Will Repro Group 27 Batteries Ever Be Made Again

It's been years now since anyone has made them. I should be used to being the least significant part of the aftermarket parts world by now but is it that impossible now to manufacture these?

I got my group 27 from this place in 2020. Jims Battery made it for them.

https://batterycentralmall.com/

Wow, $335.00 for a battery now???

Hell a standard Interstate batterey for my wifes 2003 T-Bird was $210.....

My truck battery was $235.

I get used batteries at the junk yard $30 each. I bought a dead short battery tester to check them first before buying. I use four for the golf cart. Hard finding positive post on the left though. I get 4 years on average out of them.

I just replaced mine with a group 27 Duralast Gold from Autozone. It was about $210. 3 weeks ago.

I ordered one from that battery central mall place slmost a year ago. Still waiting.

I use walmart everystart 27 810cca. $150. Free 3 year replacement. And the best thing is if you're traveling you can always find a walmart if it goes bad. One I just changed out of the hemi was 9 years old and would still start the car fine. I just changed it out to be safe so I didn't hurt the electronics.

last time i looked, those wally world battery's were made by johnson controll.
i have had good luck with them as well.

Approx 3 years ago I bought a group 24 from Jim’s is he not making batteries anymore?

I am waiting on my Group 24 Battery from Jim's. I ordered during the last week of September and was told to expect at least 8 weeks for it to be shipped. They finally charged my credit card on 11/8.

Transaction ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Merchant: JIM'S BATTERY MFG
Merchant Website:
Merchant Phone: 3304800755
Transaction Date: 11/08/2022 10:56:13 EST
Transaction Type: Sale
Subtotal: $361.00
Tax: $0.00
Shipping: $0.00
Service Fee: $0.00
Discount: $0.00
Amount Authorized: $361.00

Should I be encouraged since Jims hit your card for the Group 24? (not being sarcastic either, just wondering aloud)
I'd almost guess that such a limited market means the Group 24 and 27 reproduction ones are all coming from one source so maybe I should?
My card hasnt been hit yet but maybe they really will make some of these again. (both sizes).

My Yellow Cap group 24 AMG style was doing slow crank but is 7 years old but my engine is a 512 with 10.5 compression.
This 7 year old Resto. AMG would still work fine if my engine was stock with less timing.
I opened the bottom and ordered the biggest most powerful battery to put in it but cranked slowly still.
I returned that and then bought a Group 24 most powerful Duralast Battery and a Yellow cap topper and
that cranked great cold but slowly when hot. I returned that yesterday and bought the most powerful group 27 Duralast and problem solved.
I have a group 24 yellow cap topper if anyone needs one!!
Ron

For some reason the red cap batteries are almost impossible to find, so my last purchase I ordered a yellow cap battery and swapped the caps to my old red caps from an old dead battery that I saved.

But then you end up with a group24 with red caps and that was never made back in the day.
Ron

Not a reproduction battery, but not $300 either. I was searching for a battery topper and found this, a kit with self adhesive caps and decals for the top and sides…

Is this the place? Pretty creative and a good alternative.

https://www.ebay.com/str/weskcar

Yes, they sell on their website and have an Ebay store

My battery arrived yesterday from Jim's via UPS. It was packed very well....double boxed.

Does it have a smaller battery inside? or is it a gel type battery?

Yes it does. I removed the 6 caps. Looking down into the case, it appears to be an Odyssey AGM battery.

David

Did Jims give you any info on it? What warranty did they give with the battery? I wonder about the cranking amps on that particular battery?

I intended to call Jim's today to ask for the manufacturer and model of the AGM, but forgot. I will call next week. Here is the info that came with the battery:

When you do call, do ask is there a way to open the case when the battery dies so we can replace ourselves. Thx

I too was curious if that could be done. When I asked last year, this is the response I got: "Very difficult and very time consuming. But it can be done." Here is a picture of the underside. You can see a seam near the outer edge,,, that's where I would probably began the surgery if I needed to get inside the case.

Good news on the caps and decals...good news on the resto case with AGM inside.

What does that new Jim's battery weigh?

It's not visible in the image I uploaded of the shipping carton...but the UPS Ground shipping label states 35 lbs.

Thanks David. I didn't see that.

I spoke to Jim yesterday and asked for the name of the manufacturer and model of the battery inside. He said it was an Odyssey and the model was "similar" to a PC925. I then asked if the specs were exactly the same as the PC925. His response was "very close". My last question was if the battery was custom made for him. He said no.

I've done this - it's not that bad. Just cut along the edge/seam and make sure you leave enough to accept a screw to hold a new plexi cover (to keep the new battery in the case). The hardest part is getting the replacement cable the right length so it can be tightened to the new battery terminal and still fit within the case. The replacement battery was a PC925.

Link

Gutting is a messy job!!! https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/threads/battery-gutting.440367/

Picture's of mine and others are here
https://board.moparts.org/ubbthread...esto-battery-experience.html#Post2968014

Battery we are referring to are from "Jims Battery" cases with a battery inside. So when it fails, we are trying to figure out an easy way to change it out the inner battery. I assume all the hardware to hook them up are inside. So this would be a no mess situation like the one you are referring to. I totally agree, cleaning out an exiting battery is a mess and lots of work.

