Optimas in type 44's- still looking for an answer

[Charles Baer]

OK, I screwed up and only sent my later replies to Brett...

I have several Optima Reds (is that a country tune?) installed in '91
200s and an '83 urq.  When I went for a 4th red top, the NAPA store
instead had an Olympic(?name) for that type of battery; it was too big
for the urq, so I swapped it with a red top from a 200.  So not only do
the red tops fit 200s in the upright position, a larger battery will
also fit without preventing the seat bottom from fitting in its proper
place.  Just in case there are some subtle dimensional differences in
the different red tops, mine have the GM-style side connections.

Since none of these optima-style packages have plastic insulator caps on
the positive terminal, I cut the bottom off of small plastic containers
and cable tie them to the terminal for protection from the wire frame of
the back seat.

Odd thing at the Optima site; over a year ago and also yesterday there
was no sign of the existence of an orange top.  Several web dealers have
the "R" part number for orange tops so they exist at least in theory,
try ordering and you may find they've ceased to exist.  In either case
the red tops usually work and a new $8 ground cable seems to deal with
reach problems if you have any trouble.

The web site shows the parent company, but posts on various lists
indicate that distribution is done by Interstate and that is the major
brand that you can look for in order to locate an Optima dealer.  The
web site also links to Interstate Distributors on the "Find an OPTIMA" page.

Charlie

quattro + 5 or 8 = fun wrote:
> I did some measuring a while back.  If I remember right, they are to tall.
> Unless mounted on their side.  My sister use to work for Johnson controls
> and told me they are the makers of the Optima.  She was right.  Look at the
> bottom of the page:  http://www.optimabatteries.com/
>
> If I remember right,  Red is regular, blue is marine deep cycle, yellow is
> RV and other deep cycle.  The difference between the yellow and blue if my
> memory is right, is the blue has a higher CCA and the blue has a higher RC.
>
> I hth,
>
>
> Shane
>
>
> Bay Area, CA
...snip.