Started making my own restoration battery.
I cut out the bottom, and gutted out the inside of an original tar-top for my 66 Corvette. If this works a R-59 is next.

Going to try and find a battery that will fit inside the old case.

Your gonna put your eye out.

How do you mean?
I let this thing soak with baking soda for over a month.
The acid was completely neutralized.

Thought I would get an Optima side post, and screw the leads together with heavy straps.

Oooohhh. I like this idea. Very cool. Keep us "posted" (pun intended) about the battery.

You need to mop your floor Jeff :D

j/k Neat idea!

You need to mop your floor Jeff :D

j/k Neat idea!
That's my garage floor.
Way too much stuff in there, but yes -- you are right.
(how much would you charge?) ;)

I know my r 59 topper is slightly larger than my modern delco top post. I was toying with the idea of getting an old battery, or trying to get a case from the folks making the new repop batteries. I think someone said the folks that bought New Castle Battery are doing just that...putting a modern battery in the repop case, and sealing her up.

Saw Restoration battery at the Corvettes at Carlisle this year.
They will not sell the cases. In fact I think they are tired of me asking to buy one, and telling them that they should be selling them.

They put an Optima battery into a new case.
It would be pretty easy to cut that one open and change, but for $275. I think i will try this first. ;)

How do you mean?
I let this thing soak with baking soda for over a month.
The acid was completely neutralized.

Thought I would get an Optima side post, and screw the leads together with heavy straps.

It was a joke. I guess i forgot the :)

It was a joke. I guess i forgot the :)

No, actually you are right.............
This stunt was performed by a professional, on a closed race course. ;)
Don't try this at home, without serious safety precautions.

The acid is very corrosive, and could explode if not treated properly.
I really should have mentioned that initially.
Also, don't forget to remove the battery from the vehicle, before trying this....

Don't want someone like bigbXXckpace cutting open a fully charged battery,
and blowing up his house. :clonk:

:beers:

you forgot may cause drowsiness

Hey guys check these out and let me know what you think. I just came across it yesterday and it looks neat.
I am looking to try something like this because I have a battery that is guaranteed for life and I don't want to get rid of it. ( the comany that offered this deal back in 1991 has replaced it at least 6 times now lol)



http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g35/johnnyscamaro67/camaros/bat_cov_2_1_-250x175.jpg

That's the battery topper I was referring to in an earlier post. I think they are a good alternative to br able to use a modern battery. They look great from the top, but if you look at the sides of the battery, it's pretty obvious. The original batteries had a basket weave design on the sides, and new ones have reinforcing ribs.

Also, on the Corvettes with A/C, the battery faces sideways.
The toppers don't really help.
Fine for the Camaros.


Went looking today -- Not going to be as easy as I thought, to find a battery that will fit.

I tried doing the same thing with an old R59 that was laying around for years.

Cut-out the bottom, but trying to remove the dried out plates became a real problem.

To make a long story short, I ended-up cracking the top of the case when cutting the posts.......:clonk:

Oh well...I tried....

I do have another R59 that's been sitting around though.......