69 replacement battery question

[Joseph H.]

I have read plenty in the archives regarding replacement/restoration batteries. I want to replace the battery in my 69' with a battery that fits into the holder correctly. Does GM make a sealed battery that fits correctly? Anyone with a part number? I am tired of the battery sliding around.
Thanks for the help.
Joe

[Jim T.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

Joesph I do not believe you can get a sealed, no way to add water, battery for your 69 that says AC Delco.
I just bought a 75 AC Delco Professional for my 1985. It has 700 CCA and a 7 year warranty and a 50 month free replacement. It installed just fine and is secure with the use of original retainers to hold it in place. The AC Delco I replaced was in the car for about 9 years.

[Joseph H.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

So, are you saying that the battery for the 75' is different than the 69' ? Is the battery you purchased labelled AC Delco?

I am still a little confused.

[Joe L.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

Joesph I do not believe you can get a sealed, no way to add water, battery for your 69 that says AC Delco.
I just bought a 75 AC Delco Professional. It has a 7 year warranty and a 50 month free replacement. It installed just fine and is secure with the use of original retainers to hold it in place. The AC Delco I replaced was in the car for about 9 years.

Jim----


I assume you mean that you used a 75 series battery. If I'm assuming correct, why did you use this series? The 75 series is a smaller size battery used for C4 Corvettes. L1969-82 Corvettes use a 78 series (or, 78 DT) battery which is somewhat larger than a 75 series and, usually, of higher capacity.

[Joseph H.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

Joe,
OK, I guess I should just call the Chevrolet dealer and ask about a 78 series battery. I am not interested in a restoration battery, just something that fits correctly.
Thanks,
Joe

[Joe L.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

So, are you saying that the battery for the 75' is different than the 69' ? Is the battery you purchased labelled AC Delco?

I am still a little confused.

Joseph----


1969 Corvettes used two different batteries. Early 1969 (to about S/N 22,000, as I recall), used a top post style battery. Later 1969's used a side terminal battery.

For current replacement, you can use either a group 24 or 78 DT (dual terminal battery) for the early 1969 configuration. For later 1969, you can use either a group 78 or 78 DT battery. If you want the configuration to be as correct as possible, use only the group 24 for early 1969 and only the group 78 for later 1969.

Delco-branded batteries are available in all three of the above-referenced group sizes. I believe they are available in -5YR, -6YR, and -7YR suffixes. I recommend only the -7YR (i.e. 7 year battery). The -7YR, if not all the variants, are no longer a "sealed" battery. They are what's referred to as a "low maintenance" battery. So, they have caps which can be removed, but are "recessed" to make them more difficult to remove.

Actually, batteries once labeled as "no maintenance" were never a COMPLETELY sealed battery. That type had no caps, but they did have vents.

[Joe L.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

Joe,
OK, I guess I should just call the Chevrolet dealer and ask about a 78 series battery. I am not interested in a restoration battery, just something that fits correctly.
Thanks,
Joe

Joe-----


As I mentioned in my most recent post, it depends whether you have a 1969 with top post or side post type battery. If you don't care about "most correct" configuration, a 78 DT (dual terminal) will work fine for either (the top posts, unused for late 1969's, still make a great place to charge or jump start the car if you need to; much easier than the difficult-to-access, FORWARD-mounted 1969-only side terminals).

For early 1969 top terminals you can also use a group 24.

A Delco dealer might be the best place to get a battery.

Any of these batteries will mount correctly and securely for your application (provided you install the battery retainer correctly and as-designed; if you install it UPSIDE-DOWN, the battery WON'T be mounted securely and correctly).).

[Joseph H.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

Thanks, I missed your earlier reply that referenced the details. I do have a very early 69', but someone has long changed the cables to the side mount cables.
I will check with my local dealer and decide if I want to replace the cables to top mount cables. I will also check my judging guide to assess the $$ to point value.
I do have the clamp to hold down the battery, but the current battery is way to small no matter how I position the hold down.

Thanks again,
Joe

[Jim T.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

Jim----


I assume you mean that you used a 75 series battery. If I'm assuming correct, why did you use this series? The 75 series is a smaller size battery used for C4 Corvettes. L1969-82 Corvettes use a 78 series (or, 78 DT) battery which is somewhat larger than a 75 series and, usually, of higher capacity.

