[Father&Son73T/A]

Originally Posted by Larry Navarro

cool

Is black correct on that master cylinder?

[SD73]

Question for you '73 Duty-Dudes...whatcha using for a battery? I don't think the repro's cover us.

[Brewster]

Black is correct and a good battery with a repop cover works great and has the look of an original.

[SD73]

Were these the sealed maintenance free style? Eye or no eye? BTW, paperwork calls for the C89 battery.

[Brewster]

Its been a while but I'm thinking its a R89W with an eye in one of the caps. I'll check my notes upon getting home later today to confirm!
Otherwise if someone else wants to pipe in feel free?

[Lloyd-TX]

Checking my MPC for battery apps I found that for both the '73 and '74 455SD the standard equipment battery was an R89S. If equipped with the HD battery option the R89W is correct.

Crappy pics, but these are what I found from Antique Auto Battery.

[SD73]

Thanks!

[SD73]

Okay, it turns out Antique Auto Battery lost the mold for the R89W in a fire and won't have them reproduced for 6months. I can get the do-it-yourself acid types now, but I'd rather get one of these maintenance free types. Anywone know of any other suppliers that may have 'em in stock?

[RicksGTO]

might try these guys:

http://www.londonbattery.com/#/gmbatteries/4517375337

[SD73]

Thanks Rick. I'll check with them but they seem a lot more expensive and I'll bet the shipping from Canada is a killer.

[RicksGTO]

true, I didn't notice they are in the great white north!

[SD73]

It's the thought that counts!

[RicksGTO]

http://www.classicindustries.com/pdf...ies-wiring.pdf

just got their new catalog, they show the R89S and R89W maint. free (though who knows if they are in stock with Classic) and have a showroom south of LA

[Brewster]

These covers are nice since it gives you the freedom of replacing batteries as needed without the big expense of those repop's. They look great and you'll save $ over the long run period!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1969-...spagenameZWDVW

[SD73]

Thanks Rick I'll check them out again. I called yesterday and they did have it in stock, but I didn't verify it was the sealed non acid type. The catalog picture of it shows the 950 CCA like the ones that are the non-acid types so that looks positive.

I'll check that out too, Brew.

I also just checked my paperwork. It calls for a TP1 MT/FR Battery. I'm thinking this is actually neither of these R89 batteries and an early version of the sealed battery with the eye on it. Thoughts?

[Brewster]

What car, date/month mfg is this for and whats does the phs (options)call out? also what paper work are you referring to?
Give us a few more clues!

[SD73]

It's my SD. June 73. The "TP1 MT/FR Battery" is from the Build Sheet line items. In the upper little blocked section of the build sheet it does call for a C89.

I have another sheet (not sure what it's called) from my PHS documentation calling for a "Bat - Delco X" with a Code "TP1."

Make any sense Prof. Brew?

[superdutybob]

MT/FR stands for Maintenance Free! Yes, it will be the sealed battery with the little eye.

[Brewster]

What you want is the HD battery due to the sd package which today would call out R 89 W delco eye cap side post battery. There isnt anything else since the R88X is not reproduced nor is C89(yet)?

There wasn't real anything maintenance free about any batteries back then since they where a vented system and still needed to be checked and filled.

What is the production date in June on that car? is it a brother or sister to my cars?

[SD73]

Thanks fellas!

I had an original "eye" in a '79 T/A. It was vented as you describe Brew, but there was still no way to add water. It was totally sealed.

For the production date, from the top left corner of my build sheet is a box with "Schedule and Date" in it. There it says 06-12. On what I think is the Invoice has a "Date of Execution" of 6-19.