I came up empty handed today. I need a series 24 battery but I either find ones that have too few CCA or are not smooth top. I need a top post as that is what I have now. My 800CCA Duralast, however, does not have the posts in the right place. I bought a new 700CCA 24 series battery from Wal Mart today (the topper fit perfectly in the store), but then I got it home and discovered the posts were reversed. That didn't work...Had to take it back. Ugh!

What battery do you know of that has at least 700CCA, top post, black and smooth?

RMX

Try NAPA.

Are you sure that you had a group 24 and not a 24F. The 24F has the posts reversed. Maybe Walmart will have another group 24 (or24F) depending on which way the posts are.

Paul

Thank you for the help. I'm going to drop in on another Wally World today sometime. Didn't know there was a different battery # for reversed posts!!

RMX

Try the AC Delco 7 Year Professional Battery. You can get a Group 24 or Group 24R for Reverse Terminals.

I am having the HARDEST time finding a battery. The group 24 batteries I find all have less than 700CCA. The topper will fit a group 34, but hangs over the top (it's bigger than the case).

I went to Napa, Car Quest, Autozone and WalMart today. Napa probably had the closest with a 690CCA battery. Wallyworld and Sears all have proper size group 24s but are reverse post. Ugh.

RMX

I went through this myself when I did a 442 a few years ago. Ended up getting a smooth top battery and die grinding the topper around the posts until it fit, once you get the cables on it isn't too noticeable. You could fill in around the posts with a black glue or silicone to smooth it out if you wanted to as well.

Try the AC Delco 7 Year Professional Battery. You can get a Group 24 or Group 24R for Reverse Terminals.

Finding an AC Delco battery isn't as easy as it sounds. Around here, none of the local parts stores or any of the chain stores carry the AC line of batteries.

It took me about 15 phone calls all over SoCal to find a Chevy dealer who would even order a group 24 for me. The price wasn't that great either, but coming from the parts dept of a dealership, I didn't expect it to be. :(

The 7 year professional has the maintenance caps on the top. Right? I need a smooth top. Worst case, I'll get a group 34 and live with it til I can swallow the cost of a resto battery.

RMX

I used a NAPA group 24 battery and the topper fit fine. 690 CCA isn't real far from 700.:)

My 490 HP 454 starts just fine with the 700 CCA battery ..plus you live in Florida :)

So, the NAPA group 24 seems to be the verdict?

RMX

AC Delco part # ACD24-60 has 630 CCA, is flat, and the topper fits perfectly on it. It also has built in carrying handles that make it easy to install. Mine cost $66 when I bought it in September.
BillL

The AC Delco 7 year batteries have a smooth top.

The photo on the AC Delco website shows a battery with caps.

http://www.acdelco.com/parts/battery/professional-battery.jsp

RMX

What CCA did the cars come with in '69. My 427 started at -32F with whatever they came with back then. You probably don't not need a lot of CCA to start in summer weather.

Wouldn't it be nice if the toppers came with a list of WIDELY AVAILABLE batteries it fits, besides AC Delco. I had a hard time finding Delco a few years ago and the very few places they were available wanted full retail (ridiculous) price.

I hate to admit it,but my group 24 came from Wal Mart...its 700 CCA I believe
Topper fit just fine..flat top too. It was the battery listed in the application guide.

I hate to admit it,but my group 24 came from Wal Mart...its 700 CCA I believe
Topper fit just fine..flat top too. It was the battery listed in the application guide.

Yeah, but the two Wal Marts I've been to here only carry 24F for some reason. There isn't even a slot on the shelf for a regular 24, so I doubt it's out of stock.

RMX

http://www.acdelco.com/parts/battery/60-series-car-and-truck-battery.jsp
This is what I have, with the top posts. The 60 month is a better bargain. My AC Delco jobber doesn't stock the 84 month battery 'cause they're too expensive and don't sell.
BillL

Silly me, I bought an R59 topper...top post. Eh, if I knew I would have been replacing the battery entirely, I would have bought the proper LS6 side post topper. I've already scratched the darn thing near one of the post holes, so no soup for me!!!

I tried yet a third Wal Mart today. Same deal - only group 24Fs. WTF?

When the time comes, I will replace with the proper side post resto battery and probably eBay the topper. Right now, looks like I'm going to end up with a NAPA battery.

RMX

You can make your topper a lot more real and cover the scratch by painting it with Krylon "Fusion" plastic paint, semi-gloss black. Bare they are gray colored, at least mine was. Probably you're the only one in your area that knows LS-6's only came with a HD side post battery.

My topper is already semigloss black. The only reason I know about the side post HD battery is because of the helpful experts here.

I'm going to take out a Craig's List ad pretty soon: "Lonely topper seeking compatible mate..."

Here's my topper, see pic.

RMX