Joe I bought the battery for my 85 and have changed my post.

[Joe L.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

Thanks, I missed your earlier reply that referenced the details. I do have a very early 69', but someone has long changed the cables to the side mount cables.
I will check with my local dealer and decide if I want to replace the cables to top mount cables. I will also check my judging guide to assess the $$ to point value.
I do have the clamp to hold down the battery, but the current battery is way to small no matter how I position the hold down.

Thanks again,
Joe

Joe-----

Purchasing new cables, either current GM replacements or original-style reproductions will not be too expensive. However, installing the the positive cable can be a PIA. It requires removal of the transmission tunnel insulator and that, in turn, requires removal of the transmission. So, the job can get pretty involved. It's no problem if you have the transmission out for other reasons, though.

What series battery is in the car now? The battery groups are pretty standard, so no matter what brand is in the car, it should have a group size on it somewhere.

The original 1969 side terminal battery had the terminals oriented towards the FRONT of the car. What orientation is your battery with the existing side terminals?. If it's towards the REAR of the car, then the cables were replaced with later style configuration.

[Lawrence M.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

Joseph----


1969 Corvettes used two different batteries. Early 1969 (to about S/N 22,000, as I recall), used a top post style battery. Later 1969's used a side terminal battery.

For current replacement, you can use either a group 24 or 78 DT (dual terminal battery) for the early 1969 configuration. For later 1969, you can use either a group 78 or 78 DT battery. If you want the configuration to be as correct as possible, use only the group 24 for early 1969 and only the group 78 for later 1969.

Delco-branded batteries are available in all three of the above-referenced group sizes. I believe they are available in -5YR, -6YR, and -7YR suffixes. I recommend only the -7YR (i.e. 7 year battery). The -7YR, if not all the variants, are no longer a "sealed" battery. They are what's referred to as a "low maintenance" battery. So, they have caps which can be removed, but are "recessed" to make them more difficult to remove.

Actually, batteries once labeled as "no maintenance" were never a COMPLETELY sealed battery. That type had no caps, but they did have vents.

Joe, the Ac Delco book recomends the 6yr 78 for my late 1969. I like the idea of the extra top posts of the 78DT for my float charger or jump statring. I also would rather have the 7yr battery. Do you know if the 7yr is much bigger, if any than the 6yr? I imagine the only dimension that might cause trouble would the height. Looks like about 9 inches from the bottom of the battery box to the underside of the door. Hope to get the battery tomorrow. Thanks for any more info you can help with.

Larry

[Joe L.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

Joe, the Ac Delco book recomends the 6yr 78 for my late 1969. I like the idea of the extra top posts of the 78DT for my float charger or jump statring. I also would rather have the 7yr battery. Do you know if the 7yr is much bigger, if any than the 6yr? I imagine the only dimension that might cause trouble would the height. Looks like about 9 inches from the bottom of the battery box to the underside of the door. Hope to get the battery tomorrow. Thanks for any more info you can help with.

Larry

Larry----


The 7 year battery is the same size as the others.

[Lawrence M.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

Larry----


The 7 year battery is the same size as the others.

Thanks Joe, I'm off to the my local Delco dealer for a 7yr 78DT in the morning.

Larry

[Joseph H.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

Joe,
My battery has the terminals oriented toward the front of the car, but they are side terminal cables. I think they have been replaced and are wrong because I have a very early car, serial 1291.

Thanks for all the info, I will take a look when I can to see how big a job it is to change the cables and go from there.

Thanks again,
Joe

[Terry M.]

Re: 69 replacement battery question

Joe,

Unless the body is off the frame, or the transmission is out of the car, changing the positive battery cable on a C3 IS the biggest PITA there is. Well maybe not worse than the power brake booster, but close. Even interior work is easier than changing that cable. The negative cable will be easy, though.

It is a long shot, but I was told that some (like perhaps a few hundred) 1969s were built with copper clad aluminum cables. There will be stamped lettering on the cables to that effect. Check for that before you conclude the cables have been replaced. I would expect if the cables have been replaced the install might look more amateurish than if it was done at St. Louis.

The engineer who told me about this test group didn't tell me if they were side-terminal or top-terminal -- and of course I didn't think to ask. We were discussing side-terminal batteries and cables at the time.