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What size Optima battery under the hood of a stock SS?

Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:38 pm
by High PSI
Well, after sitting all summer, the battery in my SS is SHOT, so I'm going to replace it with an Optima unit. I did a search, and found a lot of you guys went with a slightly bigger battery than stock, but stashed it in the trunk.

I'll most likely be keeping mine under the hood for now - what will fit? I think it's a "Group 35", but I just wanted to be sure (especially becuase the only place I can find a Group 35 Yellow is at Summitracing.com, and it ends up being $10 more than a Group 34 at sears due to handling charges).

Also, if it IS a group 34, which one? There's a D34/78 and a regular D34. (I think the only difference is that the D34/78 has side posts as well as top posts).

Look here for Sears:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/subcat.d ... ord=Optima

Here for Summit:
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch ... 6&D=306986

Thanks guys!

Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:52 pm
by Threshld1
not sure what a group 35 is for but my group 34/78 yellowtop fits up front no problem and should be more than enough power. The side post terminals are nice for stereo stuff but not needed. I would go with the 34 or 34/78 and call it good

Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:40 pm
by Bheinen74
just make sure you get one with positive post on left side and negative on right side:

-------------
| + . - |
| top . |
| . |
-------------


this is the top of battery. the posts need to be at the back side for our factory wires to reach the post correctly.

Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:20 pm
by High PSI
Wow a pic and everything! :P Thanks!

Threshld1, did you have any trouble with your terminals fitting on your 34/78?

Posted: Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:47 pm
by Threshld1
Why try to explain it when i can show it right?

The main 12v to the starter is a smidgen shorter than i would like but no problems getting it to make a solid connection.

Great battery, could run my old stereo w/ 2000+ Kw for nearly 2 hours at full tilt before having to charge it and it still started the car.