Fake Battery Covers - Would You??

[eric383]

If someone were to use a fake topper, do NOT use the type of battery cables in that first picture! What is the point? Why try hard to fake one thing only to have a totally wrong set of battery cables next to it???

X2 ...The universal clamps are cheesy. I am not picky about chalk/paint marks but on a nice resto I really don't like some weird universal battery. At least spray it black to make it blend in. Someone spends 10K on a engine rebuild and then installs a cheesy Walmart battery, really? If the battery cover fits really nice and is pretty much undetectable then yes I would use one. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[super-bee_ski]

I was at a car show on Sun & saw these. Definitely a cheaper alternative than spending $400 for a reproduction battery. Who sells these & if so would you buy one?

View attachment 593661

I know a few guys that have them
Their thinking is, Cheaper than purchasing a NEW Repro every 4 years....

So...

 

[JimKueneman]

Absolutely! love the look of the classic battery and so far it has fooled everyone who has asked about it....

 

[6PKRTSE]

I gut my batteries once they fail and hide a lightweight racing battery inside of the outer case. Still looks stock and actually turns over faster. Also go from about 46 lbs to about 18 lbs. I am on my third one in different cars.

 

[dadsbee]

As I noted, that is exactly what is inside the new script I bought last year and I plan to do that to an old dry charged I've had on the shelf for 26+ years. Have you got enough pictures to do a "how to" thread??

 

[kiwigtx]

Rather spend that much as the down payment for a boob job for my best friend (but I don't care for phony batteries nor phony boobies).

Does Bob get a say in all of this?

 

[moper]

If they can't be gotten, I'd not feel bad about using an aftermarket appearance unit. I'm not really worried about what others think of my own car(s), I want better-than-stock performance. But for a car whose owner's goal is a perfect stock resto - using something like that would be a put off for me. Like using the fuzzy dash pad cover vs. the right part. If you look quick enough it looks "ok", but it's still trying to fool the eye.

 

[6PKRTSE]

As I noted, that is exactly what is inside the new script I bought last year and I plan to do that to an old dry charged I've had on the shelf for 26+ years. Have you got enough pictures to do a "how to" thread??

No, I do not. It is not hard to do. Just takes a long time to do it. Wear gloves & safety glasses because it makes a mess. If the older style remove the caps & turn upside to drain for many days & dry out as much as possible. If a new sealed style, cut the bottom off slowly & let it drain before gutting. Then it takes time with air saw, grinding wheel, pliers & wire side cutters to get all of the pieces out of the inside since it is all originally molded around all of the lead plates & steel dividers. Once cutted, just drill & tap the original lead posts and bolt the 12" battery cable from the lead posts to new battery inside case.