Geoff Coenen
Well-known member
The Die Hard Battery in my 63 Corvette finally died. Amazing it lasted 10 YEARS. It always had the Green Knob cut off switch when it was in the garage and was only engaged when I'd go for a spin.
A true friend Al D came over Monday with a replacement Group 34 Die Hard. After much squeezing and pushing it fit down in the battery tray perfectly. The only problem was the battery retainer with shield. It would not fit over the Group 34 battery. The 34 is about 1/4 inch taller that a Group 24 which did not present a problem. However the 34 is about 1/4 inch longer that a Group 24 and the retainer would not "stretch" to fit. Bummer.
But good old Al D came back today with a Group 24 and everything fit perfectly -not like OJ's glove. After 3 short cranks my Fuelie came to life. I was relieved, I though all the prior battery charging and cranking might have let fuel drip and accumulate in the combustion chamber. That is a death knell for fuelies since liquids don't compress, but rod bends and block get holed. The 65 Fuelies hsve a fuel solenoids shut off - but earlier ones don't.
Someday I'll get the retro fiktted shut off.
Let me tell you this trick Al D had. I was prepared to disconnect the heaters hoses going to the expansion tank and get anti freeze all over. Not ! Al disconnected the straps holding the expansion tank straps and twisted it away from under the fender and forward towards the alternator. Then wrappec a bungy cord around it and strapped both ends of the cord to the alternstor adjusting brace. I was sure the heater hose mounted Corbin wire clamps or American Stamping brand mounted expansion tank pipe clamps would let go and anti freeze woluld be everywhere. But nothing leaked.
The clamps were genuine Corbin and genuine American Stamping. Sadly both companies are gone today. The hose were made for me by Plumley Rubber Company (now a division of Dana Corp) over 10 years ago when I had a license to have GM's logo printed on the hoses. I've read of other repro hoses leaking and not sealing because the OD of the hose was smaller and the clamps were weaker. I'm glas I has the GM blueprints with GM specs and had Plumley (a GM OEM) run these parts. In all honesty - knock on wood - I've never had a claim for a defective or leaky hose.
I can count on 3 hands the number of repro's on my 1963. Of course I collected and traded and bougth originsl parts flor decades during two restorations. Honesty I'd probably not buy a recently restored Corvette, becaue they are all loaded wiyth pretty looking, but pretty crappy short lived imported junk.
Last weeek on the NCRS, a guy could not get his original 69-82 trim ring onto a repro Rallye wheel he bought. The clips would not grab in one spot. Someone suggeasrted je measurfe the diameter of the wheels. He measured an original and the repro he bought and the repro and the POS repro had a smaller diameter. The trim ring would never go on.
A true friend Al D came over Monday with a replacement Group 34 Die Hard. After much squeezing and pushing it fit down in the battery tray perfectly. The only problem was the battery retainer with shield. It would not fit over the Group 34 battery. The 34 is about 1/4 inch taller that a Group 24 which did not present a problem. However the 34 is about 1/4 inch longer that a Group 24 and the retainer would not "stretch" to fit. Bummer.
But good old Al D came back today with a Group 24 and everything fit perfectly -not like OJ's glove. After 3 short cranks my Fuelie came to life. I was relieved, I though all the prior battery charging and cranking might have let fuel drip and accumulate in the combustion chamber. That is a death knell for fuelies since liquids don't compress, but rod bends and block get holed. The 65 Fuelies hsve a fuel solenoids shut off - but earlier ones don't.
Someday I'll get the retro fiktted shut off.
Let me tell you this trick Al D had. I was prepared to disconnect the heaters hoses going to the expansion tank and get anti freeze all over. Not ! Al disconnected the straps holding the expansion tank straps and twisted it away from under the fender and forward towards the alternator. Then wrappec a bungy cord around it and strapped both ends of the cord to the alternstor adjusting brace. I was sure the heater hose mounted Corbin wire clamps or American Stamping brand mounted expansion tank pipe clamps would let go and anti freeze woluld be everywhere. But nothing leaked.
The clamps were genuine Corbin and genuine American Stamping. Sadly both companies are gone today. The hose were made for me by Plumley Rubber Company (now a division of Dana Corp) over 10 years ago when I had a license to have GM's logo printed on the hoses. I've read of other repro hoses leaking and not sealing because the OD of the hose was smaller and the clamps were weaker. I'm glas I has the GM blueprints with GM specs and had Plumley (a GM OEM) run these parts. In all honesty - knock on wood - I've never had a claim for a defective or leaky hose.
I can count on 3 hands the number of repro's on my 1963. Of course I collected and traded and bougth originsl parts flor decades during two restorations. Honesty I'd probably not buy a recently restored Corvette, becaue they are all loaded wiyth pretty looking, but pretty crappy short lived imported junk.
Last weeek on the NCRS, a guy could not get his original 69-82 trim ring onto a repro Rallye wheel he bought. The clips would not grab in one spot. Someone suggeasrted je measurfe the diameter of the wheels. He measured an original and the repro he bought and the repro and the POS repro had a smaller diameter. The trim ring would never go on.
