When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Tech Editor's DeskProjects, papers, writings, thoughts, musings of our technical editor Joe Padavano. To begin with, he will be making threads and can approve posts to it if he wishes. This can be changed in the future if it does not work out well.
I am getting a reproduction Delco battery for my 01D built1963 Jetfire, My question is should the cell caps be yellow with black "Delco" lettering, or should they be black with yellow "Delco" lettering? My research shows that Pontiac changed to black caps with yellow letters at the start of 1963. Chevy changed late midway through January 1963. Does anyone know when Olds changed? The photos in period road tests all show black caps.
Oldsmobile Delco SG22D Classic Car AGM Antique Battery (1961-1963) caps are yellow with black lettering.
Hope this helps.....
I know what they say, that’s where I am ordering from. They say yellow, but all GM changed in 1963 per corporate directive to black. I am trying to find out WHEN Olds changed. 1963 photos show black. I am trying to have the 100% correct caps. Maybe no one knows.
Pardon me, but if you know there is a 1963 Corporate Directive changing the vent caps to black then what is the date on that document? Since your car is a Jan build, and if the Directive is post date that, then I think you have your answer? And even if the Directive is dated Jan 1963, there is a good chance your car still left the factory with yellow caps with black lettering? I also found a NOS Delco vent cap listing on eBay that the seller states is from the 60s. On the label it shows batteries with both yellow and black caps, but this would be considered aftermarket caps, so one can't rely on that. I even checked the vintage 1963 ads at Wild About Cars; however, none have an engine picture. And even if it did; oftentimes advertising material is not always representative of how things left the factory.
So yes, maybe no one knows.
And sorry I could not be of more help.
When researching my battery article for JWO, I found a Delco document that dated their change to conservative black caps as March 1963.
Yet that doesn't correspond exactly with when cars received those caps because stocks of the various batteries with yellow caps didn't run out at the same time. It does give a better reference date, however.
When researching my battery article for JWO, I found a Delco document that dated their change to conservative black caps as March 1963.
Yet that doesn't correspond exactly with when cars received those caps because stocks of the various batteries with yellow caps didn't run out at the same time. It does give a better reference date, however.
That's very interesting, please post that document, it would show that my car may have had yellow caps.
Motor Trend/ Hot Rod article on Sept 1, 2008, found on Google search, states that on July 16, 1962 Bill Mitchell requested that the yellow vent caps be replaced on all Delco contract batteries, stating that the yellow was distracting from the beauty of the engine. All Pontiacs assembled after Dec 31, 1962 had black vent caps with yellow Delco lettering . Chevy was changed mid to late January 1963.
I have 3 Jetfire road test from 1963 that all show black caps. These are production cars that were lent to the press. The road test were published April, May, and June 1963, all with different Jetfires. With a typical 3 month lead time for a magazine from photos to publication, that still shows the cars were photographed as early as January or February 1963.
