1958 Buick Caballero

Are you familiar with AGM design batteries? There are a few inherent traits that are different than lead-plate design batteries. First, AGM (absorbent glass mat) batteries are not flooded with electrolyte; they only have a few ounces per cell, and each mat is wound in a roll, coiled up. So if your generator has a high amperage output, you may need to adjust the regulator so that it has a shorter duty cycle, to prevent the electrolyte from evaporating. Also, by the same token, if you need to recharge the battery, it needs to be a computer-controlled duty-cycle style charger with a low amperage output. That way, it won't cause the battery to evaporate the electrolyte, and it gives an indication of approximate percentage of charge, and can automatically recondition the cells. I've got one from HF, and it works beautifully. I've even rescued two batteries that were otherwise not working.

 

This is the charger I have:

https://www.harborfreight.com/4-amp...ntrolled-battery-chargermaintainer-63350.html

And, not only does it recondition and charge, when it finishes, it switches to a 'maintainer' mode.

 

Thanks!
Yes, I do have a Pro-Logic charger that senses the battery design and charges appropriately.
Good advice on the regulator adjustment; I hadn't thought of that!
Joe

 

In that case, it might be possible to Hogan's Heroes together a fake battery which only a trained eye can tell the difference between it and an original, using modern innards like lithium cells. Here's a unit which came with the pedelec I bought for only 25 Euros at a garage sale. It went bad, only after the original owner's widower quit putting it on the charger within every two months after his wife died. It was her bicycle. I'm replacing it with a universal cell pack which doesen't suffer from memory effect.
You could get individual cells and make your own, through spotwelding them in 12 volt unit series

 

Interesting idea, but I'm going to go with the AGM reproduction of the original battery.
It's an exact duplicate of the original case and I won't have to make up the internals of a 700 CCA battery.

 

Joe, there is no doubt in my mind that you have the best and most beautiful 1958 Buick Caballero on our planet. I have always been a major fan of the 58 Buick and my dream 58 would be the Limited hardtop. My dad only owned one Buick, a 1967 Buick Special sedan, that he bought new. Continued good luck with your beauty. Cheers.

 

Thank you, sir!

 

I'd like to see a foto of the "new" old style AGM battery when you get it. Are they made in USA?

 

The battery arrived a couple of days ago.
It looks great!
I understand that these are manufactured to order in Youngstown, Ohio.
It was well packaged and accompanied by detailed charging and maintenance instructions.

It looks like a 6V tractor battery case, but the terminals are close together, near the center of the case.
This was a "1958 only" 12V battery for Buick.



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That looks great Joe. Are you going to be out west for any of the auctions this year?

 

So thats a "fake" wet cell battery? Do the caps even come off? How many CCA?

 

No, I won't be out there this winter.
We're doing a "Nickel" tour in June and I'm going to the Buick Nationals in July, but both of those events are in Ohio this year.

 

Yes, the caps come off and can be replaced.
It's rated 600CCA.

 

That battery looks very nice. It's the details like this that set a restoration like yours above and beyond the run of the mill jobs.

 

And 600 CCA is necessary for those older starters. It looks really good for a new 'old battery.'