Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Been researching the long batteries for the 47. I'm curious about a couple of things. Tractor Supply offering is Exide 3EH and Napa's 7205 is a 2E. Both have been mentioned as currently being used for replacements by various people here on the forum.

The Tractor supply is slightly larger and width won't easily fit in the hold down. I took it over and tried so can verify on mine at least, that is the case. Napa didn't have a battery available I could try today so not sure on a fit problem -- although their width is listed as being 1/8 less so might fit. It looks like the side pieces would have to be cut out and moved for the 3EH battery to fit well. Wondering if that is the case with all and if so, what those of you who bought that larger battery did on the hold down.

The CCA and other specs on the 3EH are a fair bit higher than the Napa offering. Is anyone with the large 356 engine using the smaller Napa offering and if so, has it been totally satisfactory.

Howard,
I have been using a NAPA 3EH for about a year now with good results. The hold down and tray were a good fit. I had to use longer bolts and a slightly longer ground cable.
All the best,
Mark

Howard, I have modified the battery holddown for the wider batteries on my 48-50 Packards. If you remove the straps from the inside of the endcaps and reattach them to the outside of the endcaps the holddown will fit. I have never had points deducted at any of the shows I have attended in the past 30 years. Hope this helps and will work for you. Packardtaximan

HH, I was a long-timer user of the NAPA 7205 in my old 48 Custom 8, they gave superb service, more than enough cranking power and long life, at least 7 years or more.

had no problem with the hold down in my 47 and also in a former owned 49. I was referred to Tractor Supply by Mark Lambert-local Packard Wizard who evidently sourced them on his cars. One other item the Tractor Supply battery was approx. $85

I'm using a NAPA 3EH (7248 - 19 1/4 x 10 x 4 1/4, 875 CCA). I've no complaints. I don't know why... but my hold-down fits just fine. It's my understanding that it shouldn't fit. What can I say?

1950 Custom w/356

Thanks for the comments. I'm leaning toward the 3EH for the added capacity but the hold down variations are interesting.

I took mine to tractor supply to test it out and without changing the side pieces as packardtaximan mentioned, there is no way it will fit. It measures an actual 4 1/8" which is what Napa's 7205 2E offering measures according to specs. Tractor supply specs say their measurement is 4 1/4". The Napa 3EH specs say 4 3/8". I wonder where the actual spec measurements are taken from.

It's just interesting that so many report theirs fit the wider batteries without issues on what are assumed to be stock hold downs when all models are supposed to be using the same part number.

I'm using a 3eh battery in both my 46 Clipper Deluxe and my 47 Clipper Super. I have not done any modifications to the battery tray or hold-down. One battery is from Blain's Farm & Fleet and the other is a Interstate Worhaholic.

I believe both batteries are rated --875 cold cranking ampes (cca). Good luck with your restoration.

Regards, Frank

Howard, did not have good luck with the NAPA battery. It lasted about 18 months. Bought one from TSC and it is working well. I'll get the specifics to you tomorrow.

(o{}o)

When I got my 1950 Deluxe 8 it had a nearly new NAPA battery and the battery hold down frame was missing. I bought an original hold down frame from a Packard and it did not fit. This was due to a slight interference on the width. Then I bought a battery hold down frame off Ebay and it did fit, but it looks wrong. I used that until the NAPA battery died about a year later.

I went to NAPA and bought a battery off the shelf and put it in. It was dead and would not take a charge. I returned it and they told me the battery had been sitting in their inventory for several years with electrolite in it. I got one from another store and had the same problem. After the 3rd one I gave up and bought an original reproduction Delco for $250. It was shipped dry so there was no problem with age on the shelf. It looks great and the original Packard frame fits.

If you buy a NAPA battery (or any other) make sure it is not used up by sitting on the shelf with electrolite in it. The stores do not but them on a trickle charger and they go dead sitting. A dead battery is hurt fatally if it is not recharged right away.