86 Firebird Battery/Clamp help needed

[andy625]

I have an 86 Firebird over here in the UK. Someone has fitted a non-standard battery to the car, tied it in with rope/bungee straps, as it is bigger than the original (I think).

As the cars are quite rare over here, it is difficult for me to find out what size the battery should be (so I can buy a new one), and the correct method for fixing it in. I've seen on the internet about batteries with side connections???

I would be very grateful if someone could send me a couple of pictures of the battery fitted in their car with the correct clamp, so I can try and sort mine out? Alternatively, tell me where I can find the info on the internet.

Thanks in advance.

[CreepingDeath94]

I don't have any pictures, but the battery is a side post battery...in other words, the battery cables have little bolts that screw into the side of the battery. The hold down is just a little traingle shaped plastic piece about 1/2" thick with a hole in the middle that a bolt goes through that clamps the bottom lip of the battery to the tray. Hopefully someone will have pics, but just in case, hope that helps some.

[andy625]

Hi, thanks for the info.

I think the batteries are available over here. I guess I better check to see what state the terminals on the end of my leads are in. They've been connected to some extensions and the join taped up(!), but they look like the original battery connectors are under all the tape. Do you think its possible that my tray has been removed? Or is the tray welded into the car, and I'm fairly safe in assuming its under the battery I've got (its a big one)?

I know it sounds like a stupid question, and that I should just take my battery out and have a look, its just that at the moment its been "tied" in with rope/bungee straps, and I'm affraid that if I take it out, I won't be able to get it fitted back in securely, in order that I can keep driving it.

I guess if the tray and tapped hole are still there, once I get a battery I can make up a clamp plate.

[CreepingDeath94]

The tray is usually part of the body there under the hood. The hole that the original hold down screws into is a threaded hole in the body there under where your oversized battery is...at least that is where it should be. Hopefully the old battery wasnt removed and replaced with what you have due to corrosion, which could have messed up that threaded hole. I would at some point, before you buy the correct setup, take the present battery out and take a look at what your working with. It might save you a headache down the road, as much of a pain its going to be to remove the current rigged setup. Good luck...let us know how it turns out.

[andy625]

Thanks, I don't plan on doing anything to it for the next week or so,but when I do, I'll let you know how it goes.

Andy

[andy625]

Hi again,

I've managed to get a side post battery and clamp now, but I still need to get a blot to go with the clamp.

Unfortunately the company I got the clamp from didn't stock the bolts, but they said they thought it was a metric 13mm spanner size, and about 2" to 2-1/2" long as the thread is down in the body somewhere.

Can anyone confirm this? I would have thought it should have been an imperial sized thread (1/2" spanner?) as thats what you all use over there in the states, instead of the mish-mash we find on European cars!??

Thanks,
Andy

[Slickwilly6977]

The hold down bolt I believe is a 10mm head. Many of gm's cars use this size, however I cannot confirm with my firebird because the bolt broke off in the bracket.