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History / OriginalityGot a question about 1982-1992 Camaro or Firebird history? Have a question about original parts, options, RPO codes, when something was available, or how to document your car? Those questions, answers, and much more!
I think I got the decals finalized on the battery. Added a hydrometer eye and the outside plugs. All that I have to do now is paint the sides of the case white.
That looks really nice! I'd love to get a hold of one of those green eyes to complete the retro look of my battery. If anyone out there is selling these please let me know as I would be interested in purchasing one.
From what I remember, you almost had to look straight down at it and see the deep forest green "eye" down in there. If we only knew then what is going on now!
From what I remember, you almost had to look straight down at it and see the deep forest green "eye" down in there. If we only knew then what is going on now!
I think I got the decals finalized on the battery. Added a hydrometer eye and the outside plugs. All that I have to do now is paint the sides of the case white.
It looks good! Now you just need to replace the battery bolts. Hit em with a little PB Blaster or WD40 and they just push out. Last I checked GM still uses the same bolts, and they're not that expensive at the dealer. They might make you buy a 5 pack... The aftermarket copies work, but they're not quite right.
The "eye" looked like a bright green plastic BB at the end of a plastic sight tube. Sometimes you could shake the battery a little bit and the ball in the eye would come in and out of view. In my experience the eye wasn't terribly accurate. I've had completely dead Delcos that still had a green eye.
The "eye" looked like a bright green plastic BB at the end of a plastic sight tube.
Exactly what it was...a very good description.
Originally Posted by Drew
In my experience the eye wasn't terribly accurate. I've had completely dead Delcos that still had a green eye.
It was a single cell hydrometer. But the battery is made up of 6 2-volt cells. So you could very easily have a couple of bad cells, and battery that would not start a car, but would show a green eye. It was really only telling you the condition of one cell.
And the green eye only meant there was a sufficient charge present to perform a load test. If not present, you had to charge the battery before testing. It was not meant to indicate "goodness", but was a built-in diagnostic tool for the technician. It was necessary on the "new" sealed batteries, because the option of removing a cap and checking each cell with the old turkey-baster-style hydrometer was no longer available.
That isn't to say it couldn't be used as a quick and dirty way to take the batteries pulse. But that's not "really" what it was for. I'm sure a TON of new batteries were bought and sold based on a misunderstanding / misrepresentation of what the green eye meant.
Yes we are all nuts . . . I bought that decal as well . . very nice heavy vinyl, graphics are fuzzy and the cutting could be better, but in a pinch it works great.
Very happy I've figured out how to do myself and get it exactly the way I'd want it.
I thought this would be the case considering they were not made from the original artwork rather a copy / scan of one of mine ...
The 731 decal was the first I had done and professionally printed and diecut to match the originals as close as can be done.
Then we found out (and the original build sheet will tell you if you have that) that the 1989 Turbo Trans Am came from the factory with the 601 battery AND the factory used the 2 decal style vs. the (like the 731 pictured in this thread) the 1 decal that was only used on the over the counter battery.
I also had the green eye done and looks very good I think; these were again professionally printed and diecut and I had them apply a special gloss coating just over the green(ish) area to make it look more like the original eye.
I've attached high res versions of the 731 (parts counter style); 601 (factory build correct) and the green eye .... this way you can see how crisp the print is (from my original artwork) and quality of print and all diecut to exact dimensions.
Also a picture from a AC Delco technical video showing the green eye different states (charged, dead etc) and my version of the green eye.
I spent a lot of time with the help of fellow TTA owners to get these done correctly and I'm pleased with the result; this was done 5 years ago.
The 731 I have not see a factory 2 decal version of; the 601 I seen the parts counter version of as someone posted photos of it on TGO. Would be easy to get any number version done as long as all other details are correct; big cost is the print run as there's a minimum quantity I would need to get done of the same decal.
Great that others also start to do the research to preserve our cars originallity so following this thread and learning still.
