Original Battery?

[fljjmarz]

I need to replace the battery that came in my car when I got it, as it doesn’t seem to hold a charge any longer.,

I’ve been trying to keep everything on my car as original, or as closet to original as possible. 

 

Does anyone know what the original brand battery was that came in a 1975 model year?

 

If someone has a picture of an original engine bay showing the battery, that would help, because if I can’t get the original battery I could at least get one that look similar.

Thanks in advance.

 

Frank

[esty]

some reading....

 

https://www.bmw2002faq.com/forums/topic/119388-ultimate-battery-guide-for-future-generations-of-faqers/

[jimk]

2 hours ago, fljjmarz said:

what the original brand battery was

BMW supplied Varta in my car, but finding one might be a challenge.

[Mike Self]

The OEM battery on my '69 was indeed a Varta--but I don't think the size is available any more.  

 

mike

[fljjmarz]

Thanks for the quick replies guys.

Thanks for the link esty, 

I did a search before posting my question, and came across the thread listed above, but didn't think it answered my original battery question...I must have just missed it.

 

[Conserv]

At some point, perhaps with the advent of the square taillight era, batteries seemed to have switched from Varta to Berga.  Here's the original Berga card that came with my '76, manufactured April 23, 1976.  If you live in Europe, you might check for both brands.  If you live in the U.S., I suspect you'll find neither brand in a useful size and period-appropriate appearances.  (And no one appears eager to ship car batteries internationally:  I looked into it.)  A Bosch battery -- available in recent years -- might be your best "appropriately-German" option.

 

The last three photos below are of a totaled Sienabraun 1974 2002A I parted in 1976(?).  I'm pretty confident that's the original battery and, even in my low-resolution photos, it's clearly marked "Berga".

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

Edited August 21, 2017 by Conserv

[Buckeye]

42 minutes ago, Conserv said:

photos are of a totaled Sienabraun 1974 2002A I parted in 1976(?).

 

It hurts me looking at this photo

Edited August 20, 2017 by Buckeye

[fljjmarz]

It doesn’t look like either the Verta or Berga batteries are available in the US.

I do like the idea of using the German Bosch battery, at least it looks like it may have come with the car, thanks for the suggestion Steve.

In the thread that esty posted above, I noticed that people are using a few different battery sizes/groups (Group 26R, Group 42, Group 47), and was wondering what size fits the best?

Any information on which Group/Size fits best would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again to everyone who replied.

Frank

[Conserv]

21 minutes ago, fljjmarz said:

It doesn’t look like either the Verta or Berga batteries are available in the US.

I do like the idea of using the German Bosch battery, at least it looks like it may have come with the car, thanks for the suggestion Steve.

In the thread that esty posted above, I noticed that people are using a few different battery sizes/groups (Group 26R, Group 42, Group 47), and was wondering what size fits the best?

Any information on which Group/Size fits best would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again to everyone who replied.

Frank

 

Tii's/ti's have a smaller battery tray, and less available space, thanks to their tii/ti-only brake boosters.  They need to have a Group 26R.  But the non-tii/ti cars have measurably more space.  I believe a Group 47 is the original size but people have often fitted even larger batteries, to gain amp-hour capacity.  I'm currently running an Interstate MT-47 in the '76. The "inappropriately-green" factory top has been painted black to minimize the strident and non-stock appearance.

 

Up until recent years, BMW was still selling a replacement battery for the non-tii/ti cars.  It had that wonderful, typically German, white/almost translucent case perfect for a German car.  But I believe there are no more '02 batteries from BMW, at least not when I last checked.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

Edited August 20, 2017 by Conserv

[esty]

20 minutes ago, fljjmarz said:

 wondering what size fits the best?

 

which Group/Size fits best would be greatly appreciated.

 

Frank

https://www.bmwcca.org/forum/index.php?threads/correct-battery-size-group-for-a-tii-21r-22r-26r.8884/

 

https://www.autobatteries.com/en-us/car-battery-finder?year=1972&make=BMW&model=2002tii&engine=L4-2.0L&find=find

[fljjmarz]

Thanks for the fast replies, and the links!

According to esty’s autobatteries.com link, the group 42 looks like it is the fit for my car.

Appreciate all the help guys.

Frank 

['76mintgrün'02]

1 hour ago, Conserv said:

The "inappropriately-green" factory top has been painted black to minimize the strident and non-stock appearance.

In spite of my love of the color grun, I wholeheartedly approve of this  

Edited August 20, 2017 by '76mintgrun'02

[fljjmarz]

Thanks for all the help guys.

I decided to call my local BMW dealer and I purchased their battery.

Part number # 61 21 2 353 803

$145

[John_in_VA]

4 hours ago, fljjmarz said:

I decided to call my local BMW dealer and I purchased their battery.

Part number # 61 21 2 353 803

 

With the 9/17 sticker, it appears to have been made it the future!

[Simeon]

54 minutes ago, John_in_VA said:

 

With the 9/17 sticker, it appears to have been made it the future!

 

Pretty sure that's when it would need it's first charge in storage. Probably a year since manufacture. The actual date of manufacturing is usually a code of letters and numbers.