Imitation Tar Top Battery Box For Optima Battery

[Dan Kalinski]

Please see the link for this vendor of imitation tar top battery boxes. Is this one of the recommended vendors for the imitation tar top battery box that can be used in our cars? If there is another vendor, would you please send the link to their web site? Also, does anyone have the dimensions for this box?

As always, thank you for your help.

Dan

http://quailservices.com/index.html

[Carl Zapffe]

Okay, I am always up for learning something new. So... The reason for doing this would be?... I have an Optima in my car, and I would like to know if I am missing something.

[Tom Tate]

One of our vendors has been selling those for years. Foreign Intrigue gets $89.50 for them. He's at 800-800-8070 in NJ. The idea is to make the Optima look like a regular 6v old fashion battery. I always though it was a great idea. KTF

[Larry Wilson]

One of our vendors has been selling those for years. Foreign Intrigue gets $89.50 for them. He's at 800-800-8070 in NJ. The idea is to make the Optima look like a regular 6v old fashion battery. I always though it was a great idea. KTF

Tom,

If you cover everything with an original battery cover (as I has done with an Optima 6v in my 1955 Speedster), who can see that it makes "the Optima look like a regular 6v old fashion battery"? And, surely if any respectable concours judge gets that far, he/she can tell it's a fake "old fashion battery." Maybe it's a better safety enclosure, but the vendor's website fails to make that claim. So, I want it because. . . ?

Larry

[Norm Miller]

OR, you can mount the battery on it's side and cover it with a false floor.
Drive the judges nuts. Sort of like running the sparkplug wires around the back (front) of the fan shroud.
Wouldn't it be original as it hadn't been done?

Norm

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[Eric Cherneff]

One reason for using a battery case is so that the original cover has something to press against and hold the Optima in place. A piece of wood with holes for the battery post can achieve this also.

Pete McNulty made up these battery cases before and I believe he supplies them to Foreign Intrigue now, so that's where to get them. They look great and fit the battery perfectly, but they are not the same size as the original (up to T5 at least, don't know about later) battery. They may or may not fit a T5 or earlier battery space. Mine barely fits in my T5, but is firmly wedged against the sides of the battery box sheetmetal. Unfortunately, an Optima would not fit in an original size battery case.

[Steven Wolf]

I've had an Optima in my 65 C for years. I have it wedged in
diagonally and the L-shaped slide will hold it in at an angle. But the
positive end is quite close to the back of the battery box, and will
short out if not careful. I plan on getting a cloaking box, or seeing
if I can find a longer L-shaped slide and putting a piece of wood
between the battery and the back of the battery box to keep the
battery from falling back. Any other solutions out there?

Steve


On Oct 28, 2009, at 4:42 PM, Eric Cherneff wrote:

One reason for using a battery case is so that the original cover
has something to press against and hold the Optima in place. A piece
of wood with holes for the battery post can achieve this also.

Pete McNulty made up these battery cases before and I believe he
supplies them to Foreign Intrigue now, so that's where to get them.
They look great and fit the battery perfectly, but they are not the
same size as the original (up to T5 at least, don't know about
later) battery. They may or may not fit a T5 or earlier battery
space. Mine barely fits in my T5, but is firmly wedged against the
sides of the battery box sheetmetal. Unfortunately, an Optima would
not fit in an original size battery case.

------------------------
Eric Cherneff
356 Registry member #9298

VIN and engine numbers: www.356a.com
Original tool kits: www.356.ca/tools

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[Larry Wilson]

Hi Steven Wolf:

My Optima is likewise wedged in diagonally, and I use one-half of a Yoga block (a rectangle cut diagonally) to fill the space between the back-side of the Optima and the rear wall of the battery cavity on my 1955 Pre-A Speedster. A Yoga block is made of extremely hi-density foam and cuts well with a hacksaw.

Works great for me -- the battery can't move in any direction once a much smaller wedge (from the excess Yoga block material) is jammed between the Optima and the side-wall of the battery cavity on the passenger-side of the car.

And, to be super-safe, I cover the positive terminal post, once connected, with a custom-cut rubber blanket (rubber shelf mat from Home Deport).

Once all of this is in position, I button it up with the battery cover (made of metal on the Pre-A, heavy cardboard on later models) fastened down with the spring-hook mounted to the front trunk floor on each side of the battery cover. The battery is snug and tight, and all of this non-original junk is concealed by the battery cover.