Good question on the caps...not sure where I would find those. I wonder if it would look ok with repro stickers placed directly on a flat top battery with no caps...?
Go to a old recycler place or old mechanics shop, you may find something there that's darn close. Then just stick the caps on a flat top battery with the new decals on them!
Hi, great thread. Somewhere its mentioned that the Walmart model 75 battery is a flat top. I have not been able to find a flat top battery that does not have the fluid filler caps.
Just came across these post and we are trying to repo a battery label for a 1995 Corvette. Your labels match and need to know if they are still available.
I thought this would be the case considering they were not made from the original artwork rather a copy / scan of one of mine ...
The 731 decal was the first I had done and professionally printed and diecut to match the originals as close as can be done.
Then we found out (and the original build sheet will tell you if you have that) that the 1989 Turbo Trans Am came from the factory with the 601 battery AND the factory used the 2 decal style vs. the (like the 731 pictured in this thread) the 1 decal that was only used on the over the counter battery.
I also had the green eye done and looks very good I think; these were again professionally printed and diecut and I had them apply a special gloss coating just over the green(ish) area to make it look more like the original eye.
I've attached high res versions of the 731 (parts counter style); 601 (factory build correct) and the green eye .... this way you can see how crisp the print is (from my original artwork) and quality of print and all diecut to exact dimensions.
Also a picture from a AC Delco technical video showing the green eye different states (charged, dead etc) and my version of the green eye.
I spent a lot of time with the help of fellow TTA owners to get these done correctly and I'm pleased with the result; this was done 5 years ago.
The 731 I have not see a factory 2 decal version of; the 601 I seen the parts counter version of as someone posted photos of it on TGO. Would be easy to get any number version done as long as all other details are correct; big cost is the print run as there's a minimum quantity I would need to get done of the same decal.
Great that others also start to do the research to preserve our cars originallity so following this thread and learning still.
Are these labels still available. I trying to reproduce a battery for my 1995 Corvette. The battery number would be 671.
Mike those look great and I can use the label with my correct CCA rating and catalog number. Can you PM me? What battery did you use? I'm trying to reproduce a battery for my 95 Vette.
The label in my previous post is correct for 1990 and 1991. I'm sure of those years at least.
TTOP350 -
I could never sell this - mainly because it was people like you that provided the photos that made it possible for me to do this. That, and I'm sure that there are some legal issues with selling something that has Delco's old logo on it without permission. I agree... you should have at least been credited somehow.
M
Mike those look great and I can use the label with my correct CCA rating and catalog number. Can you PM me? What battery did you use? I'm trying to reproduce a battery for my 95 Vette.
i'd like to have one of these for my 92 RS if anyone has made some and may have one left over...?....I have the NAPA legend battery already so it should fit
Interesting topic and ran across this looking for something else. I had the original 82 corvette AC Delco battery given to me from the guy I bought my 82 from in the Chicago area. The guy was a Bloomington Gold judge and said I might want to keep the battery form judging purposes. I've had that battery for about 24 years and it finally deteriorated over the years and fell apart, but I still have the three stickers from the top. Mine look just like the ones in this pic from the first of this thread except my Warning sticker is different. I was thinking of reproducing these stickers, but didn't think there would be any interest, maybe I should?
[QUOTE=firebirdta84;6110806]Here's the battery that came in my 1983 T/A
This one is a dealer replacement battery. I worked at an Olds dealer in the early 90's. I remember tearing off the label at the top and stapling it to the repair orders. (Where the dotted line is on your upper label)
I must have replaced a thousand of those things. Good times...
Best bet would be to take one of the existing labels, and use Photoshop or something similar to change the text on the data label. Then figure out how to have it printed on the right material.
It'd be nice if someplace would start offering the repro decals so many of us are searching for. Battery decals, A/C compressor and HVAC box decals, PS pump reservoir decals... The list goes on forever, and it seems like 99% of them aren't available. Having them custom made seems like the only option, but who has time to find someplace that can print a quality decal?
That would be nice. 
Wanting! 
