The New Hotness

Although automobile batteries have “standard” sizes designated by BCI Group numbers, this Group 34R Sears Diehard battery was about an inch shorter than the previous one:

It arrived with a plastic grid embossed with the helpful notation “Use this height adapter under battery if necessary”, but I figured lower was better. A little bending, two snippets of mouse pad (remember mouse pads?), and a section of white plastic rod faced off / drilled on the lathe anchored it flat on the platform with no wiggle room at all.

With any luck, that’s the last battery the van will ever need…