Replacement battery fit

[72plus2]

The battery in the boot of my +2 is too tall. As a result the removable shelf is not level. Can anyone recommend a replacement battery that will properly fit in the battery compartment without obstructing the boot pannels? The current battery is a Canadian Tire Eliminator.

Thanks


Chris

[wparslow]

I've just had a high output alternator fitted and a new higher spec battery fitted - by Paul Matty - I'll be picking the car up in the next couple of days and will let you know what they did.

Wayne

[john-c-elan+2]

There is a factory update during 1973 or 4 that says 'boot floor modifed' for battery. What they did was to saw out a piece of the plywood (saving weight Mr Chapman) to clear the top of the taller battery ! Not as neat I grant you but solves the problem. I've done the same as my new larger
capacity battery was too tall. Spins the engine over faster mind you !
r. jon

[rgh0]

My 73 plus 2 has the cut out in the boot plywood floor to clear the battery terminals. The boot carpet was just laid over the top of the battery. The carpet on top of the battery has suffered over 30 years of exposure to battey acid fumes and is full of holes !!!!

Rohan

[stuartgb100]

Rohan,

There was a story that went the rounds way back, when Lotus' cost-cutting exercises could no longer be hidden from public view, which said that they must be masked as "Engineering Improvements".

Thus each "Improvement" was passed to a senior engineer ( Stoulu) if I remember correctly, whose job was to ""create"" the improvement, ready for the inevitable press/public enquiry.

Although I do not have a definitive Stoulu answer, it might have gone along these lines:

Whilst the medium to long term life characteristics for the carpet remain of questionable doubt, there is the slight (EMPHASIZE: very slight) possibility of a small (EMPHASIZE: very small) degradation of the carpet, covering the very localized boot area.
Even if this situation should be realised, it should be set against the very significant benefits to the Customer namely the improved battery capacity.

In the most unlikely event that some SMALL degradation to the carpet should occur, then further Engineering benefits will naturally follow:

Namely:

Water from the boot seal (that always leaked) will now find an easier way to drain via the hole by the spare wheel (if it's not blocked).
Petrol leakage (never admit this possibility!) has now a route to better evapourate via carpet holes and leaking boot rubber.

As a side benefit, we should alert Dealers to expect a reasonble increased demand for boot carpets (see Rohan).

.............

[Dave_Newcastle]

Help required please so that I can get to Donington next weekend in my +2 S130 My battery has died and I need to find a new one. The current one is a Lucas 016 type which fits nicely, but apparently is no longer available. Every battery that I have seen today is too big, either slightly too high, or most too wide.

Please can anyone who has recently bought a battery tell me the type, manufacturer, code that they have fitted.


Thanks muchly

Dave

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Sean Murray
Second Gear



Joined: 12 May 2004
Posts: 63
Location: Wexford Ireland
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2005 7:26 pm Post subject:

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Dave,

I've just had a look.

It's a VARTA type B24 12V 45Ah 300 A
Number 545 079 030.

I've been using this size for many years, I made up the clamp to suit this battery size, I'm not sure if it's the same as the original

Sean Murray

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Dave_Newcastle
First Gear



Joined: 12 Sep 2003
Posts: 15

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:45 pm Post subject:

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Thank you Sean. Will you be at Donington on Sat??

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Russ Moore
New-tral


Joined: 07 Nov 2003
Posts: 9
Location: ESH WINNING DURHAM
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 1:02 am Post subject:

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Bought a battery for my elan from the local motor shop. Its listed as a MINI battery. Fits in, Starts all weathers and you need not adjust or make a new clamp as you will notice where the clamp goes is about 25 to 30 mm up . unlike modern batteries which only have a small lip at the bottom

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storrar54
First Gear



Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 24

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 12:17 pm Post subject:

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The battery for a Mini is exactly the same size as a Plus2 but has posts instead of lugs to connect to. The correct battery is an 037 which is a Ford battery hence the lugs and is fully available from Ford outlets such as "Rapidfit"
Richard


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Dave_Newcastle
First Gear



Joined: 12 Sep 2003
Posts: 15

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 11:59 am Post subject:

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Thanks to all that have helped. I put in a 015 battery listed for a Mini which I am informed is same size as 037 but a heavier duty. Both have round posts. 015 is 335 amps SAE .

Dave

[twincamman]

too late ----but I use a canadian tire lawn tractor- snow mobile battery for both my tc 7 and the elane ---small -light and cheap 50 bucks works a treat ---ed

[1964 S1]

Hello Ed, do you have stock Lucas starters in your cars? Eric

[twincamman]

yes --- and have changed both cars to alternators---ed