Here is a beat a dead horse thread but some may be interested in what I came up with. There is much debate on when the switch over took place from the spring ring top posts to the side post cable. Most seem to think maybe April or May of 71.... Walking through a local junkyard with several Skylarks I noticed on a car with no fenders the battery cable clip on the frame and a lightbulb went off in my head.:idea2: The clips are the key to what the car came with. When the change took place on paper it was noted in the assemblay manual dated 2/22/71. Not only did the cables and battery change but the clips holding the cables to the inner wheel well and frame changed as well. For some reason the clip on the frame was ommitted in the GS 455 drawing in the assembly manual. I think this was an overstite. My car had the clip on the frame and it is a correct part number GS 455 frame and I believe it is the original as I do not think they will comeout of the frame without breaking. It is the later type which is more rounded. The earlier clips had a smaller opening and had a triangualr top. You can tell an original new style clip as the pin that was pushed in was dead center. The reproductions are off center. If you look in an early assembly manual both cables pass through the clip on the fender well. The old style clips are too small and both cables would not fit well. In later assembly manuals the negative cable was removed from the clip as noted 3/19/71. There were several other changes around that date as well. My car has none of those changes. My Fisher build date is March 5th week. Buick probably completed it early April. It is my bet that the battery cable changeover in a GS 455 took place late March early April based on that clip. The other changes must have taken place at later dates. Different plants may have implemented the changes at different times. Below is a picture of the early type clip with Part number next to a later type used with side posts.
Here are some nice original 71 side post cables. Note the positive cable is all red with the block attached where the wiring harness passed through. The starter end has the hook on it so it fits the starter solenoid correctly. It also has a nice bend to fit properly. The reproductions have none of these and are tough to fit. You will also get a black positive cable unless you ask for a red. The negative cable is the very rare 71 only negative with no pig-tail ground. It has a square ground end where the reproduction is round. If you want a nice set of originals find a 71 Electra or Rive. They use the same cables. Youl can also get new termianl screws to help them look new.
Is it true GM went to the side post battery (cable) because they had invented the maintenance free battery (no need to add water) and there was no room on the top for the posts? :idea2: My 1972 Skylark came stock (battery) with side posts.
I think is was more of a saftey issue as the side post batteries used in 71-72 were the same size and had the caps still like the older ones. The maintenance free came much later I believe.
Dave, Do you have any pics of the pos. cable mounted to the wheel well. I don't remember this on my 71 GS. Thanks!
Carl, since my car is apart pictures of the Assembly manual are about the best I can do. I include first the early addition of the assembly manual then the late addition where the negative is removed from the clip.
The continuation of the drawing does not show the clip on the frame but it does in the 350 drawing. All 455 cars I have seen had the frame clip as well. It looks like the 350 changeover happened around the same date.
Anyone needing these clips will have to settle for the later 71 style. They have both black or white versions. The balck is a better piece as the pin is more centered closer to the original. The older style is not available so most restored 70 to early 71 cars do not have the original type on them. Save them if you see them.
Dave, I understand and know the clip on the frame. Here you state "Not only did the cables and battery change but the clips holding the cables to the inner wheel well and frame changed as well". Was there a clip on the inner wheel well, what does it look like and location?
Carl, the piecture from the assembly manual clearly shows the clip on the inner wheel well outlined in green in the first picture of post #6. For a 350 car both cables remained in this clip and was not taken out when the 455 was taken out in the late edition.
Dave, Correct me if I am wrong, but are you inferring that '71 GS455s with the clip on the inner fender are for cars with the '70 type battery cables, and without it means the car had side posts? My '71 GSX has the battery cable clip on the inner fender, with a body build date of 03E, and a date of April 1971 of the blue door decal. My car has all of the original front sheet metal. Thanks, Ken
Ken, You have the exact build date as my Stage-1. 03E.... If you go back and look at my first post it explains there are two different types of clips. They all had clips on the fender well. It depends on the type of clips not the lack of. So if you had triangular clips it was spring ring cables and if oval clips you had side posts. Which type of clips does your car have and are the the same in both places? Does your car have side post original? PM Sent
Hi Ken, pretty cool your car and mine have same build date. Is your car a 455? Really interested what clips and cables your car had on it. I will send my VIN and body tag number just to see how close they are. I will get them tonight. Also any idea what the date code is on your frame? Mine was from way back in August of 70 but is correct part number. It was never changed so is original. Frame part # is on side of frame behind drivers side rear wheel. Here are some other changes in late 71. Wire hook behind brake booster went from metal clip to plastic. Mine has metal. Dashpot on intake is mechanical on mine. Later is electric. Rear License plate Door is black on mine with foldover top to hold plate. Later type was Zinc with no foldover top. Do you have any of those changes? Thanks Dave
