I want to save my repop Willard battery case

[Huck]

I tried to give my battery good care but alas it died within two years. I want to put the case on display. How do I safely gut it? Thank you, Huck in Dearborn

Gary Hildebrandt

[Dick Steinkamp]

I dunno, but it is worth a try.

I just bought (among other things) a repoped DELCO battery for my '65 Impala. I think it was close to $250. I truly believe that "the devil is in the details", and the correct battery is one of those important details. I hope mine lasts more than 2 years. If not, I'll have your experience on how to at least save the case .

[clarkwd]

The battery in my Speedster is shown below. I know its all screwed up as it shows the wrong ground cable (which I have since replaced) and the battery caps are red instead of yellow but it looks cool. Its just a cardboard box painted black with a Willard sticker and a vacuum formed top. If your rig is a 12 volt car, I'd suggest you gut that baby like a trout and put some terminals inside the box and just wire up a garden tractor battery inside. If its a real battery, I'd dump the contents in a plastic dish pan, neutralize it with baking soda and hose it out. I'd probably cut the bottom out or carefully cut the top off. If it has an aptiva inside, figure out how they put it together and get it apart neatly so you can put something else inside.

When my rig comes out of storage, I'll try to correct all these offensive red caps.
Bill

[tbredehoft]

Clark, that's one nice looking engine room. It gives me a goal to shoot at.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Bothcars4.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'55 President State Sedan (Under Construction) 99.5 hrs.
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

[wpsrea]

Huck, Don't forget protection. Even a dead battery can burn.

[Jeff_H]

If you cut open a battery, take care to wear long sleaved rubber gloves and some eye goggles too. Don't want to get acid burns! Do the nasty stuff outside so there are no fumes. The baking soda thing is a good idea. Have some water on hand to flush things with.

Years ago I cut up some old tractor batteries and melted the lead down in a cast iron pot over a charcoal fire. I dumped the waste stuff in the woods on the farm. Probably not the smartest thing I ever did in retrospect given the lead poisen issues in addition to the acid... I didn't get all that much lead out of the battery since a lot of it was in the form of lead sulfide and was a hard chystaline form packed into the battery plate "grids". It would not melt in my "smelter".



Jeff in ND

'53 Champion Hardtop

[Huck]

Thanks for all the good advice. Yep, it's a real battery. I can't find the paperwork on it but will let the company know about my disapointment.My first one emerged, from the Winter, with a bulge on the top. They replaced it for no charge. Shipping it back was a hassle. I had to do alot of neutralizing and rinsing.

Gary Hildebrandt

[StudeRich]

Bill; all of the Willards I remember had matching Red caps just like the Red logo, it was their color. I would not change them!

quote:Originally posted by clarkwd

/CUT/ the battery caps are red instead of yellow but it looks cool./CUT/
/CUT/When my rig comes out of storage, I'll try to correct all these offensive red caps./CUT/
Bill

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

[Huck]

There are several Willards, in the window of the Standard station, in the Henry Ford Museum and they have Red caps. Noy sure how authentic the Red lettering is but it sure looks good. Huck in Dearborn

Gary Hildebrandt