • April 1, 1992
                    • 4668

                    #10
                    Re: R89 Battery

                    Kevin, is the build date on your 71 in January? I'm thinking the first character is actually a zero, for 1970. In castings, December is often represented by L, and other component build dates by M. Your battery may have been made in December 1970

                    In Denny's date, 2 HV 19, the first character is 2, which makes sense for 1972. After that, this proposed system breaks down if Denny's battery is dated correctly...Denny's H would mean August, but we know that 72s ended production in July.

                    Comment

                    • Denny J.
                      Very Frequent User
                      • November 1, 2000
                      • 244

                      #11
                      Re: R89 Battery

                      I think it was original to have tar and the repops are plastic.
                      Was the BB battery plastic and SB had tar?
                      I was this close to calling him to talk batteries.
                      I should have asked Kevin if it was tar or plastic.
                      "Dates don't mean too much" was a quote from Res/Bat.
                      But that was after I paid for it.
                      I don't think there was a monthly date.That's it I will call him today.:D
                      Denny72

                      Comment

                      • Chuck S.
                        Expired
                        • April 1, 1992
                        • 4668

                        #12
                        Re: R89 Battery

                        Tar top batteries ended with the DC-12 in the 66 Corvette...they have had plastic cases since. Whoever you were talking to must have been daydreaming about being on the beach...with a babe...and a cooler full of Beast.

                        Comment

                        • Denny J.
                          Very Frequent User
                          • November 1, 2000
                          • 244

                          #13
                          My mistake but

                          is there a differance between the BB battery and SB battery case.Or is it just the mold marks in the plastic.I'm at work and my books are at home.So be nice.

                          Comment

                          • Chuck S.
                            Expired
                            • April 1, 1992
                            • 4668

                            #14
                            No difference...

                            Big blocks and small blocks received the same standard R89S battery. Only the optional T60 heavy duty battery was different...it was an R89W. It used to be that the reproduction batteries were R89Ws, but that may have changed now...I haven't been following the repro battery market.

                            Denny, my feelings are hurt...I'm always nice to you, aren't I?

                            Comment

                            • Terry M.
                              Beyond Control Poster
                              • September 30, 1980
                              • 15590

                              #15
                              Re: No difference...

                              R89S (standard on SB) was a hard rubber case, and hard rubber top. R89W (T60 option for small Block, and standard battery for BB) was the first plastic case battery -- all plastic. Neither battery had a tar top.
                              I'll defer to Chuck for when the tar top ended (because I don't know), but it was long before the side terminal batteries -- which is what both these R89X batteries are..
                              Terry

                              Comment

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