What's the best modern battery for my Duster?

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cruiser

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Guys/Gals: I have a Group 24 repro AGM (absorptive glass mat) battery in my slant six 1974 Duster. It's fine for car shows, but I want to buy a modern battery for everyday driving. What do you think is the best battery for this car, based on your experience? NAPA? Everlast? It could be either a conventional (flooded) battery, or an AGM (dry cell) battery. Makes no difference to me. Not hesitant to put money into a good, long lasting battery. What worked for you? Any and all recommendations welcomed. Thanks!

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I have a Group 24 repro AGM (absorptive glass mat) battery in my slant six 1974 Duster. It's fine for car shows, but I want to buy a modern battery for everyday driving.
is there anything wrong with the battery you have in it now?
 
In my 340 Duster I installed a group 26 AGM that I bought off the clearance rack at Advance Auto. Normal price of $220 (Duralast I believe) and it was marked down to $80 some, $100 with core charge. Battery is a clearance due to being new on the shelf unsold for 12 months. They test them, rip the labels off, and sell them with no warranty. It’s been a good battery but not worth the price new. And no battery is worth its price new… so look for ones on the clearance rack and buy that.
 
What Dana67 stated, what's wrong with the AGM? It has an Odyssey PC925 inside, it'll last for years. The identical battery in my airplane is now 12 years old. The one in my Super Bee is now 8.5 years old and 4 other cars the youngest is 2 years old and oldest now 6. They all crank like there's no tomorrow...including the Hemi.
 
It's been said before that there are only a limited number of manufacturers that produce for all of the big label companies. Unfortunately, contracts expire and sometimes it's hit and miss which supplier's batteries you are actually getting. Case in point......I purchased a large pick-up battery with lifetime warranty at Canadian tire with their label. It took 2 men and a small boy to carry it outside. 15 years later when it failed, I got the exact same (looking and labled) battery as a replacement and it was handed to me by a small parts woman. That battery only lasted 3 years. I could never get an answer as to who the suppliers are, but I know it changes. Probably lots from China.
 
I'm surprised but find my AGM reproduction battery to be very reliable and able to hold a charge for a long time.
 
I'm surprised but find my AGM reproduction battery to be very reliable and able to hold a charge for a long time.
Exactly! My airplane sits from late September until June most Winters. I have never charged the battery. I just fire the bird up when it's time to head for camp..
 
is there anything wrong with the battery you have in it now?
Exactly!

Bob/@cruiser:

I know how you want to keep your Duster as OEM as possible (and you've done a heckuva lot of work on it for that very reason), so what's wrong with the battery you have now? It looks the part, and you could always get another one if this one is going bad....
 
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If you want a spare lead acid battery go to Costco . They sell Interstate batteries at low prices.
As mentioned there are only a few manufacturers of batteries .
They just get rebranded.
 
If you buy a second battery you will have to continue to maintain the charge on the AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) battery, because it will discharge just sitting. It won't self discharge as fast as a flooded battery, but it will self discharge from local action within the cells just the same. If you don't, it will get past the point where is will take a charge, at it will be junk. Flooded batteries are more forgivable, and can, to a point, come back from a discharged state better than an AGM type.

Unless you have a need for a second battery, just keep what you have, and if the car sits unused for more than about 4-5 months, keep it topped off by using a battery charger (maintainer) that is compatible with AGM batteries. AGM batteries don't vent unless they're are exposed to a too high finish voltage (like what flooded cells need). AGM batteries ARE lead acid, but instead of venting hydrogen and oxygen to the atmosphere, they recombine within the cells to form water again. That's why they don't need watering during their normal life. They only vent when internal pressure exceeds about 2.5 PSI depending on the lead alloy type of the plates. Because flooded batteries are vented and the caps can be removed to check water levels, you can also take specific gravity readings that tell you state of each cell. Flooded batteries last a long time when properly cared for.

When I buy a battery, I always get the highest capacity (CCA or cold crank amps) available in the size needed. It will last the longest because as it ages it goes down in capacity, (they all do) its service life is longer because there is more to start with (pun intended).
 
Are there any AGM companies making one that looks like an original assembly line battery for a '66 model? Or one close enough to install the correct color caps and slap some repop decals on it? Can you get a reproduction Mopar battery without any guts just for looks to use at a car show?
 
Are there any AGM companies making one that looks like an original assembly line battery for a '66 model? Or one close enough to install the correct color caps and slap some repop decals on it? Can you get a reproduction Mopar battery without any guts just for looks to use at a car show?
I haven't seen any Mopar batteries for a few years now. Some company could still makes them though. I used a black cased Wal Mart battery and a sticker and cap kit. Mopar battery dress up kits and cap color chart
 
Mine in my Swinger is a Mopar clone I bought at the Nats probably 8 years ago. You pop the caps and look inside to find a couple sealed batteries like out of a motorcycle or possibly a jet ski. I don't know what the celks are though.
 
That's for sure! Had nothing but trouble with those. Tried three different ones and none lasted more than a couple of months before they failed.
When I was still at O'Reilly, we had a battery shipment come in. It had six Optima batteries included in it. All six were dead meat. I put them on the charger. Not one of them charged up. They were all six bad right from the rip. When I was there, we had a practice of putting a volt meter on all of them to assure they had a charge. If they didn't they went on the charger. This was actually the first time we had any not charge up. All six had "MADE IN CHINA" right on them.
 
I have had excellent luck with NAPA batteries for about 20 years now. I don't know who makes them, but they are good. DON'T buy a Walmart or Sams battery. I think the brand is Eveready. I have had a few and had bad luck with them.
Also, sign up for sale Emails from NAPA, and you will get 20 or 25% off sale Emails all the time. That is the best time to buy a battery.
 
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