group size battery on 2nd gen firebirds
 

hi i have had a group 78 top post batt in my TA for 10 years. i have a new group 24 that looks like it will fit. what do you all use? i use top post cause i have some 1/0 cables that are really nice. thanks. BLUE TA

Actually a type 78 Battery is a side terminal design, a type 34 is the top terminal equivalent. You can also buy a dual terminal 34/78 battery. The type 24 battery is a top terminal design that has the same width and depth as a type 34 but is approximately 1 inch taller. The original battery in most 2nd generations was a type 74 which has an identical case as the type 24 but is a side terminal design. I don't know of anyone currently making a type 74 battery.

thanks ss ta, great info, yes my 78 is a 78/34 combo. i use the top mount. so the 24 should work. saves more money. boy batterys have gotten quite pricey. thanks again, BLUE TA

I use the side terminal on my 74 and 73 racecar. 73 bought at NAPA,$$. 74 bought at GM dealer.i have special threaded terminals to disconnect when not in use. To protect against drain if wiring goes bad 40+yrs old.my2cts

Interstate battery, white spaces, with a Freedom topper from Ames.

I just bought an interstate last night at Costco, group 24F for $89.

On my 70 Formula, being a top post originally, I use a regular group 24

great price for a 24f I paid 129.00 for a group 24 yesterday at walmart. I better start looking at costco. LOL BLUE TA

I know that in 1974 the standard battery in FB's was the side mount 78. Depending on which engine you ordered, and what was standard with that engine the CCA changed.

If I recall correctly, side mounts came in 1971 depending on the drivetrain the car had, and were standard fare there after.

Side mount in 77 w/ UA1. Before that not sure

Yep side mount was phased in on most GM cars around 1971. My 72 Chevelle is side mount, everything here older than that is top mount with a couple exceptions.

It was $98 with tax out the door (sticker $89), with my core turned in. That is for the Interstate 24F 3 year free replacement with 700 CCA.

Figured I'd type that out for ya now while it's fresh in my head, because I'll forget all that in a couple more days LOL

Top posts were thru 1977?

I've never seen a top post on a GM vehicle past 1972...of course I have NOT seen them all. GM was ALL side post for a long time.
Where I work we have a bunch of GM products. The pickups and suburbans have top posts, the full size vans have side posts, these are 2010 and newer.

nope.

There may be the odd exception where top mount was used for a six cylinder car, but GM went to side mount on everything starting I believe by 1972.

Of course a post 1971 with top posts can always be a previous owner conversion that looks stock. My brother (Chevelle guy) has encountered this severl times on A-bodies he has bought. He always has to consider leaving it modified (if were done well) or converting back to side mount as GM originally did it. Always fun if he gets a battery salesman who insists on side mount and he shows the dude the top mount set-up.

Hi guys, I am the second owner, when I bought the car they had a top mount installed allready. then I bought some really nice batt cables, so I,ve stayed with top mounts. I bought two new group 24,s one is in another car and its 800 cca. and the one in the TA is 10 years old. hard to imagine being that old and still cranks the 455 over. I,ve pushed my luck enough. time to change it. thank you all for the great input. BLUE TA