Battery Help...

[SPF Required]

I will be needing a new battery as a part of the 440 rebuild for my '68 300 rebuild. Looking for some opinions on which way to go. My mechanic is leaning towards an Optima blue top, but also suggested the period correct looking from Restorationbattery.com. I am looking for reliable, but I do like the look of the vintage battery.

Thoughts? What do you guys have in your cars??

Thanks!

 

[65sporty]

If the car is a total resto then go with the restoration battery, if not the Optima is a good choice. We have a normal lead acid in the 65.

 

[Davea Lux]

The optima is bullet proof for a driver otherwise as stated above, go with with the resto battery.

Dave

 

[cantflip]

I'm probably the wrong guy for this discussion... I run the best quality basic lead acid I can find in a 34/78 dual terminal group size... That way my batteries can be moved to any vehicle I drive. I seem to get about 4-5 years out of a new one... and I swap a couple of them around as I need to, I also try not to buy 2 in the same year.

 

[polara71]

The restoration battery is more expensive but the way to go. If your spending the money anyway spend the rest and be happy with the way it looks. They are the only battery under the hood of my old stuff

 

[Zymurgy]

I bought a modern battery 4 years ago, and will buy the restoration battery when it dies. I painted mine black so it doesn't stand out, but I guarantee if you buy the restoration battery now you won't regret it. If you buy the modern you will.

My practicality keeps me from buying the restoration battery already. I have thought about it several times over the years. Dammit now I am thinking about it again.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

I buy a mid quality group 27 lead acid battery, and I keep them on a trickle charger whenever I am not using the car.

I get typically over 7 years with a battery, the last one lasted 11 years!!

I have a 9 year old battery as my test battery in my garage.

 

[Big_John]

People either love or hate the Optima batteries.

I buy plain old lead acid batteries for everything. Usually NAPA as that is where I get the best deal. In my DDs, they last ~6 years or so. The winters are tough on them.

The last battery I bought for my 300 was a NAPA group 27 75 month battery... Cost me a little over $100. It doesn't look like an OEM battery, but on the other hand, it doesn't look out of place either.

But why a Optima Blue Top??? That's a deep cycle marine battery. Unless you are running the battery down, like with a trolling motor, there's no advantage to a marine battery. They are meant for a slow discharge and a slow recharge.

 

[SPF Required]

You guys are great! thank you for all the information. The engine is definitely a "restomod" so staying true to the original look is more of luxury than a priority.

I think the mechanic was suggesting the deep cycle (blue top) because the concern the 300 will not be a daily driver and get the charge refreshed as often. he did suggest a trickle charger as well for when the car is parked, so maybe that offsets needing the deep cycle? If I stick with the Optima brand, is there a different model I should be looking at??

For the Restoration Battery, are they as good as any other battery out there? I'd hate to spend that kind of dough to find out it isn't a good (great) battery. Again though, perhaps the trickle charger solves many problems.

I also found this product online: Tar Topper Optima Maybe this is the grand compromise. All the advantages of a modern battery, with the "look" of a vintage restoration.

Thanks again for all your input.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Using a trickle charger will keep a restoration battery will maximize its' lifespan. You should get 6 + years out of it minimum.

 

[polara71]

My first restoration battery lasted 7-8 years. I have one right now on its sixth year and two others just over a year old. They go on the battery tender over the winter. I swear by them for the old stuff, I cant stand a new battery under the hood of old iron

 

[commando1]

Any 60 month battery that's on sale.
Anybody notice that good deals on batteries is becoming a thing of the past?

 

[1978 NYB]

You can still get a Group 27 battery from Dodge. Or you can get a 27-3 from Advance Auto Parts.....order it on line and save 25% and pick it up in the store 30 minutes later. You could even supervise them to install it if you trust them.

 

[polara71]

Restoration batteries simply look better

 

[commando1]

You could even supervise them to install it if you trust them.

I make them install my wipers in the rain. I believe in teaching kids on how it is in the real world. They can't text their way out of this one.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Any 60 month battery that's on sale.
Anybody notice that good deals on batteries is becoming a thing of the past?

I went into Napa complaining about battery price and the owner of the store said he can get deals. A while later wife's car battery S.T.B. call he tells me 72 month blah, blah, blah.....Wait a minute I want the cheapest (car won't last that long), went from $119 to $84, ok I'll be down.

 

[Big_John]

I went into Napa complaining about battery price and the owner of the store said he can get deals. A while later wife's car battery S.T.B. call he tells me 72 month blah, blah, blah.....Wait a minute I want the cheapest (car won't last that long), went from $119 to $84, ok I'll be down.

Some battery suppliers have "blems". Batteries with blemished cases or labeling. Sometimes they've just been sitting around the store too long. I just pulled one out of my 300 that was at least 5 years old(if not more).

I used to buy tires like that too.... I had a great Goodrich connection and could get anything, but he's gone on to better things.

 

[commando1]

I went into Napa complaining about battery price

You???

 

[Yatzee]

I will be needing a new battery as a part of the 440 rebuild for my '68 300 rebuild. Looking for some opinions on which way to go. My mechanic is leaning towards an Optima blue top, but also suggested the period correct looking from Restorationbattery.com. I am looking for reliable, but I do like the look of the vintage battery.

Thoughts? What do you guys have in your cars??

Thanks!

 

[Yatzee]

Optima's are too damn expensive and don't always mount in OE trays and look tidy. Any quality AGM battery will do as good as an Optima, look more at home and save about half the cost without sacrificing quality.. But if you're one of those "just got to have one cause everyone else does" buy one!