Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

I like the lead acid battery too. I use them in my car. However, the great thing about those Optimas is you don't have to be Hercules or have a battery clasp to install them.

If you ever changed the battery in a Cadillac Sixty Special you know what I mean. Those Caddy's were ahead of their time because the battery is a MF.

I think it's the same situation that we've had with old tires in the last few years - the manufacturer may be out, but stock is sitting in distributors warehouses, so different stores may be able to get them whereas others cannot. I couldn't get a tube for my car from Coker about a year ago, Lucas had them, and Lucas gets the tubes from Coker!

I'm still running a conventional battery but would like to switch to an Optima, ran them in most of my muscle cars and liked them a lot. Question is, does the 6 volt red top Optima fit inside the smallish battery box of a '27 - '29 Packard? There's not a lot of room in there.

30 seconds of Googling would've shown you the Optima 6-volt Red Top 8.13 inches high, 10.06" long, 3.63" wide.

Good idea to support companies that help our old cars so they can sell enough product to keep their prices low, since many rising due to supply chain issues, demand, inflation as it is.

Meanwhile, perhaps it's time for a note on PI's homepage to the effect of "Have a question? It's probably been answered. Enter yours first in our Search box in the upper right corner."

Some of the questions posted are so basic, generic, we wonder if the posers have any experience with any old internal combustion engine.

Of course, many knowledgeable gents here ready to help newbies and longtimers alike. But, "they help those who help themselves."

If people that lazy, how on earth are they to rejuvenate a well-wrought, refined old automobile?

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No idea what you have to work with for clearance or restrictions in your battery box but if it is anything like the prewar cars with the battery under the seat maybe a new support could be fabricated. John Ulrich has made new holders for the under seat location to fit the Optimas. Those holders drop the battery down slightly for height clearance and narrow the space for the width so a single battery is closely confined and can not tip or slide. If your battery box is not a fixed or solid enclosure maybe something like that could be done.

How my Optimas were set up in a ‘40 Super 8 under-seat battery box.

One set of 2 wires is for the 6v pos to 12v neg converter for my cigar lighter to charge phone etc

The other set of 2 wires is attached to that Harbor Freight charger which I keep under the seat and tuck the plug for it at the bottom edge of the seat at the door sill. I just pull the plug and cord out and plug it into a short extension cord in the garage.

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If the insulation ever chafes (sp?) off on those two jumper loops, you'll have a colossal short circuit that could easily result in serious damage or even loss of the car. I'd rearrange to get some space between them.

You don't really need a 6v to 12v converter to charge your phone. The USB standard is 5v so stepping it up, then back down makes no sense! A little device like this wired in will do the trick and with some ingenuity can be adapted to a cigar lighter.

Thanks, Don. Great suggestion for someone who doesn’t have a way to charge. I have a vacuum that plugs into the cigar lighter and needs 12v Neg. I’ve had this converter in there for 10 years and works fine. Also I’m not that ingenious.

I’ll put something between the red and black jumpers. Thanks, Dave. I wouldn’t want any more trouble with batteries. The cables that connect the batteries +pole to +pole and — to — are heavy duty. The small gauge wires for the converter and charger I will insulate further. I have rubber under the hold-down cross piece and a rubber grommet on the hole in the floorboard where the charge wires come up top. The tops of the Optima batteries do not touch the battery box lid, but I have insulation on the underside of the lid and rubber caps on the 4 battery terminals. I’m doing this setup today before leaving for Hershey. I have an acid battery in the car now. Because I’ve had battery problems lately, I’m bring two extra acid batteries with me. One is sold.

Lo and behold I ordered an Optima Red Top 6 volt from Advance autoparts on line and got it today. Date says 8/22 so it does not appear to be an old one lying around for a while.
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