Pontiac Automotive Battery Boot Camp - Part 2

Last month in "Battery Boot Camp," HPP brought you a guide to the Delco-Remy tar-top batteries that powered Pontiacs from 1955 through 1966. While Delco-Remy was pleased with the speed with which it was able to market the 12V battery, the tar-top design was expensive to produce and maintain, and was inherently prone to an extremely short product life. Although there were technological advances in the engineering of the battery-primarily in the design of the internal separators-it became clear by the mid-'60s that the tar-top design itself needed to be retired.

In 1966, Delco-Remy changed the automotive world forever with the introduction of the Energizer hard-top battery. According to Delco-Remy, "The unique Energizer design, with its through-the-partition cell connectors, replaces six conventional cell covers, ten bushings, and five external connectors. Fewer parts and simplified assembly methods combine to produce a more reliable unit than is possible with conventional construction techniques. Energizer production is a carefully controlled, highly automated process. Continuous flow processing and specially controlled atmospheric conditions, as required, are maintained from raw materials to the shipping carton."

Introduced in the GTO and 2+2 in 1966, by '67, the Energizer was standard equipment on every Pontiac. Most HPP readers instantly recognize it when they see it in a classic GTO or Firebird. Delco described it as "a new concept in packaged electrical energy for automotive vehicles. The visible newness starts with the modern 'sheer look' case and continues right to the top of the smooth, easy-to-clean, one-piece cover with its ever-watchful electrolyte level indicator-the 'Delco Eye.'"

In 1970, R79 Delco sealed-terminal batteries began replacing the R59 top-posts on the factory's 455-equipped Pontiacs. According to AC Delco, the change to a sealed-terminal was critical for customer satisfaction. "Self-locking terminals stay maintenance-free and tight...side location helps guard against corrosion because electrolyte [deposits] and road splash are less likely to collect around terminals. Clean, tightly-sealed cable connections keep full power available to your electrical system. Gradual loss of cranking performance due to corroding terminals is eliminated," Delco-Remy said.

Follow along as we look at the hard-top batteries that Delco-Remy made famous in Pontiacs from 1966-1975.

HPP thanks John Sawruk for his research and assistance in making this article possible, Rocky Rotella for his research and Pontiac literature, and Restoration Battery for providing its expertise and products for photographs.

Delco-Remy R59 Energizer
Delco-Remy began installing the one-piece, hard-top cover Energizer battery in the 2+2 and the GTO in 1966. The R59 Energizer was completely redesigned on the inside. The hard-rubber separators were replaced with polyvinyl chloride separators. Delco stated, "Polyvinyl chloride separators will resist oxidization, chipping, tearing, and the effects of vibration much longer than ordinary paper-based or hard-rubber separators and give the Energizer longer cranking in cold weather."

Energizer batteries also used through-the-partition connectors. Each battery had five partitions, or walls, dividing the six cells. The cells must be connected to each other. (Remember, previously in the tar-top batteries, the cells were connected to each other by straps that went over the partitions.) The cells were now connected by through-the-partition connectors. This created a shorter, more efficient electrical path between the cells and minimized internal electrical resistance up to 60 percent.