Skip to main content

The existing battery in my Vintage Speedster was more than five years old , It always started the car but I had to trickle charge it if the car sat inactive  for more than  two weeks. For obvious reasons i  replaced it this week with a Duralast  Gold. It has i belive 650 cold cranking amps, a five year warrantee- three years free and two prorated. What a difference-the car starts instantly and roars to life. it was the best I could find at the time- heavy to help hold down the front end with the spare tire on top and priced fairly-there are cheaper batteries but this fits my desires.

Joel 

 

 

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Keeping Batteries on these cars is a real challenge, I installed a trickle charger/maintainer permanently on mine to eliminate the constant battery change that happened on my previous IM. 

Sometimes when you change something you realize... wow... I should have done that  a long time ago... happened to me with a starter that was slowly dying too... duh.. Ray

IIRC, Becks have this nifty shelf just ahead of the engine, and that's where they put the battery (at least it was there on the one we built at Carlisle).

Speaking of that build, here's Lane aiming the install of his steering wheel.  It was on there in a flash...

Speedster build 057

And here is my Odyssey battery (same as Lane's) tucked in the front of the spare tire/battery well in the nose of a CMC.  The white tube running along the top of the battery and around the back of the heater is a Blazecut fire suppressor.  It has a gauge at the left hand end.

final install

Here's an Odyssey compared to the battery I used to have.  that's the hold-down bracket I got from Tom Blankinship:

DSC02637

BTW; the tech at Northeast Batteries, where I bought the Odyssey, recommended that it be on a trickle charger whenever it's not used for over a week at a time.  Easy enough - I added a plug under the dash just for a trickle charger a long time ago.

Attachments

Images (3)
  • Speedster build 057
  • final install
  • DSC02637
Last edited by Gordon Nichols

Gordon's close about the battery location, but it's not on the shelf in front of the engine.  That's where the heater blower is.  I've often thought that it would be a good place to put a built-in tool box.  The battery is on the "floor" of the engine compartment behind the right rear inner fender.  On Becks the engine compartment is full width (except for the inner fenders) making carb access much easier.  Of course you all know where that has gotten me.

I install a high CCA lawn tractor battery at 1/2 the price of a full size car battery,  it's securely mounted next to the right tail light on a metal battery tray. Saves money on the long cable expense and you can store a tool bag where the battery was in the front....(The tool bag is more than half the weight of the battery)  Run the ground to the trans and 12V  to the starter solenoid lug and B+ on the alternator. $65 vs $150 plus.

Post Content
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×