430 Antigravity battery on 430 Scuderia

I picked up an Antigravity battery for my Scud during the Black Friday sale and finally got around to installing it. The battery model is H6/Group-48 60Ah which is roughly a 30 pound saving over the stock Optima red top.

You will need the battery tray from a F430 to use the Antigravity battery due to the dimensions of the Antigravity battery being different from the Optima red top. The Scud battery tray has a backplate with concave recesses to fit the shape of the Optima red top which causes the AG battery to sit too far forward. With the standard F430 battery tray, the AG battery bolted up with no issues.

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The perfect compliment to a scud’s lightweight philosophy.

 

Agreed! Every little bit helps.

 

So want to do this

 

This was one of my favorite mods. Getting the Bluetooth monitor is worth it if you didn’t get it at the same time.

 

I do have the Bluetooth monitor! I had the setup on my Gt3 and had to make sure the scud had it as well.

 

thoughts on 60 vs 40ah?
how much was it on black friday?

 

They had a 15% sale off their batteries on Black Friday.

I chose the 60 aH for the extra cranking amps over the small weight savings.

 

A bluetooth battery monitor is something everyone should consider. They are only $20 on eBay and have a number of useful features through the app.

 

Dam, I just changed the battery on my 16M a couple weeks ago. Should have done this.

How much was the 430 tray? Any issues swapping it in? Does it easily attach to the black fold down panel?

I assume you no longer need the center bottom bracket?

 

Eurospares had a used 430 tray for $250. The tray is a direct bolt on and attaches to the fold down panel with no issues. Yes, you no longer use the center bottom bracket.

 

Eurospares was where I obtained my used F430 battery tray as well. After three leaking Optima red top AGMs in a row, it was time to move on. Two years ago I made the move to an Interstate AGM from Costco, and no issues. It was puzzling why Ferrari designed the Scuderia battery tray to only fit an Optima battery...the standard tray would have accepted an Optima just fine. They made it so ONLY an Optima would fit. Otherwise you would have to cut and trim the rear most portion to accept a regular battery.

 

4.4lbs including terminals.



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Thanks, All, for the Bluetooth battery monitor suggestion. Just purchased one today. Will install when I get a new battery during the spring annual for my 360. Have never heard of it prior.

 

quick question for all those that installed an antigravity battery, do you guys still run a trickler charger to it when the car is in storage?

 

Mine has sat over a month with zero issues and almost no drop. I would put it on one regardless if storing for more than 3-4 weeks. Also, the bluetooth battery monitor makes it super easy to check the condition.

 

If the car isn't being driven for a week or more, then yes, I use the specific CTEK made for Lithium batteries with a Ferrari adapter so it plugs into the special connector under the passenger side. In general, the battery won't drop below 13V if you leave it unplugged for a week or so, but why risk killing the battery accidentally? I keep it charged.

 

Regardless of chemistry type, the car will still require a battery tender of the appropriate type when sitting more than 3 or 4 weeks. Going to a lithium battery does not magically fix the parasitic draw the car has. And with these low amp hour batteries you have less reserve capacity, so more of a reason to use the battery tender.

 

Can you spare a fellow scudist some part #s, grazie mille!

 

And oh, anyone looking to do this upgrade, just a heads up, be prepared to pay $900 USD for a brand new F430 plate! I searched high and low but did not manage to find a used one or any other option remotely near the $2-300 price point from 2024.

 

Or you can get a smaller lithium battery and keep the Scud tray.

 

I bought a used one from Eurospares...but it would not be hard to take the 430 Scuderia battery tray and have the back edge trimmed at a metal shop so it could accomodate a standard H6 Group 48 size battery like the F430 battery tray.

 

I use lead acids on my cars but I run lithium on my motorcycles and can confirm, they do run dead flat (eventually), and when it happens, it really sucks to recover more than a traditional battery which you can somewhat brute force a recharge. So a small trickle charger with a lithium setting is worth it.

 

What size fits? I know most of the internal space in the case for the Antigravity batteries is empty space, so a smaller physical size battery that fits the stock tray should make no difference to the car other than not requiring Scud owners to swap out their battery tray. Disclaimer: I have a 2009 F430, not Scud, so this question is for other people, not me.

 

Check a few posts up. I posted pics of the model used on my car. So whatever size that model is…