Batteries Used in Trans Am Cars?

[mikebaronehouston]

Anyone have a good recomendation for a battery set up which is period correct?

Tar tops, stock battery tray and bracket the way to go for a Trans Am recreation?

Best source for a battery?  Best reproduction trays and brackets?

Many thanks,

Mike

[Jon Mello]

If you are going for an early '70s look a Sears Die Hard battery was often used.  A lot of racers nowadays are just using an Optima or current replacement battery.  SCCA did start wanting them to be contained in some type of battery box in the '70s but I have seen some guys running them without that now.  I used a repro stock Delco battery (and stock battery tray with extra restraint added to it) for my '67 but they have stopped making them the last I heard.

[crossboss]

Mike,
My battery of choice when I vintaged raced my Boss 302 was a deep cycle Delco marine battery. Yes, it was heavy, yet it always cranked over no matter how hot it was. I bought mine at Cost Co.

[mikebaronehouston]

Thanks to both.

The Die Hard is right.  I know they sponsored NASCAR and what says '72 better than Sears?  I've never tried to explain the Sear's Christmas Catalogue to my kids or the excitement of marking all the things I wanted...

I was looking into reproduction batteries and stock trays as the straps will be right.  I have found Delco.  Wonder if somone makes a Die Hard.

Delco would be a good second as it is GM.  Keep it in the family. 

I am going to mount mine in the trunk now that I am building to '72 rules.  I have some pictures of the Gray Ghost's trunk-mounted battery and they used a simplestrap and a lot of electrical tape to seal the ends.  Fantastically crude and practical.

[Jon Mello]

I don't believe they reproduce the classic Sears Die Hard battery but it would be neat if they did.  You can find NOS Delco batteries for sale on ebay but they are not cheap.  Prestolite also made batteries that were often used in Nascar back in the day and also other race cars.  Maybe you might stumble across an NOS one if you get lucky.  A cheaper route would be a sticker kit on a newer battery such as in this ebay auction...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Delco-Energizer-Battery-R59-1969-74-Sticker-kit/312177201586?hash=item48af3611b2:g:Z5gAAOSwlqhdKC9a

[1109RWHP]

That is what I did on mine.

[Jon Mello]

This how I did it on mine, the same as it was back in the day.  There is an access door to the battery from inside the car.

[mikebaronehouston]

1109rwhp - looks where I am thinking for mine.  My cage has the same bar.  Did you build a stand so the battery is level as the trunk floor drops?  I don't get the switch on the back side of the battery.

John - looks fantastic.  My fuel filter is there and that's where my fuel lines will run to the center console and to the front of the car.

[mikebaronehouston]

Jon,  was the battery access from the top or front?

Why did they do it?  Easier to access from the trunk.

[Jon Mello]

Jon,  was the battery access from the top or front?

Why did they do it?  Easier to access from the trunk.

Access was from the front via a panel with a piano hinge at the bottom and two screws at each top corner.  My car ran two stock tanks, one in the normal location and the other inside the trunk.  This was to allow extra gas to be on board for the longer races like the Daytona 24 Hour and Sebring 12 Hour.  A fuel cell was not required until after my car stopped racing.  The extra tank in the trunk made it difficult if not impossible to remove the battery out the back.

[MO]

I don't believe they reproduce the classic Sears Die Hard battery but it would be neat if they did.  You can find NOS Delco batteries for sale on ebay but they are not cheap.  Prestolite also made batteries that were often used in Nascar back in the day and also other race cars.  Maybe you might stumble across an NOS one if you get lucky.  A cheaper route would be a sticker kit on a newer battery such as in this ebay auction...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Delco-Energizer-Battery-R59-1969-74-Sticker-kit/312177201586?hash=item48af3611b2:g:Z5gAAOSwlqhdKC9a

For a few dollars more, that vendor also sells kits with push in or glue on caps.

[1109RWHP]

1109rwhp - looks where I am thinking for mine.  My cage has the same bar.  Did you build a stand so the battery is level as the trunk floor drops?  I don't get the switch on the back side of the battery.

John - looks fantastic.  My fuel filter is there and that's where my fuel lines will run to the center console and to the front of the car.


I used a stock tray and welded spacers to the bottom to get it to sit level. There are nuts welded to the underside of the trunk floor for it to bolt to. The switch with the red knob is just a battery shut off. It is a street car by the way so it is no in a legal race position. This is a Mustang, not a Camaro too.