Hi all I was having a look in the battery (as opposed to ‘Batter’ - just can’t figure out how to edit the subject line !!) compartment on my 1979 308 GTB. The battery touches the anti-roll bar, which I am assuming can’t be right. I did some googling, and as per usual this forum came up trumps with a thread on battery size - but this suggested the battery I have is the correct size (a Group 34/78 sized battery). I guess it could be that the ‘feet’ on the base of the battery (a Bosch S4 007) are just not right for the car - they protrude a little, preventing it from moving closer to the front of the car, but I just wanted to check I wasn’t missing something. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
BCI Group 34 and BCI Group 78 batteries are similar but not identical. Both groups of batteries share the same footprint, meaning they have the same length, width, and height dimensions, allowing them to fit in the same battery compartments. However, there are differences in their terminal placements: BCI Group 34 batteries typically have top SAE terminals. BCI Group 78 batteries typically have Side terminals.
I think it would be more accurate to say that 308 Owners have found that a Group 34 battery can fit OK -- but the stock 308 battery is not a Group 34 (it's a smaller euro size battery that is probably obsolete now). The Bosch S4 size battery that you've selected is in the same ballpark size as a Group 34, but it's actually about 2 mm wider, and has "feet" that stick out like you noted; whereas, a Group 34 has notches that go into the battery along the front and back bottom edges to act as the feet. Have a look at some images of a Group 34 battery, and you'll see what I mean. You may need to get an actual Group 34 battery, and not something that is just sort of close.
