does anyone know when the change over was?(from top post to side post).my 455 car was built in flint in may of 71.build date 05C..........
No one makes the 71 style side posts just the 72's. The 72 has a ground lead that attaches to the fender that the 71's do not show in the assembly manual. I have an NOS 71 and up Positive side post cable with the plastic block attached but it is black. I may not use it for that reason.
I guess that's why most of my late build cars have always had side post batteries. I don't recall ever seeing a 71 with top posts. I'll have to try and find some photos of 71's that I know have early build dates.
While we're on this topic, I'm wondering if anyone here knows why the industry switched from top-post to side-post around this time frame. Obviously it gives more vertical clearance, but is there another good reason? Federal mandate? Safety related?
There just happens to be an article in this months issue of Hemmings Classic Car on the development of the Delco Freedom battery that was released for the 1971 model year. I kind of gleaned through it last night, and the article claimed the goal was to make a true maintenance free battery, so they moved the terminals to the side so they could be completely sealed off once the cables were connected. So there was no way for them to corrode. (Yeah, right..... uzzled: ) It was noted that while other battery companies claimed to have maintenance free batteries, they were in fact just normal batteries with the caps sealed and the terminals moved to the side. Just a marketing gimick if you ask me.
Adam, are you talking GS's??? I have seen plenty of 71's with top post spring rings. In fact the 71 Service manual actually shows the top posts. The assembly manual shows the sides however.. The date Duane refers to is the actual date where the change was put into effect.
Actually, That is the date when the drawings were developed, and is not necessarily when the change took place. However, if you look at the revision block on that page you will see that about a month later they changed the routing for the cables. Therefore, by sometime in March both the batteries & cables were already into production. Duane DL, I have also seen some late production 350 Flint cars with top posts, but I had no way to authenticate that they were not changed over the years.
I was referring mostly to the big cars...and my experiences with them typically have been with late build cars, so I have never (consciously) come across an early build with top posts.
Big cars are a whole different animal. I believe it shows side posts in the service manual for big cars so top posts were apparently not used in 71 on the bigs........Another interesting fact in the assembly man. is they refer you to another page for cable part #s but when you turn to that page in the available manual the part #s listed for a GS 455 are the top post which are same numbers as 70. I have never been able to find a part number for a 71 side post. The postive cable I believe is the same as 72.
Dave states, "I have never been able to find a part number for 71 side post cables." Well you'll find them pretty soon.:laugh: Duane
dreeesh, Sorry, just a private joke between Dave and me. I don't know what to tell you about your car, the assembly manuals say one thing but I have seen examples of late production small block Flint A-body cars with top posts, so I guess it's o No: for now until we get more info. Duane PS. How's that for a political statement?
You can assume whatever you want, The assembly manuals say the big block A-bodies changed at the same time, but like the small blocks, I have no info to confirm this. (I have very little info on late 71 cars.) However I will say this, my 71 Stage 1 GSX came with the late 71 electronic dashpot that is also shown in the assembly manuals, and I believe also had the side mount battery cables. (It was easy for me to put them on because I had an original set of cables.) Maybe you can do some research on the board and see what you can come up with. Duane
I'M such a trouble maker :grin: . Perhaps the human building my car was playing a joke putting the troublesome Spring Ring on my car instead of the secure side post. In any case will you doc me a point for putting it back the way "my car" came even if incorrect. DL
well i would say that since my car was a may car side post were a very good bet,so i will lean in that direction.........hopefully we can get some build sheets to confirm the time when the change over started to take place.im sure there wont be an exact date and for that matter who cares.a rough estimate will be good enough.its hard enough to doc these 71 cars anyway with out solid paperwork............................to be continued:3gears:
