Classic Car Batteries

[JimNolan]

Guys,
  I gotta tell you about this one. I bought a Wet Cell classic car battery once and it wouldn't turn my car over after the car got hot. They advertised 650 cranking amps and Napa found out it only had about 250. The people from Battery Exchange sent me another one and it didn't do any better. Out $350.00.
Last year I bought a Classic Car Battery from another place that was really an Odyssey Gell Cell inside. It worked good this summer and the cars been sitting out in the hanger for about a month now and it won't even turn the engine over now. That one cost me another $350.00. My car will never have another Power Punch restoration battery in it. If you remember correctly we had better batteries 55 years ago than these sleezey company's can reproduce today. I wish I lived close enough to that place that makes these pieces of _ _ _ _. I'd return it through the store front window at about 1:30 am in the morning. Jim PS  Moral of story is don't buy from Auto Battery Exchange or a company that sells thier batteries. I thought I was buying from another company this last time but it was a middle man that just got a piece of the action by advertising their junk.  EDIT:  It's a heated hanger for God's sake. It doesn't go below 45 degrees. I'm pissed.

[Zapato]

A couple years back my daily driver was at the time a 8 year old Ranger pickup. Charge light was blinking so I pulled into one of those Battery and alternator shops that every town has. My alt was completely toast and was running strictly off my battery. Had them replace the alt as I was too far from home to make it otherwise. Of course they tried to sell me a battery. I politely refused to buy one. His answer was that by not buying one I'd be harming "HIS" alternator. To which I replied that once I payed for "HIS" alternator it was mine and he didn't have to worry any more about its health.  Battery lasted a couple more years not bad for an original factory installed that lasted for over 150 thousand miles of service. When one figures the average distance of a trip in any car its amazing how many times that battery had given constant reliable service. My son-in-law now drives that old truck and its still running on the original starter also.

My current DD is an even older Ranger that led a very pampered life and amazing enough its still sporting its original Motorcraft battery. That's now 16 years of solid reliable service.  Should probably find a good chunk of hardrock maple to knock on or will find myself soon buying a replacement.

Zap-

[Ford Blue blood]

The OEM battery in my 93 F150 was 10 years 11 months old when I replaced it...not because it failed, just didn't want it to lay down unexpectedly.  On the other hand the OEM battery in in the 03 Cobra laid down in the drive way when it was 1 year and 10 months old.....go figure.

[JimNolan]

What I said about car batteries that went in Fords 55 years ago being better was aimed toward the company that makes the Power Punch battery now for Classic cars. I had to replace a battery in a 2002 Lincoln last month. That's 10 years. I definately think they make better batteries now than they did 55 years ago. Just not the company that make these replica Power Punch batteries. Jim

[Zapato]

YE-GADS! Just did a google check and they're $250- bucks, sure makes glad I don't have a bit of restorer in me. No chance of me buying one of them when it will most likely end up in the trunk.

Zap-

[wv 57s forever]

       

    i think my problem with a battery was a little more.

  my wife has a 2003 cougar v6 the battery started dieing about 2 years ago,  i went to napa bought the best battery they had and installed it in the cougar. that weekend while at work got a call from my wife that she was in town,about 35 miles from where i live and that the car would not pull, left work, went to Sam's club it looked like someone had shot the car from all the red under it, checked fluid in trans nothing, took it to a trans shop, left it over the weekend when they called  the first thing they asked was who changed the battery, i had somehow blocked the vent for the trans changing the battery.

[JimNolan]

I changed batteries in the 57 today. I used a Ever Start that I had laying under the workbench for over a year. I didn't charge it. Just cleaned the dust off it and installed it. Worked great. It had 12.8 volts in it. It was about 6 months old when I took it out for the restoration look with the Optima Power Punch. Jim

[Lou]

I use Interstate batteries for the last 20 years in all my cars including my restorations, I've never had a problem, all have lasted past their repacement dates.

[rmk57]

I'm using one of the original batteries from my '99 7.3 F-350 in my wife's Explorer and the other one in my '57. Both of them are still going strong. I wonder who builds these batteries for Ford? The only reason I replaced the batteries in the truck is because they were 10 years old and I thought they were due.

[JimNolan]

    I'm sure that if I recharged my Antique Auto Battery Ford Power Punch Replica battery it would do just fine. The problem I have is that I let it set for one month and the charge is so low that I couldn't start my car. That's unheard of for a battery made to today's standards and it's not an inconvience that I will put up with just to be able to run a reproduction battery.
  I've watched the video's of using battery tenders to keep these batteries charged. I guess it comes down to looks vs. function. I should have known better. I went to great lengths and expense to be able to "drop-the-hammer" on my 57 at any time and not have to walk to the nearest gas station for help because my car broke. I'll be _ _ _ _ _ _ if I'll undermind that concept by buying another Antique Auto Battery. Jim 

[Zapato]

Jim, Unless things are much different in Indiana than in Washington not sure you'll find much help at a gas station. Now if you wanted an order of nachos or a cold beer the gas station would suffice. I'm sure you've raised cain with the guys at power punch what was their defense for not building a battery that meets todays standards. Hell it doesn't meet 1957 standards. Hope the cat has recovered.

Zap-

[briney]

I think your car has something draining the power out...

Patrick / Dallas TX