Battery and cable questions

[71-C10]

It's battery time and I'm trying to figure out what battery I want for my '71. I bought this truck new and at some point I changed the factory side terminal cable ends to top post (can't remember why). What kind of battery is in your truck, or what kind do you recommend? Would you leave the cables like they are, or replace them with new side terminal cables? I'm in the process of a light restoration. Your help is greatly appreciated.


Eddie

[mstrav1973]

Buy an optima red top battery and it has top and side posts so you wont have to do anything but swap the battery.

Matt

[FirstOwner69]

My '69 has had top terminals from day one. I believe the '71s came that way also. As I recall top terminals came along later.

[Longhorn Man]

71 was the first year for side post batteries in all GM vehicles.

[ChevLoRay]

You probably changed to top posts because you preferred them. As I recall, we didn't especially like the side terminals. The were not what we were used to using. Jumper cables didn't hook up very well. The bolts that held the cable ends to the battery, didn't seem very capable. Corrosion built up between the cable ends and the battery terminals and cleaning them was more involved that taking the old brush that fit down onto the top terminal and got clean with a couple of spins.

[Shyguy]

I guess battery brands are a personal preference. Some don't like Interstate batteries, but I have had one in my '71 for over 5 years now and it works great.

I always buy the one with the most cold cranking amps I can that will fit with the longest warranty I can afford. Also I normally buy a dual terminal battery so it can be used in different vehicles. Living on a farm I some times have to move a battery from one vehicle or other.

My son likes Bosch or Duralast Gold. My brother swears by Die Hards. Like I said it depends on what brand you like.

[stich626]

WARRANTY'SS BLA..
your just paying for a bet..
a 575 cca battery with a 2 year warranty is the same battery as the 575cca with4 or 5 year waranty just a different lable on the outside..

[72lb4x4]

I've seen side terminals with stripped threads, so I never liked them.

Decide on the terminal orientation, meaning which side the + and - terminals are on, and measure the battery box.

Then buy the biggest battery with the most CCA that fits in the box with the right orientation.

Maybe it's strange, but that's my battery buying strategy...

[Hardesty454]

It really depends on what size engine you have. If youre pushing a larger engine youre going to want a larger CCA. Honestly, I run optima 800-1000 cca on everything (small block/ big block). Keep in mind battery size and amp size matter as well. You dont want a battery thats too big or small for your alt.

[Jacfourteen]

I run the walmart brand batteries just because they swap them out for warranty no problem and don't even check them. So what I do is watch the date on the batt. and when it gets close to the exp. date I take it in and swap it out, then the warranty starts over again. They don't even require a receipt, they just go by the sticker that has the date of manufacture on it. I've had good luck with them, I think I've only had one that failed on me before the warranty was up and that was because I ran it dead multiple times.

[71-C10]

I appreciate all of the replies. I bought this 71 new. It came with a Delco battery that had the eye in one of the caps. Cables were definitely side post. I think that I changed the cable ends for all the reasons that ChevLoRay said. I was toying with the idea of putting the side post cables back on this truck as I restore it, but after reading the replies to this thread, I think I'll stick with the top post.

I'm really giving some thought to the Optima red top battery. Right now the truck still has the stock 350 with 83,284 original miles on it. I do plan to massage it a little, nothing radical. It does have factory air, but no high power after market electronics.

Eddie