6v Optima Alternative?

nellis003

nellis003

Senior Member
Hi All,

I'm working on getting my '47 Ford going after it's been sitting for a long time. Part of that is going to be installing a new battery.

It previously had a 6v Optima red top, which worked fine, but the prices of these batteries is surprising me. Are there any other options you folks have used for a gel or AGM battery on an early V8?

Thanks,
Nick
 
I have had 3 Optima's in my '51 since the early '90's. Each lasted longer than 10 years. I believe the longer life of the Optima actually makes it cheaper over the long run. Ordinary 6 volt batteries are usually the wrong size and of questionable quality (they are not an important component of any manufacturers product line).

A "ten year" battery doesn't make much sense in a car you keep 5 years, but our cars are usually long-term possessions. The 800 CCA doesn't hurt either.
 
Amazon sells Optima batteries. If you get the credit card you can get a decent amount off for a first time buyer
 
I goggled them and found a Spanish source[Mexico]. Local shop said the co. had moved to Mexico. Cheaper than US sites. Newc
 
The whole "Move to Mexico" and associated problems were well documented on the H.A.M.B. about 10 years ago. It seems to make sense that they would be cheaper there, but what about shipping and duties, etc. Who sells them and do they ship here? Maybe NAFTA made this a good choice?:D
 
I've had good service out of the ordinary lead acid batteries much like the car would have has as original equipment. Not sure on the CCA but I just bought a new one locally this summer. It fits the battery tray on the 52 Merc and seems to start up just as good as the big tractor battery I had in there for the past 9 years.
https://youtu.be/CxYET3SQo0k
 
I thought about getting an optima, but ended up getting a generic 6 volt from Orileys.
My local NAPA and Advanced didn’t have any on the shelf.
 
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