Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

[John M.]

Folks,

Doing some follow-up research: can those of you have them please post or send me pictures of the tops of your original 1984-1986 batteries?

[Peter M.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

Folks,

Doing some follow-up research: can those of you have them please post or send me pictures of the tops of your original 1984-1986 batteries?

Contact Dave Brown (david.f.brown@rcn.com). Dave has an 86 C4 McClellan Award car & he has researched and reproduced a near perfect clone of an early C4 OEM Delco battery. Check it out.

[John M.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

Contact Dave Brown (david.f.brown@rcn.com). Dave has an 86 C4 McClellan Award car & he has researched and reproduced a near perfect clone of an early C4 OEM Delco battery. Check it out.

Peter,

Thanks. I saw Dave's reproduction battery at the National and the battery that it was cloned from. I'm looking for more data points.

[George C.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

Here's couple of pic's of original Delco (Black) Battery from my 1984 Corvette. It was like brand new (only dead) Sold last summer to a NCRS member. Hope these help.

[John M.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

Here's couple of pic's of original Delco (Black) Battery from my 1984 Corvette. It was like brand new (only dead) Sold last summer to a NCRS member. Hope these help.

George,

Thank you very much! I have seen few color pictures of the 1984 battery...

[John M.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

More follow-up - the 1984-1986 technical information manual and judging guide says this for battery:

"The battery is a Delco Freedom side terminal, series 75-500. The battery has a silver, white, and black label."

There is no picture in the TIM. Engineering drawings and a picture in Cor-vette Specs (page 54) and in all three versions of the 1984 brochure show a 1984 battery that closely resembles, but does not precisely match, George's 1984 battery (the caution label is at least somewhat different and George's battery has a black case instead of a white one). The April 1983 specifications for the 1984 list the battery as being a 75-500, which matches the manual.

For 1985, I find very little data, but the March 1985 specifications list the same 75-500 battery. The 1985 brochure shows the same top design as 1984 but appears to have black case.

For 1986, we definitely have a change, at least in the specifications - the battery is now a 75-630. Furthermore, the battery clone that Peter mentioned (and the original it was cloned from) is a completely different style, with different labels and warnings. There are no pictures of the battery in the 1986 brochure.

[John M.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

I don't recall much about the origional battery in my 85, because it wasn't in there very long. It lasted less than a year. But I am 100% positive it had a black case. I remember looking at the car from my lunch table and seeing the replacement white case through the louver. I was bummed. I know the origional had a black case.

I also don't think my origional had the "acid warning" in yellow that we see on current service replacements.

Thanks, Dave!

[Joe E.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

Here is a picture of the original battery from my 85. I bought this 85 new and still have it and have saved all the old parts that I have replaced.
I have other pictures of the battery and could e-mail them to you.

[John M.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

Here is a picture of the original battery from my 85. I bought this 85 new and still have it and have saved all the old parts that I have replaced.
I have other pictures of the battery and could e-mail them to you.

Thanks, Joe! Is your 1985 early or late in production?

[Joe E.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

It was delivered in Feburary and it was an ordered car.

[John M.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

It was delivered in Feburary and it was an ordered car.

Joe,

Thanks and thanks for the other pictures.

[John M.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

So here's what I have so far:

1984: early engineering drawings, brochures, and (probably) early actual shipping cars have a highly styled Delco Freedom Battery II (model 75-500) with a two-part angled black and white label, a yellow warning label, and a white case. In design, but not in colors, this battery is similar to batteries that shipped with late second generation F-bodies (and perhaps some other GM vehicles). At some point in the very long model year, Chevrolet starts shipping the same basic labels on a black case.

1985: the battery is the same specification, but the labels have changed. The graphics are no longer angled and the battery is labeled as a Delco Freedom Battery, not a Delco Freedom Battery II. The black case remains and is now reflected in the brochure.

1986: the battery is a new specification (model 75-630), with a completely changed label, though the black case remains. The label is now Delco Freedom and is a single large label with the yellow warning label integrated and another small label. The Delco eye has also been moved outside the label. This battery continues until at least 1987.

Does this make sense? Can anyone else contribute?

[Dave B.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

John,

Fellow NCRS member Greg Cue provided me with the attached two photos of his original '86 battery. The first photo is the overall view and the second photo shows the datecode on the battery as "6G" or "1986-July". Greg had saved this battery after it had died and took the photos to document the labels and label positioning prior to removing them for use on a replacement battery. As you are aware, these are the labels I used as a reference for the battery in my '86.

One interesting point is that Greg's battery is identified as a 75A series. I noticed in a previous thread from 2006 that Joe Lucia indicated Corvettes used a 75B series which had the Delco eye relocated for better visibility where as all other applications for this same battery used the 75A series which was much more common. Could be the factory may have used 75A and 75B series interchangeably depending on availability.

Dave Brown

[John M.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

John,

Fellow NCRS member Greg Cue provided me with the attached two photos of his original '86 battery. The first photo is the overall view and the second photo shows the datecode on the battery as "6G" or "1986-July". Greg had saved this battery after it had died and took the photos to document the labels and label positioning prior to removing them for use on a replacement battery. As you are aware, these are the labels I used as a reference for the battery in my '86.

One interesting point is that Greg's battery is identified as a 75A series. I noticed in a previous thread from 2006 that Joe Lucia indicated Corvettes used a 75B series which had the Delco eye relocated for better visibility where as all other applications for this same battery used the 75A series which was much more common. Could be the factory may have used 75A and 75B series interchangeably depending on availability.

Dave,

Thanks for contributing - I'm almost to the point of a technical article here.

[Walter G.]

Re: Requesting Pictures Of Tops Of Original 1984-1986 Batteries

I am the original owner of my '84 and the factory battery was replaced under warranty after two months of ownership. I tried to keep it, but couldn't. The battery had a black case with silver & black top labels. VIN # 4935. It was my recollection that the entire engine compartment on the C4 was promoted as being 'designed' so that there were coordinating colors, hence the black/silver battery labels. The white battery cases on some replacements would be visible through the side fender gills, so really looked out of place whereas the black case got lost in the background. I'll check some of my old pics to see if I have any underhood shots that depict the first battery. I've been looking for a correct repro one, so if they ever come to market I'm in...