I purchased a reproduction Delco R89S battery a few years back and it died much earlier than it should have.
The place in OH that was selling them went out of business.
I will be replacing it with a “regular" battery from NAPA and ran across “Battery Topper Covers” that disguise modern batteries.
It is cute but $50 is a bit much - I like my car to look stock, but not trying to win any shows.

What I am wondering is, is a bad idea to dissect the battery that died and make my own topper out of it?
I assume it is an AGM battery. I have only found YouTube videos that show how to empty a "regular" lead acid filled battery for cutting up.
Is the process pretty much the same (dumping the acid in a bucket that also contains baking soda to neutralize the acid)?



"Toppers" that they sell

The reproduction battery (whole) that I want to cut the top off of.

 

The place that made your battery is still in business. If it would have still been under warranty, ask Battery Central Mall in Virginia if they will contact the manufacturer to see if you can get the remainder of the warranty.

If you cut it up, make sure it is completely discharged so your saw doesn't encounter voltage and damage something (you included).

An AGM has no free acid, but the baking soda is a good idea to neutralize the acid that's absorbed on the fiberglass mats.

Be careful.

 

You can rebuild those Antique Auto Batteries.

 

Battery Central sources those from the same Ohio factory which was purchased since you bought.

The ones that I use are bigger than yours. Mine contain two AGM batteries in parallel. A solution is poured in the bottom of the case which hardens and holds the two AGMs in place. A similar polymer is poured around the rim where the top attaches.

I have posted a picture of the layout in the past. I will try to locate and post it.

 

see my post #17:

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...issues-160209/

 

you sure can, check out these maniacs😃

https://youtu.be/9I0IAwOIwXo

 

 

No, there is basically an AGM battery inside the Antique Auto Battery case.

 

I would bet Dollars to donuts he rents that house from someone else. They charge about $800 bucks to pump a septic tank in California... Tedd

 

One observation in response to the original question. The "battery toppers" that I've seen are slightly oversize as compared to the battery so they slip over the case. The top off of a real battery won't be similarly oversized and this won't easily fit over the conventional battery.

 

Third world country. They don't care. Can't imagine what he will be alive in 30 years. All the lead fumes, burning hot metal right near bare hands, and I like how he handles hydrochloric acid pretty much with his bare hands.

 

Thanks for sharing the video Gary. Notice the guy uses a mallet and chisel to remove the top of the battery. I'm sure modern AGM batteries are built similarly. I would NOT suggest cutting the top off of an AGM battery. There's probably a specific way to disassemble it. In fact, in the U.S. you can get batteries rebuilt at vendors like Batteries Plus.

Too bad the guy doesn't wear any PPE. I wonder if he's aware of the carcinogens he's being exposed to?

 

It looks to be India or Pakistan. The people develop great skills dismantling and rebuilding things that would be uneconomical to do in the first world.

It's not so much that, "They don't care." There are no unions or societies to teach them the basics of personal protection. Although the low wages preclude what we consider to be standard PPE, neither are they receiving advice about no-cost ways to protect themselves.

Fifty years ago I went there regularly to set up a food plant for an American multinational company. Once we taught the supervisors sanitary principles, they effectively passed the knowledge on to the workers--many of whom lived in houses without doors and shared the structures with their cows and other animals.

The education, showers, and uniforms were a source of pride for the workers. One could say, "They learned to care."

It became a successful venture in spite of starting out with a workforce with a low level of knowledge.

 

I am thinking the same thing. The R71S repro from Antigue Auto Battery I bought not so long ago is already dying.

Fred

 

As Joe mentioned, the battery toppers are oversized. If you want to get that OE look either use a battery topper or rebuild and old lead/acid battery. Heck, you could even use a dead OE battery and just swap the battery whenever you park the car for a show.

 

Thank you.
Very helpful.
Was the external case easy to pry off/remove?

 

Good idea, but I slightly missed the boat.
"4 Year Limited Warranty" (on other sites that sell it) - that is about how long I have had it :-(

 

Here's another idea in that vein. A friend relocated his battery to the trunk and put an empty shell of an OE battery in the engine compartment tray.

 

The eyes are red on the toppers, my eye fits rite in. Hers one on a 70 ta