Replacing battery in '67 Air Coupe

[Alexander D.]

I have a '67 factory A/C coupe.

Looks like I need to replace the battery as it won't hold a charge. I need to put it on trickle charge every 5-7 times I take the car out. I'm assuming this is my problem, as the car runs fine otherwise.

The battery I have now is a "Delco Professional", installed in March 2016. I drive this car fairly frequently in summer, but no so much in winter. Would 3.5 years be a reasonable lifespan for a battery, under these conditions? Seems a bit short to me. Your thoughts?

Assuming the battery must be replaced, can you direct me to the proper procedure to remove and reinstall a new one? The existing battery was installed by a mechanic, and it looks pretty tight in there. I see there is an access panel in the left front wheel well, so does the front tire have to come off to get the battery out?

I checked my '67 Chassis Manual and I couldn't find any specific instructions on battery installation for C60 cars.

Thanks,

Alex
NCRS #61370

[Alexander D.]

Re: Replacing battery in '67 Air Coupe

FYI my coupe has factory air, power steering, and its original 300hp small block engine.

[Jimmy G.]

Re: Replacing battery in '67 Air Coupe

1. Remove RF Tire and wheel after jacking the car and stabilization with jack stand(s)
2. Disconnect cables
3. Remove access panel (Lots of bolts both inside the hood area and in the fender well
4. Remove hold down
5. Pull the battery out through the inner fender ( it is amazing how heavy that chunk of lead is when you are in an awkward position)

To reinstall Reverse the procedure

[Carl N.]

Re: Replacing battery in '67 Air Coupe

When you reinstall the panel, do not overthighten the bolts as the retainers are held in with very small rivets. Also good time to pull battery tray and repaint then your heading to a frame off.

[Larry M.]

Re: Replacing battery in '67 Air Coupe

1. 3-1/2 years is a bit short for battery life. Check your charging system to be sure it is not overcharging or undercharging. Having a battery disconnect is also a great idea........if you do not have one already.

2. Jack-stands should be under frame and not under lower control arms (lower spring pocket). This allows the front suspension to droop a bit and provides additional clearance for battery removal and installation.

3. Many replacement batteries do not fit well in the battery tray, and their top case battery strap protrusions (if so equipped) can interfere with the fiberglass access panel fit. You may have to use a Dremel and shave off a bit of the excess battery case for best fit......depending on the replacement battery.

4. DR REBUILD has the best fitting foam seal for the fiberglass access panel. I do not believe anyone else has one with proper fit.

Larry

PS: Battery can be removed with tire still on the car, but I don't recommend this. I have done it both ways.

[Leif A.]

Re: Replacing battery in '67 Air Coupe

You now have all the information you need. Jimmy meant to say LF tire...but, then you probably figured that out.

[Jimmy G.]

Re: Replacing battery in '67 Air Coupe

It is right if you are looking from the front of the car MY GOOF cant read --- cant type too well either

[Duke W.]

Re: Replacing battery in '67 Air Coupe

I have a '67 factory A/C coupe.

I need to put it on trickle charge every 5-7 times I take the car out. I'm assuming this is my problem, as the car runs fine otherwise.



Alex
NCRS #61370

I don't understand. How often do you drive the car and how long does the engine run? My cars usually sit one to three weeks between drives and I always charge the conventional "maintenance free" batteries before each drive. That's why I got 17 years out of the last Johnson Controls battery even though I killed it stone dead twice over those years.

If you drive short trips, depending on how often and the battery needs to be charged every 5-7 drives then the charging system may not be providing adequate voltage. With the car idling system voltage should be 13.5-14.5 volts measured across the battery terminals. It's this "back voltage" that's higher than the nominal 12.6V open circuit battery voltage that charges the battery.

Also, "maintenance free" batteries aren't really totally maintenance free. Typical Johnson Controls batteries have two 3-gang cell caps that can be easily removed with a putty knife. I check them every year and top off as required with distilled water. Water consumption is low, but I doubt if I would get the kind of battery life I do if I did not periodically check water level and top off as necessary.

Duke

[Alexander D.]

Re: Replacing battery in '67 Air Coupe

1. Remove RF Tire and wheel after jacking the car and stabilization with jack stand(s)
2. Disconnect cables
3. Remove access panel (Lots of bolts both inside the hood area and in the fender well
4. Remove hold down
5. Pull the battery out through the inner fender ( it is amazing how heavy that chunk of lead is when you are in an awkward position)

To reinstall Reverse the procedure

Thanks Jimmy for your clear and concise directions!

[Bill M.]

Re: Replacing battery in '67 Air Coupe

Alex when I was younger I used to disconnect the clutch linkage and squeeze the battery in through the top. Was my first car with a battery panel and did not know it existed. Took strong hands and a little patience.

Bill

[James W.]

[Alexander D.]

Re: Replacing battery in '67 Air Coupe

Last week I replaced the battery after load testing it to determine it was indeed going bad.

I took the LF wheel off, and accessed the battery via the wheel well hatch. Took me about 2 hours in total. Not too bad.

Thanks all for your input and tips regarding this job.

Alex

[Leif A.]

Re: Replacing battery in '67 Air Coupe

Last week I replaced the battery after load testing it to determine it was indeed going bad.

I took the LF wheel off, and accessed the battery via the wheel well hatch. Took me about 2 hours in total. Not too bad.

Thanks all for your input and tips regarding this job.

Alex

Sounds like you took your time and did the job correctly. Thanks for the follow-up.