battery for '63 R-1 Avanti

[kellyavanti]

I have another dead group 3EE battery in the Avanti. It is literally a tractor battery from Tractor Supply. Second one. They last less than a year. Anybody have a better idea? There is no drain (at least if there is, I can't detect it) They just go dead after it sits a while. Was wondering about an Optima gel battery, but can't find out if they have this size. This is the long skinny battery. The Interstate battery guy said theirs had about the same rating which is around 400 CCA. There must be something better...

Thanks, Kelly

[Avanti83]

Google "3EE battery" and you'll find a good selection all the way up to a $359 AGM. Bob

[kellyavanti]

Ah! Good old google.

[Silverplate]

I just purchased my second 3EE battery from Batteries Plus. The first last five years and never failed me until late last year. There about $105, easily peel off the stickers and put a Willard decal on it, paint the caps red and its a beautiful battery!

[mfg]

That 3EE battery is a disaster (IMHO)...Not only does the 3EE have a rather short life expectancy, but they're expensive and, worse yet, they're VERY heavy and weigh down the front end of the already nose heavy Studebaker Avanti!

Unless your Avanti is 'show only', consider 'gutting' you're 3EE, (which reduces its weight to approx one pound), leave it in place with bogus battery cables, (for looks), and then install a common Group 24 battery in the trunk. (where the weight can be used,...over the rear wheels)

I set my '63 up this way well over ten years ago, and never looked back!!

Edited September 10, 2016 by mfg

[JWL1940]

R4541 has a Group 24 battery installed in the trunk. This was done by the previous owner many years ago. It is installed in a marine battery box and secured to the trunk floor with brackets for a strap that goes through them and over the box. The positive cable is a big "O" gauge and a long one, but has been carefully routed and fastened. The ground is on a bolt that screws into the frame. I think this is a good solution as it removes the battery from the hot engine compartment, takes a lot of weight off of the left front of the car, places it in the cooler trunk and redistributes weight to the right rear of the car. I will probably replace the battery with an Optima when the time comes.

[JeremyW]

Just want to add my 2 cents, with a rear mount battery it is a good idea to run a ground direct to the engine as well from the battery. No one enjoys chasing down grounding issues!

Edited September 10, 2016 by JeremyW

[Avanti83]

Just want to add my 2 cents, with a rear mount battery it is a good idea to run a ground direct to the engine as well from the battery. No one enjoys chasing down grounding issues!

Agree totally. When I relocated the battery in the trunk passenger side I connected the ground cable from the battery negative to the body bolt in the trunk then along the frame to the engine compartment. It was connected again to the frame and then to the engine. It is one continuous cable the whole way.

As mentioned, never to good a ground in an Avanti.