What model OPTIMA gell cell battery fits a 72' 914-4?

the orange top has the terminals in the right configuration for the 914 (reversed),
i have the red top which is the same except it has the standard terminal configuration.
i simply turned it 180 deg. ... my wires were long enough, but your mileage may vary ...

Andy

I have a red top turned 180degrees. It's actually a little better since the terminals are under the lid instead of under the side panel - meaning there is slightly less chance of shorting the positive terminal to the body with a wrench - which is generally regarded as a bad start to the day.

They are all the same physical size, so get whichever one you want. I use a red top which is the most common.

And always remove the negative side first!!!

Is there a model number or is it just by the color? Also will the stock hold down work?

The reason I ask is the the OPTIMA web page can not find a match for the 914.

Please enter the following information about your car,
and find which OPTIMA is right for you.

PORSCHE
All Models
1976-1970 914
There are no matches available for this vehicle.

34 and yes

34 is what I got.. Red top..

NAPA carries a competing line called Orbital. Same design. Just FYI, in case you can't find the Optima locally.

Here's the one you want.........

OPTIMA Red Top
Model number: 34R
NSN: 6140 01 475 9357

The 34R is the one with the reversed posts which is needed for the 914.

Exide product. Pep Boys sold me one of those after i drove clear across town when they assured me on the phone they had Optimas.

died in less than 3 years. not the same.

real Optimas for me -- Coscto has them at great prices, but i wouldn't count on them to have the 34R that's best in a 914.

34R's were evidently unavailable for a long while (changeover from orange to red?). anyway, the Optima site says they have them now.

i won't use anything but a sealed battery in a Porsche -- in the 911 i use two little bitty Hawker Genesis 26Ah batteries that have better specs than the 36 Ah wet cells originally specified 35 years ago. ain't technology wonderful ?

Look here

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act...=optima+battery

Looking at the link above, what do people think about the model 34M, the marine one (blue top) same specs/size as the red-top model 34...but has extra positive and negative pegs. Would this be good for running the extra wires I have connected to my (+) terminal on my standard battery?

Marine batteries are designed to run things for a long time and withstand deep discharge without damage. the price you pay for that is limited Cold-Cranking Amp ratings.

automotive batteries are designed to deliver a lot of amps in a hurry - like for starting a car.
there are automotive batteries with both top and side terminals - i think Optima has some...

[okay - nevermind - i looked at the specs and indeed, their "blue top 'Marine'" battery has the same specs and is -not- a deep cycle battery.] donno why manufacturers do stuff like this...

so i donno what that battery's claim to fame is, unless it's the additional posts...]

The Optima batteries that can be picked up at Pep Boys/Costco/etc, are all the Group 34 battery, which fits the 914 just fine. The orange/red/yellow top seems to denote differences that are not well explained on Optima's site, but have to do with battery internals, not the number or position of the posts.

There ARE other sizes besides the Group 34. I saw a much different Optima in a taildragger awhile back, and looking at Optima's site, they recommend their Group 51 battery for early 911/912 cars. This battery is smaller in length and width, but taller, than the Group 34 battery. It also has less power capacity. Most importantly, it weighs a lot less (26lbs instead of 43lbs). All of this from Optima's site. I have no idea where to get the Group 51 batteries, but they make them.

Sounds like if you're trying to lighten your 914 for racing, a 51 would be better suited than a 34.

mazda miata battery is the smaller unit I believe if you want to save some weight

Optima recommended to me the 51 on the phone, but I could not find one locally, even the local dealer said he had never heard of it. I bought the 34. but still requires the spacers (included with the 34 I bought) to work correctly. Foot print of the battery is to narrow for the original clamp.

this is the Hawker Genesis I use in the 911:

G12V26EP 26.0Ah 6.92" x 6.56" x 4.96" 22.3 lbs M6 Screw 1000 CCA

I plan on bite'n this style, 2 6V

Here are all the optima batteries...

http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com/

The 51 and 51R look like Marine batteries

But they are yellow, so they must be faster (reduced weight advantage!!!)

Anybody got a pic of the Hawker Genesis 1000 Battery?

you have but to ask ...

Roger Kraus Racing wants $165 for these new. i get them (per Chris Zach's recommendation) from www.surplusEV.com for $65...

Rich, you say these fit in the 911? (looking for a battery for the 912 to replace the "old style" battery there now)

yup - check out those dimensions ! they're teeny!

fits into the battery pocket with room to spare !

i'll try to get a picture posted - probably won't be tonight and tomorrow is not looking good ...

Safe to assume this might fit a 914?

if there's room for a big thing, there's room for a small thing...

these are not "standard" automotive batteries; they do not have any sort of "mounting shelf" for a hold-down clamp. they come with a pad tapped for a M6 screw mount, which i use on my car (i do not use the standard post terminals). however, for about $20, you can get standard SAE post terminals and suitably long M6 screws to bolt them to the pads and act just like a normal battery.

but you will have to fabricate some kind of hold-down strap. that's one reason i have only one in the 911 right now, although the plan was always to run two (i have two, and i ran two for a while, but i needed to fabricate secure hold-downs for the PA inspection and i've only had time to make one. it's working just fine on one, and it started the car this afternoon even after leaving the parking lights on for about 4 hrs.

even though they do delivery healthy CCA, hold a good charge for a long time, charge very quickly, and are sealed, they are but 26 Ah and i think they're a great alternative to the factory 2-wet-cell approach in the 911. if you have a big high-compression 911 engine and a 1,5HP starter, and like to run lots of lights and electrical accessories, a single battery might be marginal in a 914. it turns my engine just fine, but the engine is a little tired...

i am trying hard to finish up about 3 critical projects before we head over to the FFC Friday, and i don't think i'm going to be able to get pictures tomorrow. Thursday, maybe -- i hope. i'll photograph my *preliminary* 911 installation (i'm not completely happy but it's working. i wouldn't pass it for track tech, tho... but check out the dimensions from the table and you'll see that it's very small... (for a battery...)

My recent experience on getting an Optima for the 914.

The 34R was not available locally, but the 35 has the correct post configuration and is just slightly smaller than the 34. The base plate has the same problem as the 34 series, it's a little short for the hold down, so you will need to raise the battery a little bit to fit the backside holddown, and get a longer holddown bracket for the front.

And by the way, this is not the same model as the 75/35 that everyone stocks. The Optima website has the specs. The Sears website also shows it, but my local Sears was clueless.

Advance auto parts could get the 35 next day.

I have the Optima 34. I needed to install a new, longer ground strap and it works fine. You also need to use the black plastic thing that snaps on to the base so it fits in 914 battery tray.