Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

[Joe R.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

OK, my rant begins. Reproduction Batteries seem to be a topic of discussion on this board a lot lately.

Let's look at something else and answer me this. Reproduction Radiators by Dewitt are not even close to being correct and they receive full points. An example would be the date is engraved instead of being stamped and the top has been sanded smooth and painted. Originals have puddles from the manufacturing process.

Let's look in general at reproduction parts from Trim Parts. They are not even close to the original finish on emblems. Much better but that is what you boys want in your Corvettes.

Interiors from AK or Auto Accessories are not even close to the originals and people look at them with a blind eye.

Again, I'll quote someone: "The way we wished they were"

Judges are looking for perfection and don't recognize it when they see it!

Our hats should be off to the people who have invested their money in the reproduction market. Without them your piece of junk would be just that!

Most are Repro-mobiles so get used to it!

JR

[Clark K.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

an original tar top battery that never had acid in it just was sold on ebay for 1500+. anyone could have purchased this item if they were worried about losing points. others have went the route of rebuiding original batteries. repo parts should have big deductions when used!

$1500 for a battery is just nuts. I can't be the only guy who thinks that the person who would pay that price to recover a few originality deductions is anal to the extreme. At some point, even the rare $1500 original rebuildable/usable batteries will no longer be available at any price. Then, perhaps, the NCRS can focus on reproductions with no discernable differences. How many battery sales would it take at, let's say, $500 each for a manufacturer to realize that there is a profitable market out there for perfect copies of the originals? -Clark

[Jerome P.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

Clark,

The standard deduction for no tar is 7 points, besides it isn't a tar top if it doesn't have tar. The article for modifieing the battery is very good. The only thing I change is I add a tablespoon of motor oil to the tar and mix. The oil gives it a better consistency and pouring. I learned this from a company that still makes tar top battery's. I have done several lately and they have passed.If I can help more, let me know, and good luck !............

Steve, what company still makes tar top batteries and do they make a tar-top for Corvettes?

[Tom R.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

Clark,

The standard deduction for no tar is 7 points, besides it isn't a tar top if it doesn't have tar. The article for modifieing the battery is very good. The only thing I change is I add a tablespoon of motor oil to the tar and mix. The oil gives it a better consistency and pouring. I learned this from a company that still makes tar top battery's. I have done several lately and they have passed.If I can help more, let me know, and good luck !............

Isn't the car to be judged as it came from the factory. This is like haveing a car repainted,& saying it is original. But if the judges don't say or see the difference it would be ok.

[Marco H.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

Clark,
Is your Battery of the Sealed/ Maintenance Free variety or is it a Lead- Acid Battery that periodically need distilled water. (Restoration Battery used to sell them both ways. I don't know if they still do.)
If the Battery is Maintenance Free, isn't the Tar Top just cosmetics since the unit is enclosed inside?? Maybe you could pour some liquid tar across the top and have the small cracks disapear.
BTW Thank you for bringing your car to Texas. I was on the chassis team.

FWIW: I've been using trickle chargers on these Batteries for several years without problems. However the charger has a setting for "Maintenance Free".
Hope this helps.
Marco

[Ridge K.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

OK, my rant begins. Reproduction Batteries seem to be a topic of discussion on this board a lot lately.

Let's look at something else and answer me this. Reproduction Radiators by Dewitt are not even close to being correct and they receive full points. An example would be the date is engraved instead of being stamped and the top has been sanded smooth and painted. Originals have puddles from the manufacturing process.

Let's look in general at reproduction parts from Trim Parts. They are not even close to the original finish on emblems. Much better but that is what you boys want in your Corvettes.

Interiors from AK or Auto Accessories are not even close to the originals and people look at them with a blind eye.

Again, I'll quote someone: "The way we wished they were"

Judges are looking for perfection and don't recognize it when they see it!

Our hats should be off to the people who have invested their money in the reproduction market. Without them your piece of junk would be just that!

Most are Repro-mobiles so get used to it!

JR

Good post, Joe.
Personally, I liked the story about the paint deduct on the Pirkle starter. John Pirkle has forgotten more about Corvette starters, generators, and alternators than most of us will ever know, but.....

[Timothy B.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

I wanted to post a picture of the tar top battery I purchased from Dr. Ed Gurdjian. I think this was back in the mid eighty's and I remember being upset when the battery would not accept a charge after about two years.. The car sat which is why I got bad service life out of the battery..

Does anyone have contact information for Ed Gurdjian as I would like to see if he could still rebuild this tar top.. From what I am told the case is a original..

[Clark K.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

Clark,
Is your Battery of the Sealed/ Maintenance Free variety or is it a Lead- Acid Battery that periodically need distilled water. (Restoration Battery used to sell them both ways. I don't know if they still do.)
If the Battery is Maintenance Free, isn't the Tar Top just cosmetics since the unit is enclosed inside?? Maybe you could pour some liquid tar across the top and have the small cracks disapear.
BTW Thank you for bringing your car to Texas. I was on the chassis team.

FWIW: I've been using trickle chargers on these Batteries for several years without problems. However the charger has a setting for "Maintenance Free".
Hope this helps.
Marco

Marco! I'm the guy you sat with during the pizza dinner that Thursday evening. I really enjoyed meeting you. I just wish your restoration shop was in North Texas, you'd get all my business! Thank you for all the kind words of encouragement about my car that weekend. You and Mike Murray cheered me up when I was depressed over my car taking 2nd Flight with 92.5%. I have the rare '65 Red/red L76 A/C Coupe your Chassis Section team judged. I am already correcting the items (except the over-restored paint!) that caused the deductions, in preparation for the 2010 National meet.

To answer your question, my Restoration battery type is the gel battery. It is a close repro of the original tar-top battery (w/o the tar). My battery's plastic case top has slight cracking, as pointed out by the Mechanical Section judge I mentioned in my OP. The trickle charge that I use is from Lectric Limited, where I bought my repro T-3 headlights, fuses, etc. There is no switch on my charger, just plug it in. So, what is causing the small cracking on top? -Clark

[Clark K.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

Have you called the company that you bought the battery from ?

Ah, finally a very good response to my question. No, I haven't, yet. That will come once I determine what MAY be causing the problem, a cracked top. I want to call the company with some facts in case they stone-wall me. -Clark

[Troy P.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

After years of looking I found a rebuildable case for the Delco 6V '53-'54 battery in a Willys truck in a wrecking yard. Cost was $0. Anyone can find one if motivated or buy one from e-bay, etc. So originality is not an impossibility.

[Timothy B.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

Troy,

Who did you use to rebuild the battery?

[Scott S.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

Gentlemen, Currently there is no standard deduct for a reproduction part. Deductions vary based on the variance from the original part.
I have had a few cars judged with batteries supplied by Tom at Restoration Battery. Currently, detectable differences from original may take a deduct. NCRS judges use the matrix system to ascertain the amount to be deducted. You should review the Matrix judging process.
If the owner is not happy with the deduction, then He/She can ask the judge to explain the written reasons for the deductions. If at that point the judge does not have the owner satisfied, the Team Leader can be approached on the subject. If the owner is still not satisfied, then the National Judging Chairman can be involved.
I wrote the article on how to tar top a dry cell battery. My battery has received deductions from 0 to a high of three points. Judging was at Regional and National meets. I found the judges to be very approachable and understanding in these situations.
Good luck to all of you and hope to see you at the Florida Regional.
Scott

[Troy P.]

Re: Restoration Battery Took Condition Deduction

Troy,

Who did you use to rebuild the battery?

That was a while back and I don't recall exactly. But it seems to me it was something like the Antique Battery Company. I think they were back east. Pennsylvania or Ohio maybe.

Have you checked the web and Hemmings for rebuilders?