New Delco R-59 Sealed Battery Survey

[Mr70]

How is it?
Can anyone who bought one recently give me their opinion on it.
Is it better then the weeping electrolyte battery for reliability & starting power?
Is it worth the cost of $208 compared to the $149 electrolyte battery?

[Mr. T]

I wish I knew Rick. It has been over 6 weeks since I ordered the R-59 Maintenance Free Batteries. I called the supplier a couple of days ago, and they were still building it. Maybe I should have built it myself.

[Mr70]

Thanks Tony.
I know the original Manufacturer,New Castle Battery,is gone.
But Antique Auto Battery says they are the manufacturer for it now,and have shipped some out in the past,as well as are taking orders now to fulfill another order.
I'm aiming for the select few who took delivery on those earlier ones,if you are out there...

[Bill Rose]

I bought the new sealed battery from Antique Auto Battery for my 68 Chevelle early this past winter and it's been fine. My car sits for weeks/months at a time and it has had plenty of starting power with no trickle charger keeping it charged. I think it's a huge improvement over the acid R-59 I've had in the past.

[Charley Lillard]

I bought one from somebody and it is fine.

[kwhizz]

I've had one on order since the middle of July.....still waiting.......

Ken

[Mr. T]

I bet yours is in the same batch as mine Ken.

[WILMASBOYL78]

I bought 3 of the maintenance free versions from New Castle in 04. They don't stay in my cars other than for shows!!! Had one in the 68 BB car this past winter and it leaked and did many 1000's of damage..$$$$..!!! When I notified them of the problem they blew me off!!! Thankfully Hagerty stepped up and paid for the repairs. My suggestion is to buy an AC Delco professional top post battery and put one of those plastic covers on it. If you have to show a car with the correct battery then only keep it in for the judging and then switch it! Funny thing is they had one hanging upside down on display at spring Carlisle in 04 playing a radio!! They claimed this new unit wouldn't leak....Yeh, and the check is in the mail!


wilma

[camarojoe]

I got supposedly the very first sealed R-59 ever sold to the public. It's been in the car since I got it, no sign of leakage and looks as correct as the other repro i have that isn't sealed... (which is over 4 years old and still working fine I may add.) The only difference is you can't remove the caps...I disconnect one cable when the car sits, and just reconect it when I want to start the car. At one time I thought it went dead on me, but it ended up just being a little corrosion on the post and cable from sitting, and it wasn't making good contact when i pushed the spring-ring on by hand. Oh, and it does have an authentic looking "Delco Eye" in it too, unlike the fake looking one on the toppers. I'd recommend it.

[mrrec]

Rick:
I don't believe Antique Auto Battery "took over" anything from New Castle (yet). They were entirely different companies and it appears New Castle's assets are still for sale. Antique Auto is a little slippery, in my opinion, as I overheard them say "tell them heavy-duty when they ask for hi-crank" in response to my question at Carlisle a few years ago (but that could be just one rep). Furthermore, I have seen someone's (Antique Auto's?) "sealed" battery cut open and it was a small motorcycle sealed battery hidden in an R59 case!!

I am aware of only New Castle (now gone) and Antique Auto as the only manufactureres of resto batteries. Everyone else is a distributor or dealer. If the guys that ordered a battery through someone who sold New Castle (Turbo Start), I'd cancel and move on!!

I've had good luck with Restoration Battery, Cincinnatti, but not sure where he sources his.

See you at Vettefest??

Dave