Possible Optma Box

[carguybill]

I noticed a while back that my local AAA office had a plastic replica battery box in their office promoting something - not sure what. Anyway, it seemed to me that this plastic box just might hold my 6V Optma battery. Far from looking original but at least a black box.

I told the folks at AAA that I'd like to have that box if they ever decided to get rid of it. Today they called - replacing it with a new one.

I don't know if it will work at all but wanted to pass along a heads-up that their AAA office may be discarding theirs. Perhaps it would be useful, perhaps not, time will tell.

 

[adileo]

Good idea but the problem I see is the terminals are in the wrong spot. To drop optima in, it's done diagonally And posts would not be where they need to be

 

[carguybill]

The plastic posts on the display box would have to be cut off and filled and then new holes drilled for the Optma.

 

[adileo]

That would work. I bought mine ready made and very pleased. At car shows not one "car guy" picked it out or at least was kind enough to keep it to himself

 

[36coupe]

That would work. I bought mine ready made and very pleased. At car shows not one "car guy" picked it out or at least was kind enough to keep it to himself

What did you buy? Was it for an optima?

 

[adileo]

Yes specially made to hide optima battery. I bought it from (see attached) fit perfect, and it comes with optional ford script on side.

Good customer service

 

[mercman from oz]

An Early Ford V8 Club Member in Australia makes these Ford script battery cases to suit the Optima Battery. They come complete with dummy caps and bars which make them look genuine.

 

[carguybill]

An Early Ford V8 Club Member in Australia makes these Ford script battery cases to suit the Optima Battery. They come complete with dummy caps and bars which make them look genuine.

That's good news. Have I just missed his ad in the EFV8 V8 Times?

 

[Ianrhall]

How much are those ford script cases?
Just what I need!
Ian

 

[adileo]

The one I bought from Kert (USA) I think I paid $90.

 

[37 Coupe]

That's good news. Have I just missed his ad in the EFV8 V8 Times?

I would really like to order/buy one of these.Any chance he sells to USA? Contact information?

 

[JM 35 Sedan]

Wondering if these cases could be used in a '35-'36 Ford and be correct for a high point show car on an EFV-8 C/A concourse show field? I was once told by a leading authority in the club that a 2LF battery, that I purchased from Antique Auto Battery in Ohio, was actually incorrect for my '35 Ford if I had decided to have my car judged.

 

[ford38v8]

John, I believe that the 2LF is correct, but the 2HF is not. The 2HF, however, is required for the modern Optima due to the height. The case in the above post appears to be neither.

 

[30-9]

I'm no expert but I very much doubt (as good as they look) they would be acceptable for concorse shows

 

[JM 35 Sedan]

John, I believe that the 2LF is correct, but the 2HF is not. The 2HF, however, is required for the modern Optima due to the height. The case in the above post appears to be neither.

Hi Allan, this was a 2LF lead acid type battery that I bought from Antique Auto Battery in 2002. It failed very shortly after I started using it, but I still have the complete carcass that I was going to gut out, and put a 6V Red Top Optima inside of, until I found out that they started making the Optima ~ 3/16" - 1/4" higher. I could still put the higher Optima in that old 2LF case if I cut the footprint of the Optima out of the botton of the case and then set that on a black plastic tray so the bottom of the Optima could not be seen from underneath the car when looking up at the stock battery box supports. However, if I had gone through all of this hassle, according to a leading authority on '35-'36 original Ford correctness as built by Henry, this case would have been incorrect on the EFV-8C/A concourse show field, and when I originally bought this lead acid battery from AAB they sold it to me as "THE" battery that was 100% correct in appearance, just as the original battery would have looked in an original 1935 Ford that came off the assembly line. This battery was originally purchased for my '35 Ford tudor fb sedan that I was restoring at that time. I guess what they actually sold me was a bunch of BS!

 

[ford38v8]

John, without your naming the expert that told you that, I do believe I know who he is, and can understand his point of view. Technically, as long as an actual lead acid battery that fairly duplicates the original equipment is still available, then yes, any and all Optima conversions are incorrect for the Concourse. That said, I personally know of no instance in which a nicely done conversion drew a deduction on the V8 Club Concourse.

 

[JM 35 Sedan]

John, without your naming the expert that told you that, I do believe I know who he is, and can understand his point of view. Technically, as long as an actual lead acid battery that fairly duplicates the original equipment is still available, then yes, any and all Optima conversions are incorrect for the Concourse. That said, I personally know of no instance in which a nicely done conversion drew a deduction on the V8 Club Concourse.

Alan, the issue was not the internal mounting of an Optima, but instead the outer appearance of the case on this 2LF battery that Antique Auto Battery sold me as "THE original in appearance battery" that was supposed to be show correct for my 1935 Ford. That was the main issue for me. I will post some pictures of this exact battery here later today, and solicit opinions on whether or not this battery would or would not be correct in appearance on an EFV-8C/A Concourse show field.