TheSamba.com :: View topic - What is my best option for a correct looking 6 volt battery?

Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:33 pm

I would love to put a correct V.O.A. 6 volt Battery in my 58, but can't seem to find one, what is my next best option?

Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:20 am

I second that question for my 64, though I'm nowhere near that point in my restoration.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:49 am

The correct size is "19L." Wolfsburg West used to sell them but no longer does. If you have a battery specific shop or a good, perhaps non-chain auto parts store around you, they should be able to order one for you. It probably won't actually be OEM, but it will be the right size and "look." They don't sell very often, so have it ordered dry (without acid) and fill with fresh acid, available at just about any auto parts store.

I've heard Carquest stores can also order them, but I have never ordered one from them.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:59 am

You can get an Interstate 6V if you want one, like a 65 month. It will say 19L on the side, and it will say U19L 525 CCA 110 RC on the top. Most Interstate retailers don't carry them unless you're lucky, they can order them for you though.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:01 am

Interstate battery will have your 6 volt battery "U-19L" or "I-19L"

Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:21 am

Does it really matter? If you can find a 6volt battery that fits under the seat, then run with it... No one will know except you, unless you remove your back seat at car shows...

Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:33 am

I can respect wanting to get every last detail as "correct" as possible. It's not about who will or won't see it; it's about the spirit of a restoration, returning something to exactly how it was.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:08 am

cool. thanks for the responses.

What does it matter? If I had that approach, I'd just convert it to 12V, paint it purple metallic with shag carpet inside, slam it, and throw a 1600 dual port in it. It matters to me because I want to go as original as I can without going overboard on cost. If someone else wants to drive a slammed purple shag bug, then good for them. I'll still get excited and stop and talk to them about their work because they should be proud of their bug.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:23 am

There's a guy on here that sells the badges for the early 6V batteries. There are decals available as well, but the badges give a more authentic appearance which you're going for.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=522147

Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:48 am

I would be happy to find the closest thing to OG then add the decals? I am not building a show car, but I do like originality, especially when my car is all OG with the exception of the seats? I wonder if I could find an old 6-volt and have it restored?

Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:04 am

I'm all for keeping vintage vehicles original, but at some time you do have to give in to modern technology. I do happen to have a WW 6 volt battery in my 64, but if it were a red top optima I'd be OK with it too. Just like with the tires, you can't buy original bias-ply tires either. Are you OK driving on modern radials?

Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:19 am

I would stick with the radials, the old ply tires are scary :( I may have found a NOS 6-volt Battery that was made by DELCO, and is still in the box!!!

Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:52 pm

you can definetly still buy bias ply tires, maybe not the best for your regular driver "resto" but a true resto split or oval, hell yes you need them.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:35 pm

I got in touch with Antique Auto Battery, and they informed me that my 58 should have the 17L and not the 19L :-k I was under the impression that 19L was the correct size, but I was informed that the 19L was a replacement size, and that the OG ones were 17L?......"Help Me Mr Wizard"! [-o<

Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:00 pm

Did some research a while back and I was told that the tar topped batteries like the ones WW sells or used to sell can be restored but the more common plastic tpos cannot as the top is destroyed in the restoration process.

Old VWOA batteries are out there. I have sold my last three within the last year.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:15 pm

Well these are Tar Topped, and run around $125.00 and shipped dry. I just would like to know about the correct size, 17 or 19?

Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:35 am

Oct '52 - July '55 were 17L.
Splits and '56-'66 were 19L.
This according to WW website. Guess it's just a matter of who you think is right.

Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:05 am

HerrrKafer wrote: Oct '52 - July '55 were 17L.
Splits and '56-'66 were 19L.
This according to WW website. Guess it's just a matter of who you think is right.

The funny thing is, that the 19L is rated at 77AH, and the 17L at 66AH. The specs on my operating manual specifys a Battery with a 66 AH rating? So would that make it the 17L :-k

Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:16 pm

To determine what size battery you need, look in your owners manual or in the samba archives. A 1958 beetle should take a 6V 66Ah rated battery.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/aug57bug/page71.jpg

The (Ah) Amphere Hour rating is the old method of rating auto battery power so the kids working behind the counter at battery shops now will look at you with a blank stare if you ask for a battery by the old rating system.

The 19L and 17L are the US "equivalents" of the European spec. batteries. The most correct batteries for your VW are German built, to European spec.'s, just like they came from the VW factory. There were quite a few different brands of batteries used by VW through the years with Bosch, Varta, Wilhelm Hagen, Moss, etc. being just a few of many.

Antique Auto Battery is focused mainly on US batteries and from my experience they are not very knowledgable about the German vehicles and the appropriate batteries. I would not take their information as definitive.

I bought a battery from this guy through ebay Germany. The batteries are made in a factory in Berlin using the old hard rubber ribbed cases and tar tops. I traced back to the manufacturer to see if I could get a better deal direct, but the ebay seller was competitive and speaks English. This is the style that originally came in the early VW's.

http://cgi.ebay.de/Oldtimer-Autobatterie-6V-66Ah-S...286.c0.m14

These batteries have the circular spot on the face of the battery for the badge. The flat spot is a standardized 90mm in diameter.