The hardware is there, but you will find the cables are too short. Best to get a longer cable and cut to size. There isn't much room in the case to fit your hand in there and make the connection to the battery.

I bought 12" cables and do my conversions with the Odyssey PC925 batteries.

what does the pc925 battery weigh ?

23.8 pounds. I put one in my gutted retro case. I weighed the old batt before gutting and the damn thing was 58 pounds. I think my odyssey version is 28-29.

That is a small trolling motor or atv battery isn`t it. Not many CCA`s

Actually, it rolls over my 10.75:1 440 faster than the reproduction batteries ever did.

I looked at the Odyssey web site and couldn't find the PC925 battery anywhere.

Whomever gets the chance to do it, please take good pics of the process. Good point about short cables. If dissecting from the bottom I can see this as an issue. But cut the top off, then "maybe" it would be easier. There was a person who cut the top off of an old repro battery and gutted it that way and put in the Odyssey battery. That person did a pretty sanitary job, could not tell what was done.

Odyssey changed the model number:

https://www.odysseybattery.com/products/ods-agm28l-battery-pc925/

Jims battery should sell the battery kit for people who want to build their own mopar resto battery and use their own PC925 battery.

This what was inside my battery. My battery came from Antique Auto Battery.

The question isn't whether they will ever build another Group 27 Mopar vintage battery....
The question is, will they ever make it at a reasonable price?

if guys line up and pay $350 for it... the price will rise
if nobody buys it.... the price might come down...

I find it hard to believe in this day and age that it costs that much
to make a lead acid battery (old style)....

maybe I'm just old and out of touch...

I really wouldn't want the old style in a nice clean and freshly painted engine bay.

you are out of touch, lol , but , they build them for profit not to recover costs. EPA requirements and low labor costs from 3rd world countries and of course shipping drive costs not mention 2 other things , a niche market and no lead mines to speak of left in the US.

has anyone thought about, or tried using, one of those small lithium batteries in a gutted case ?

My question was why wouldn`t Jims battery or another company sell a empty mopar resto battery case with terminals and a open removable bottom for people to put their own small battery inside. Charge enough to make a decent profit and No more warranty for bad battery claims. Cheaper to ship also. I would buy two of them.

^^^ Me too.
I have 2 resto batteries - one's stuck @ 11V no matter what, the other likes to be at 12.1V - but I'm reluctant to go through the gutting process.

I have had the same thought for quite awhile too.
One thing in the costing that I didn't see mentioned, are the licensing fees to Ma Mopar.

I’ve done this. I posted details a year or two ago. Don’t have time to describe the whole process….but a few key points….digging out the lead plates from the bottom is almost impossible, I tried. Finally I grabbed my saws all and cut off the top, about an inch below the top. Worked great. Then gutted the case, already had an opening at the bottom, connected cables a bit long. Surfaced the case cut edges on a belt sander and siliconed the top back on. Made a 1/4 inch plywood bottom, painted black, with locating pins. The battery hold down serves to keep it together. Take the hold down off, and you can lift the cover off the odyssey.

I guess I did line up because it took 3 months to receive it. But I didn't pay $350 for a group 27 battery. I paid $361 for a smaller group 24. Its a lot of money, but I have wanted one for a long time. So I decided to pay the price. "if nobody buys it...the price might come down". Nope, they go out of production. Its happened before.

The ODS-AGM28L (PC-925) AGM battery alone sells for $250.00. And then there are the licensing fees to Chrysler as skdmark mentioned. Just ask Mike Ross at B/E & A about those costs.
The shipping to send a 35 lb carton to Alabama from Ohio was included in the price, so I think what I paid was fair.

Sorry, that's not how it works. The guys going through all the trouble of making this product for a VERY small, niche market, will only do it if they can expect to make a reasonable profit.

The only hope of the price going down is if they started to sell a lot more of them--not less.

If the batteries stop selling--they aren't going to lower the price--they simply stop making them and earn their living another way.

My thought is the maker of the current retro battery already has the license so I don`t see the difference between selling one with a small battery inside or not.

That AGM 28L only has 330 CCAs, is that enough? My Neon battery has twice as much as that.

I did something different. I bought a dead reproduction group 27 battery off a member here. I specifically wanted a dead one so the cost was low. When I display my engine compartment I swap it in for looks. When going home, I swap it out for a good battery. It serves the purpose for me. Is that a pain and a lot of effort? Maybe for some people. Is that a stupid idea? Maybe for some people. It works for me and gives me the best of both worlds. I bought a beautiful, like new looking dead battery off a member for $50.00 plus shipping

This is exactly the conclusion I arrived at. My car had a repop agm in it when I got it. The guy said he float charged it and basically never drove the car. After about two months of about every other weekend uses, that battery [censored] the bed. So I simply got a group 34 odyssey and never looked back. Takes maybe two minutes to swap at a show. New battery is best I’ve ever had. Holds charge for two years it claims without a recharge or float, and was still fastest cranking I’ve ever had on first try after winter. It’s faster in a stock starter 440 than my old 383 with new mini and an optima