I was thinking about the Interstate MTP-91 which got good critics here
on the list. But it's somewhat larger than the group 41 (42 ?) and as
I have a Westy it might be difficult to get it in with the swivel
seat. So far the battery has recovered and it starts up again w/o
needing a jump start. I got a solar panel to keep it charged and hope
that will get me by.

Thanks

On Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 3:22 PM, Costello, James L<jlcostello@kpmg.ca> wrote:
> Hi Karl,
>
> I also have an '81, and I did some mods to the battery to make the whole
> deal fit. �The Starter battery compartment is very small, and only fits
> 1 type of battery I believe, and I could only find it at Napa. �It's the
> 58R/42-6 Model there. �I actually bent back the sides of the compartment
> to fit the battery and then bend them back in place to screw the cover
> back on. The camping battery under the driver's seat is the same size,
> so you are stuck with using another car battery.
>
> I decided that a crummy starter battery will not power my needs while
> camping, so I picked up a Deep cycle Gel Marine battery from Costco, and
> wired it into the Cabinet under the sink. �I bored a 1" diameter hole
> through the battery compartment and ran all new wiring through to the
> battery. �I also put that battery in an RV watertight case, so that when
> my sink leaks, or my water pump explodes (again) right beside it, the
> battery won't be ruined.
>
> The relay between the 2 batteries still sits in the casing under the
> driver's seat, but now I have a solid camping battery to power
> everything I need!
>
> Hopefully this helps a bit.
>
>
> James Costello
> "Van Halen"
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of Karl Ploessl
> Sent: Friday, July 24, 2009 7:23 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: size of battery compartment
>
> did the size of the battery compartment change from year '81 to '89? I
> am asking because I need a new battery and all the suggestions I found
> in the mails were for newer vanagons.
>
> --
> Karl
> 1981 VW Westy "Jenny"
> 2000 VW Jetta GLS VR6
> Wilmington, DE
> ************************************************************************
> The information in this email is confidential and may be legally
> privileged. It is intended solely for the addressee. Access to this
> email by anyone else is unauthorized.
>
> If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying,
> distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance
> on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. When addressed to our
> clients any opinions or advice contained in this email are subject
> to the terms and conditions expressed in the governing KPMG client
> engagement contract.
> ************************************************************************
>

-- 
Karl
1981 VW Westy "Jenny"
2000 VW Jetta GLS VR6
Wilmington, DE