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By 56_Fairlane - 3 Years Ago
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I need to buy a new battery for my '56 Fairlane. The only place seems to have them available locally is O'reilly's and they're a lot more expensive than your regular car battery. I've seen a listing for them at Interstate and in fact my old one is an Interstate but Costco doesn't carry them. Any suggestions for a reasonably priced source?
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By DryLakesRacer - 3 Years Ago
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I bought my last one at NAPAabout a yr ago bought these tops and a decal on the net. Not sure on the correct side for the posts but you can see which side in the photo. Batteries have sure gone up in price…
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By Florida_Phil - 3 Years Ago
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See if you have a Batteries Plus store near you. They may be able to get you one. The O'reilly's 29NF is listed as a commercial battery. I have one in my Tbird.
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By geo56 - 3 Years Ago
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I have been driving my 56 Victoria daily for the last 12 years and originally bought a NAPA commercial battery. If I remember right, it had about a 2 year warranty and didn't last much more than that. I then bought an Interstate 29NF that lasted nearly 5 years. I bought another Interstate that is in use now. . In all fairness to NAPA, the battery they sold me looked like it had been on the shelf for a long time and I asked why it had such a short warranty. The salesman said," It's a commercial battery."
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By 312YBlock - 3 Years Ago
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I bought one from NAPA also about 3 years ago, I tried to start the car this spring, the starter moaned 3 times and that was it. I found battery acid on the garage floor. In haste I picked up another one but if this one turns out to be a problem I’ll get my next one from Interstate. It’s a truck battery.
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By paul2748 - 3 Years Ago
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These sources carry that size
NAPA #7280
Duracell SL129NF
Interstate 29NF-VHD
Car Qust 29NF40
I got one from Car Quest - they had to order it but only took one day.
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By Cliff - 3 Years Ago
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You can still buy them at Ford (motorcraft) and I paid $90.00 (approx) last year
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By Tedster - 3 Years Ago
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Group 29 as a practical matter today is mostly a size or dimensions spec many batteries available now in various group sizes will meet the ampere hour (Or CCA in modern parlance), assuming cost is a concern. The modern group 29 batteries don't look much like the OEM or factory units, so for most people it doesn't matter. If you live somewhere it gets cold some additional CCA might be welcome. So long as the battery will physically fit you'll be in good shape. Generator equipped electrical systems need plenty of reserve minute capacity, CCAs isn't necessarily the only consideration. New Castle used to offer exact reproduction conventional batteries shipped "dry charged", these were excellent. A period correct battery really adds something to a restoration.
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By 57RancheroJim - 3 Years Ago
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Any decent battery today will cost you $150 and lucky if they last 3 years, they aren't made like they use to be. Even my favorite Interstate 29 is made in Mexico. My last one died right at 3 years and being a commercial battery they only have a one year warranty. I went to the Interstate distribution warehouse that is close to me and they didn't have them in stock and didn't know when they would get more, Covid slow down. The guy showed me a group 50 that is the same size as the 29 but more heavy duty so I bought it but it was $200. I just had to make a small trim on the case to get the hold down bolt to clear.
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By 56_Fairlane - 3 Years Ago
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Cliff (8/28/2021)
You can still buy them at Ford (motorcraft) and I paid $90.00 (approx) last year
This would be the best deal. I've had Motorcraft batteries before and I got many years use from them. I'll have to call around. There aren't many Ford dealers left nearby. If that doesn't work out, then Interstate or then the others down the list.
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By paul2748 - 3 Years Ago
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I checked around late winter or early spring for the Ford battery and if I remember correctly found that it was not available anymore. Any one have any info additional on this?
A bought a Ford battery two or three batteries ago and they had it down as a commercial battery
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By DryLakesRacer - 3 Years Ago
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I believe the batteries are listed as commercial is because they are part of the dual battery system in the diesel equipped E-350 Ford vans. The NAPA I have now replaced one I bought from Powertron 8 years ago but they no longer stock it. This sounds weird but the large diesel needed 2 batteries, the 29NF was all the would fit on one of the sides, and was not the same size or number the other one.
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By 56_Fairlane - 3 Years Ago
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Yes, I checked around the Motorcraft battery has been discontinued. It's the trend at Ford to discontinue things on a lot of late model parts. I have a 2002 Excursion and a lot of Excursion specific parts are discontinued especially a lot of critical electrical parts.
I found a supplier of a Centennial batteries in Portland OR that has three of them. I've never heard of the brand but they offer a 1yr replacement / 30 mo prorated warranty. Only $100.76 plus core.
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By Dobie - 3 Years Ago
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"Yes, I checked around the Motorcraft battery has been discontinued. It's the trend at Ford to discontinue things on a lot of late model parts. I have a 2002 Excursion and a lot of Excursion specific parts are discontinued especially a lot of critical electrical parts."
Legally, manufacturers are obligated to supply service parts for 10 years after end of production of a given model. After that it's up to the aftermarket. The aftermarket looks at vehicle populations and decides which to support. As the population diminishes they adjust their parts production until a threshold is passed, then production ceases. Then it's the obsolete parts sellers or salvage parts unless and until a model achieves classic status and the classic/antique parts suppliers step in. Pure economics.
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By 56_Fairlane - 3 Years Ago
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I owned a few Mercedes in the past that were over 25 - 30 years old. I had no trouble finding OEM parts from the Mercedes dealer and a local German car part distributor. The parts were no more expensive than for a GM or Ford. OTOH Toyota parts are expensive!
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By Dobie - 3 Years Ago
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The aftermarket as we know it doesn't exist much in Europe and not at all in Japan, thus European manufacturers supply parts for much longer periods. In Japan vehicles pretty much have to be scrapped when they reach a certain age; registration and insurance fees increase substantially making it uneconomical for a person to keep an old vehicle on the road. They must pass yearly and increasingly stringent safety and emissions inspections. Engines must be replaced at 5 years regardless. Keeps the manufacturers happy...
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