[77 Canamman]

Final product:

1973 GTO



1977 Can Am

[fiedlerh]

Did you make that yourself?
I'll revive the project, but am real busy right know dealing with elderly parents/nursing home/estate sale.

[77 Canamman]

Yes I did. I had a few hours and a Photoshop program, and laminator. They came out very good, and looks far superior to the original shriveled up decal, which I saved.

[fiedlerh]

Excellent job!

[77 Canamman]

Thank you, Horst!

[gtohurstjudge]

On a 77 can am the original battery would not have had caps
on it. It would have come with a flat top freedom battery. On my 79 Trans Am
which I show for points at POCI, I went through the hassle of having the correct
decals made which are sealed on both sides in clear plastic. I silicone them on the
top of a new flat top battery and when I change out the battery, I simply peel them off,
scrape the silicone off the back side and silicone them on the new battery. These stickers
wow the judges every time(the car scored 400/400 points) Here's a shot of my battery...

[77 Canamman]

Originally Posted by gtohurstjudge

On a 77 can am the original battery would not have had caps
on it. It would have come with a flat top freedom battery. On my 79 Trans Am
which I show for points at POCI. I went through the hassle of having the correct
decals made which are sealed on both sides in clear plastic. I silicone them on the
top of a new flat top battery and when I change out the battery, I simply peel them off,
scrape the silicone off the back side and silicone them on the new battery. These stickers
wow the judges every time(the car scored 400/400 points) Here's a shot of my battery...

Sorry, I have to disagree with you. Please read this entire thread. I have provided photographic proof that 1977 A and G bodies came from Pontiac with the R89W battery. The Delco catalogs also prove this. I agree that other car lines in 1977 used the Freedom, such as the Sunbird. This might have been a change during the model year, but at least a few '77's had them.

[gtohurstjudge]

Interesting......I was selling Delco batteries at my shop starting in summer
1976 and the only thing I could ever get from my Delco supplier was the freedom
batteries. I agree that the photo seems to back up your stance. Very good detective
work!

[77 Canamman]

Again, here is a 350 Olds powered 1977 Grand Prix from an issue of Popular Mechanics:



The best proof, Can Ams in separate road tests with a R89WP battery..

[77 Canamman]

gtohurstjudge: Nice job on the decals! I wish that they were easier to come by!

[77 Canamman]

Here is a 10th anniversary TA with it's original Freedom II battery installed:





The page is here:

http://www.sd455ta.com/id3.html

Some interesting Freedom II info:

http://81z28camaro.com/id11.html

[77 Canamman]

Here's another 1977 GM car with the R89WP battery... a Nova.

http://youtu.be/xBqXZ5q2U_I?t=2m51s

[77 Canamman]

Per the 1977 LeMans owners manual:



It lists the R89-5 Freedom battery as the optional HD battery only.



Since it says to check and fill the battery, this kinda leaves the Freedom battery out since it was a totally sealed unit.

On a build sheet of one of my former Can Ams built on Feb 8, 1977, it lists the last 3 digits of the battery part number 240. I am still trying to locate Delco battery part numbers to match this up.

[77 Canamman]

Someone is making these decals, which I believe are only correct for the over the counter batteries, not the assemby line installed units...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Battery-Topp...item20cd6558b9

[77 Canamman]

[fiedlerh]

The gray flame arrestor caps are correct. Not sure about the exact date. Possibly for 1974 production. Not sure about 1973 production. Anybody remember?

I have an over-the-counter Delco Freedom battery, probably 1977 vintage or so. I try to get a picture of it posted. Looks like 77CanAm's picture above, but the warning label is a little different.

[rexs73gto]

Rick & Horst, When I got my 73GTO new it had the R89 battery in it & it had the black caps on it , the reason I remember is when I got it home, I had the car for only 3 days before I put a set of the original Headmen headers on it & at the same time I painted the outer edge of the caps red so it would look better under the hood rather then everything being just black .

[77 Canamman]

Originally Posted by rexs73gto

Rick & Horst, When I got my 73GTO new it had the R89 battery in it & it had the black caps on it , the reason I remember is when I got it home, I had the car for only 3 days before I put a set of the original Headmen headers on it & at the same time I painted the outer edge of the caps red so it would look better under the hood rather then everything being just black .

What month was your GTO built? I have pics from drive reports of other 1973 GM cars that have the Delco logo red caps, but they are early 1973's.

[rexs73gto]

Rick after all these years of ownership I don't know if I ever looked to see what year it was built. I know it was an early car because when I ordered mine orignally as an SD car the car that I own was already being driven by the owners son (dealers son) & I went in & ordered mine right after the artical in cars mag. came out. I think I went in the last week of Aug, or the first week of Sept. I'm not excatly sure & I don't know where my paper work is for the original car as I have moved sevaral times since I ordered the SD car which didn't come in. As I've said in past posts I didn't get the car I have now until Mar. of 74 because of all the screwing around hopeing to get an SD car & then having them trying to find a car closer to what I had ordered with all the same options , but ended up with this one. But as I said in my post I painted my Battery caps red to give a litte color to the engine compartment. I don't remember seeing any cars with red caps but , That may be why I did paint them that way because sub-con. (not going to try to spell that) I had seen some of the red caps & liked it ,maybe thats why I painted it that way. Who knows???, it was a long time ago.