early 1960s USA battery?

[NutmegCT]

So let's say I bought my TR3A new in 1959. Naturally it arrived in the USA with a Lucas battery. Car ran perfectly for several years, then in early 1962 I needed to replace battery.

But I was in Connecticut, not in Liverpool (!).

Would I have had to buy a new Lucas battery for my car? Or would I have sought a similar size USA battery? Was Lucas the *only* battery used in a TR?

Wondered what the popular (appropriate) batteries were in the 1960s, in the USA. Willard, Delco, Mopar, Autolite, etc.?

Tom

 

[kodanja]

Die Hard, Ac delco, Kirland, Motorcraft, Intersate, Bosch, Sears, ETC....



btw: https://www.tartopper.com

aftermarket gell batery:

 

[Andrew Mace]

I seem to recall that the original size (huge) was a Group 27. When I first got my TR3A in 1972, it had been in a barn for several years and needed a battery. At that time I was able to get a Group 27 Sears DieHard. So modern with the white case (but still black top) and two rectangular caps instead of six individual round caps for the cells! But in 1972, my '60 was just an old car that I wanted to drive, so original appearance wasn't that great a concern.

BTW, some Triumphs -- at least in the late 1960s and early 1970s -- came from the factory with batteries NOT made by Lucas (shocking, I know)!

 

[Tinster]

I'd buy a DieHard and powder coat it to look like
an old Lucas. You have to cook batteries at 450* F
for 37 minutes in order for the powder to melt properly.

d

 

[Tinster]

just kidding, of course!

 

[Geo Hahn]

As Andy noted, group 27 is what we used to use. It was wiiiide -- really filled the battery box nicely. These days group 24 is the more common I think.

If you're not trying a full-on period look you can at least select one that is all black & peel the labels off of it.

The modern 3-in-one cell caps can be replaced with individual caps (assorted styles on eBay) if you get a bit crafty and trim their threads a little.

If you want a couple of Lucas labels to stick on there, pmail me for the jpegs.

 

[NutmegCT]

hmmm - I'd try Dale's powder coating technique, but my oven's way too dirty. So dirty I only have room to bake one cupcake at a time. (thank you, Phyllis Diller)

So here's the progress so far. Took an 8x10 piece of cardboard, painted it black, added my own home-made Lucas label, then laminated it. Slid it under the hold-down bracket. Now I have a removable (and re-usable) Lucas "front". Cell caps will be the next step - have to be careful to include proper cell venting.

 

[Don Elliott]

Over the past 15 years, I'm on my third battery from the Antique Battery Co in Hudson, Ohio. I order mine with the exposed lead links on the tar-top (actually a poly something these days) for an extra $10.00. Phone them because they don't seem to respond to their web site e-mails.

https://www.antiqueautobattery.com/

 

[2wrench]

Painted cardboard and home made lable. Very crafty.
Good work.

 

[Tinkerman]

Just went to the antique auto Battery site and checked it out. Good looking product. No prices so I will call Monday. Once again the BCF has come through with the answer to a source of supply needed for a restoration!

Thanks, Folks

Gotta love the BCF!

Tinkerman

 

[Geo Hahn]

...No prices so I will call Monday...

You might want to be sitting down.

 

[YankeeTR]

To answer your question...no one I know would have gone to the trouble of searching out a Lucas battery...they would have bought whatever was available at the time the old battery died. And remember that, in 1962, service stations were just that...places where you had your car serviced. More than likely you would have had a privately-branded battery from your local station. Virtually every oil company had their own brand.

 

[Andrew Mace]

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif Even most Triumph dealers would've been as likely to sell a US-sourced replacement battery (unless the customer INSISTED on genuine Lucas).