Good luck!

Larry

[Michael Banchero]

Hey Guys, pictures, pictures, pictures. Please.

[David Ramatowski]

Hey Guys, pictures, pictures, pictures. Please.

Here is how I like to mount Optimas in later cars when 'originality' is not an issue. I take 1"x1/8" aluminum, bend it to fit, and install 2 threadserts in the body to attach it. This is an installation in a customer's car, pardon the glare from the Rustoleum! On earlier cars it is possible to wedge the Optima into the original location, and use the same aluminum to strap it in using the 2 lower inner captive nuts for the access covers to attach the strap. Sorry, I can't find a pic of that installation.

[Guest]

Here is another alternative. See: http://www.arizonastreetrods.com/set_Sp ... _month.htm. I know that one of our fellow owners purchased one of these and installed it but don't recall who it was. I own one, but, decided instead to use one of Pete McNulty's boxes and an original cover. So, I have one of these things - VERY nicely made - with which I might be persuaded to part if offered something close to what I paid for it. It will hold a 6 volt Optima very securely, but, you'll have to anchor it to your battery box, which will require some permanent means of affixing it - the only one I know of drilling and bolting. Yes I know this is not the classified forum - I am posting mostly for what I hope someone might find useful and very secondarily to reduce the mess my daughter will have to clean up when I pass.



Thanks to Barry for adding the photo. The photo demonstrates exactly where/how/why holes would have to be drilled. I can add that I think this device cost around $90 - that is certainly correct within an order of magnitude - a call to the parts department would doubtless get the current price. It exhibits the kind of work one would expect from a high end hot rod shop - beautifully done billet.

[Barry Brisco]

Larry, please keep in mind that in the T6 cars (1962 model year on) the battery is exposed and mounted in a different manner than in your T1 car. In the T1 through T5 cars the battery is held down by a cover (which completely conceals it) and the spring clips.

Dan Kalinski did not state what model 356 he has, but even if he has an early car he may wish to put his 6V Optima inside a fake battery box so that it fits better under the cover.

Dan, here is the web page for the Foreign Intrigue battery box or "Cloaking Device":
http://www.foreignintrigue.com//shop/it ... itemid=268

Note they say it is only for use in 1960 to 1965 cars (T5 and T6). Here is a photo:



The Quail Services battery cover looks rather different:



I'm interested to hear opinions on which more accurately replicates the appearance of batteries used in the 50's and early 60's.

When looking for 356 parts suppliers you can find a list here:
http://356registry.com/clubsvendors/vendors/

There are 3 Tech articles on the Registry website covering how to secure an Optima without using a fake box, since as Larry notes in the earlier cars the battery cover completely conceals it:

Securing a 6V Optima Battery in T2 & T5 Cars
http://356registry.com/techinfo/repair/ ... wn_t2.html

Hold Down for Optima Battery 6V
http://356registry.com/techinfo/repair/ ... _down.html

Tie Down for an Optima Battery
http://356registry.com/techinfo/repair/ ... _down.html

Best regards,

Barry

If you cover everything with an original battery cover (as I has done with an Optima 6v in my 1955 Speedster), who can see that it makes "the Optima look like a regular 6v old fashion battery"?

[Dan Kalinski]

Thanks to all of you that have responded to the Optima Batter Box topic. Barry, my car is a 63 T-6 Cab, so it will be important to me for securing the battery and for esthetics. Also, since judging was mentioned, is there a text that is recommended to get the car back to original. What do the 356 judges base their knowledge on? Is there something like the published and year specific NCRS (National Corvette Restorers Society) restoration/judging manual?

Thanks again.

[Norm Miller]

Optima in a 59 D.

Norm

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This was the first attempt, I later laid it on it's side with the terminals facing the spare. I don't seem to have a picture of that.

[Jim Breazeale]

Barry wrote:
"I'm interested to hear opinions on which more accurately replicates the appearance of batteries used in the 50's and early 60's."

The most correct answer would be..............Neither. The battery is much larger than those used in our cars originally. Which one is closer? My answer would be the "Cloaking Device" sold by Foreign Intrigue. The other one is an imitation of an imitation, I think. I am assuming that the "cloaking Device" came before that other one with the phony lead straps. Somebody needs a patent attorney.

Regards