Please advise a current brand name and/or stock # of a battery
a 1974 XK-E Series III Roadster. Thank you.

Submitted by SE98-32482CJ on Tue, 09/09/2003 - 18:23

You made the call. No one cares what is inside as long as it complies with the former statements. By the way traditional shaped gel cell batteries have been avail for a while. Optima's shape was part function and mostly advertising.

George Camp

Submitted by SC20-30420CJ on Tue, 09/09/2003 - 10:00

According to the latest rule book, any battery which meets or exceeds the original spec and is in the "same configuration" as the original is concours correct, e.g., you can't use side terminals if it had post terminals originally. The rules specifically omit any reference to size but they do prohibit the Optima "fluted" style gel cells. I've heard that gel cell batteries are now available with traditional rectangular cases. I wonder if those would be OK. JCRC? A ruling please (-;

John Testrake
Jaguar Association of Greater St. Louis

Submitted by mfrank@westnet.com on Tue, 09/09/2003 - 08:47

I know the Optima is a concours deduct, but is the Interstate, as well? There are no correct Lucas batteries available in the US AFAIK. The repro batteries with Lucas script are the wrong style and size for the later cars.

The E-Type battery is size Group 35. You can get any brand of battery in this size, and slap on a Lucas label (available from your favorite parts house). I use an Exide, which is just a plain black box, once you strip the labels off.

Submitted by pascal@jcna.com on Mon, 09/08/2003 - 10:40

Larry called me on friday asking this info for you. the concours correct battery listed in the series 3 manual is Lucas CP 13/11/8 for the later cars.

I've replaced the standard battery with an optima gel since many of the regular battery end up leaking acid on the rail frames which are jsut too important to take any chances... but of course, that's a deduct comes concours day...

Pascal Gademer
South Florida Jaguar Club
72 E-type 2+2
00 XKR Coupe
99 XJR