Optima batteries
 

good, bad ? comments

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67 SWB 350eng th400 3:07 posi tilt&tach PS/P/Disc Brakes old air a/c P/W keyless entry gaylord lid 70swb project truck 350/th400

A friend put one in his bone stock 50 Chevy coupe (6V) and has no complaints other than it doesn't look like a typical bat. The concept is good, I guess time will tell.

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1971 C10 swb stepside 350/700R4/3.73posi

I've only read good reviews but no personal experience. When my 69's battery goes out, that's what will go in.

Do tell the salesperson how the battery will be used so they give you the correct one.
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1969 C20 4x4 with 4" lift and 35's
residing near Rose Hill, Kansas

Yukon Jack's Web Pages



[This message has been edited by Yukon Jack (edited 12-19-2001).]

Thanks,I am going for it.

I have the red one and would recomend one.

I have had two in my 75 Caprice Classic Convertible for the past four years. Had to replace one last year that went bad, but I would still recommend this type of battery. No acid spills!!!. Kragen Auto Parts now carries a gel cell battery too. Last time I looked they were on sale.

some of th generators in the army used them, we stopped buying them, but no one could tell me why. I think it was becouse too many were goin out the back door of the motor pool.
Bummer is, I never got one.

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The hot rod;
a'69 G.M.C. Short/Fleet. 350 W/a heluva cam and nice stance. Trying to clean up the left over damage from the Dope-Smokin-Old-Man. See it at http://geocities.com/andys_69_gmc/

I've been dubbed the Longhorn Freak/Fanatic/Expert, I just hope I can live up to it. Check out my Longhorn site at http://geocities.com/MotorCity/Flats/8752/

Need to pick up the one ton Longhorn with a 350/350 here soon, thanks every one! :)

If you need a pic posted, e-mail me at longhornmail@yahoo.com

I have had one now for about 8+ years. I got one hell of a deal when they first came out due to the fact that one of the reps from the company was trying to get a local auto store to carry them. When I had asked just what was so special about them and why anyone would pay around a hundred bucks for a battery he handed me one and gave me his card and said to call him if it ever fails. well it is now in its third vehicle. I wish I still had his card to call and tell him it had out lasted a car and one truck. I say get one there damn well worth the money. that is why the second battery in my dodge is an optima. and the battery of choice for the 66 chevy when it gets on the rode.

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66 chevy short fleet side 1/2 ton converted to five lug front and rear. ZZ4 crate motor Holly 750 double pumper. 700R-4 http://66chevy.homestead.com/66ClassicChevy.html
30 miles west Of Protland OR

Remember PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID, BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

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[This message has been edited by Mongo (edited 12-19-2001).]

We have an optima at work that a guy traded in 5 years ago because it wasnt "correct" for his vette. Anyway its 6 years old and we use it for jump starting vehicles. We jump rigs till its dead then recharge. Its still working great. We've almost chewed the posts off the top with the jumper cables. I've personally seen this battery put out over 1100 amps to a bad starter. The only thing bad thats happened..tried to jump a rig and burnt one of the side posts out. Exide now makes a similar battery called orbital. I have one of these in my truck because its slightly cheaper.

I have at least one in all my vehicles. The best example I can give is my 300ZX turbo which is very hard on batterys because of the heat under the hood. The OEM battery lasted two years, put a Delco in lasted one year, then another that lasted one year. The Optima has been in almost six years and still going strong. Changed to an Optima in my newer Chev truck before it had a chance to get me stranded. Cost a bit more but definitly worth the added assurance IMHO.

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Richard
1972 K10 Custom Deluxe SWB Fleetside

They are awesome, had one in a Willy's Jeep for 9 years and sat around in sub-zero winters and am on 2 years on the 2nd one. They are well worth the money you pay for them.

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68 Chevy CST (327,TH400) 3/5 drop
71 Suburban 4x4 (350,TH350) 4" and 33's
Check out my web site!!! http://www.geocities.com/cst68chevy/

Dug up this old post to post an update. The Optima in our Z finally gave up the ghost. About 6 1/2 years not to bad considering how long the others lasted. It did not short, still puts out 12v just wont put out any amperage. You can probably guess what replaced it.

Those Optimas look pretty, but I'm not sure why they cost so much. A buddy of mine says a Porche owners website tested one and didn't find anything different from a regular battery.

My last two batteries have been Champion 1050 amp hour units that I bought at Sams's wholesale club for $30-something each. The first one lasted two Colorado winters and four Texas summers before it gave up. And I swear they'd crank for several minutes in below-zero weather. What else do you need from a battery?

Hmm, they weren't looking very hard were they?
You ever gotten battery acid on your skin/clothes/car? it does bad things to everything it touches.
These optima batterys can be mounted upside down..the gell won't come out . You'll have to cut the top off to get anything out.
And as stated...they have an outstanding track record.

I have one in my Ford Econoline because they are sealed and the battery is in the back of the driver seat and exposed to the cab. They can be mounted in any position including upside down. they better for vibration. I will put one im my ford 50 f1 street rod. Ed ke6bnl

Sweet, I'll be putting one in my truck as well. :cool:

Well, I guess if you handle your battery a lot or it needs to be mounted on its side, Optima is the way to go. My 34 year old truck still has the original battery box, so acid spills from conventional batteries hasn't been a major problem. But I know what you mean about holes in clothes, etc., especially with the older batteries with one cap per cell. Back in the 60s and 70s all my work clothes looked like swiss cheese.

With these batteries you do not have to ever clean your terminals :) I used to sell these batteries at a car audio store that i worked at.. only way to go:)

They're hugely popular over here in the UK amongst the off-road boys. No acid to lose if you roll over, especially useful in a home built special where the battery may be in the cab area, an acid shower hurts!

Try and take a battery out of a 65 Corvette without spilling acid and not removing a exhaust header. These batteries are the best because you have to turn them about 90* to get them behind the tire and in front of thr firewall, love'em

have the red top, never a problem. never a leak. great product!


If you have a Costco in your area, check them out. Best prices I have found. Red top for $99.00.!!

:flag:

im a red top user myself ....no problems ... definately a better battery ...

im a red top user myself ....no problems ... definately better than you average run of the mill cell