[T3] Can't find a battery

[Jim Adney]

On 11 Mar 2016 at 15:26, Terrie Ann Schmearer wrote:

> Hi everyone,My 1972 Fastback battery is dead. I'm trying to purchase
> another battery and no one has one and can't seem to find one. I know
> there has to be a battery out there that fits our cars. What battery
> are y'all using?

You need a "Group 42" battery That defines size, shape, and battery 
post locations. Once you find someone who has group 42 batteries, 
they should have a range of prices in that size. They're widely 
available because they're still common in VWs, but a lot of places 
that tend to deal in mostly US cars won't have them. I used to find 
them at K-Mart, but our K-Mart disappeared. Try Sears.

A lot of places that carry the Interstate brand will have them, but 
that can be a problem since those tend to sit in shops until they get 
sold. Your best bet is to find a place where the stock turns over 
quickly, so you don't get a battery that's already 3 years old when 
you install it. Batteries have a date code stamped on them. The 
people who sell them to you should be able to explain it to you.

(If the battery is "dry" when you buy it, meaning that the shop fills 
it with acid when you buy it, then the "age" is effectively zero when 
you get it.)

Don't settle for the wrong size, get a Group 42.

I also recommend that you install it yourself. DO NOT let anyone 
pound the clamps down on the posts; that damages the battery. Spread 
the clamps with a pair of screwdrivers and then slide the clamp ALL 
the way down on the post. Then tighten snugly.

NEVER NEVER NEVER tap the clamp down on the post. If you let a shop 
do this job, they are 99% likely to get out a hammer to do it. If 
they don't, you've found a good shop.

-- 
*******************************
Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
*******************************