im in need for a battery in my 69 z/28. and would like to find a close match to a battery that the car came with.mine is an august 1969 build date.so did it come with a top post,or side post..and does anyone know where i can buy one? thanx,dave

Dave, there were a couple batteries used in 69 including an early issue top post which later switched to side post which I think was in April if memory serves me correctly. I also remember a part number of R59 but know there is also another number used for batteries but it escapes me right now.

What I can tell you is that there are a couple of companies reproducing these batteries and you can buy them through most of the parts warehouses such as Ground Up, Classic Industries, Ricks and many others. Just pick up the phone and try their respective 1-800 numbers. Ask for a part number of the reproduction side post battery and ask them the cost. You can also install a Delco Sidepost with better cranking amp and modify it's looks with a top cover plate that resembles the old Delco Look from 69.

Good luck....Graeme

Some of the early ones came with top post Y55 also.

I think if you ordered heavy duty battery, you got a top post, even after the side post came out. Side post was R89. I used a modern high crank top post Delco, with a Battery Topper. Remember that the negative post is on the outside.

Go to battertoppers.com (or batterytopper) I was not aware that they were making a top for side post batteries.

Actually the original 1969 side post battery was a Y77. It started in March/69 and was a very unique battery. The positive and negative cables used different size bolts to retain them, 1 was 3/8unc and the other was 5/16unc, making it impossible to mix up the cables and hurt the electrical components. My survivor 06A RSZ28 had it, and it was also replaced under warranty ( have the battery warranty card dated 71) with another Y77.
It has long since died, the replacement battery now is R89 side post. I had to change the bolt in the battery cable so the R89 would fit.
They do not make toppers for side post batterys, but i took a topper for a top post battery, and melted a old screwdriver handle into to the top post holes and block sanded it down, after which i shot it with some semi gloss black, it looks great!
Hope this helps.

rszmjt, I also have an unrestored '69 Z that still has the original side-post battery cables. I know they do not make a Battery Topper for a side post but I would love to know exactly how you "doctored" your Topper to fit the side-post.
Any how-to instructions would be greatly appreciated.

Top-post Z/28s used a "reverse-polarity" battery (aka Ford battery), the neg post on the right as you face the engine. No one knows why. This is clearly visible in the January '69 Hot Rod road test and the Road Test magazine feature on the JL8 car, I beleieve Aug '69.

Interesting. This may explain the side-post battery cables on my RS Z. Car only has a little over 70K on it and I was always puzzled by why it had side post cables whereas others of the same build time did not.

I still have the cables, which I believe are original. Other than the bolt size, any other tell-tale signs on what to look to determine if the cables are original?

I've got some confidence that they might be original, as the car had the original "grooved" (not ribbed) heater hoses and GM power steering belt on it when I bought the car in 1990.

I dug this old thread up to find out about the correct battery cables for the reverse polarity battery (Y55). If I read the AIM correctly it should be the #6290588 positive cable for early Z/28 (page UPC12-A10) same as 6 cyl. engine. #6290592 is shown for the HD battery option

Interesting. This may explain the side-post battery cables on my RS Z. Car only has a little over 70K on it and I was always puzzled by why it had side post cables whereas others of the same build time did not.

I still have the cables, which I believe are original. Other than the bolt size, any other tell-tale signs on what to look to determine if the cables are original?

I've got some confidence that they might be original, as the car had the original "grooved" (not ribbed) heater hoses and GM power steering belt on it when I bought the car in 1990.

The original PN's for the sidepost battery cables were:

Neg 6297651 AV
Pos 6297684 AS

these part numbers should be printed on your cables if they are original (and I'm betting that they are) ...

Gary / 69Z28-RS

I have a top post battery.

Top-post Z/28s used a "reverse-polarity" battery (aka Ford battery), the neg post on the right as you face the engine. No one knows why. This is clearly visible in the January '69 Hot Rod road test and the Road Test magazine feature on the JL8 car, I beleieve Aug '69.

That's interesting... I always suspected that the previous owner of my Camaro installed the wrong top-post battery... having the pos(+) terminal nearest the fender makes no sense to me(thinking short to fender)

Actually the original 1969 side post battery was a Y77. It started in March/69 and was a very unique battery. The positive and negative cables used different size bolts to retain them, 1 was 3/8unc and the other was 5/16unc, making it impossible to mix up the cables and hurt the electrical components.

My March/69 Norwood Z11 has side post. The owner before me installed a new battery when he sold it to me and replaced the factory sized cables with standard side post over the counter ones, but tossed the old ones in the trunk "junk" box. I doubt I'll reinstall the original style cables but I have kept the side post even when some folks said March 69 didn't use them. I had a hard time getting the right side post because most generic catalogs including Sears Die-hard list 69 as a top post year. There was one old yellow Sears catalog that had an foot note that said some applications used side post number ....so they stood corrected, never the less no one had a side post that fit. Ordered a duralast to get me through restoration and it has been great. Will finish project with Delco. might be nice to see your Frankenstein side post topper. Any pics?

they sell Toppers for R89 side post.....
http://www.classicindustries.com/camaro/parts/t70782.html
is that one not correct? How different is it ?

My Z came to the dealership on April 9, 1969. The dealership was in Van Nuys about 2 miles south of the plant on Van Nuys Blvd. It had a top cable battery on it.

alan

Side posts on mine. Norwood, May. Still have them. Well, the battery-ends of them. The negative post was outboard. It had the little pigtail ground on the fender. Don't try to crank the engine with the ground cable disconnected from the engine and the pigtail still connected. That smoke will freak out most folks.:o

Thanks for all the good info guys, but I want to know the correct pos cable part number for the Y55 battery.:)