New '88 classic. How does one connect a new battery with terminals that have a screw on top of it. I've never seen it before and the pep boys guy was puzzled too. It's easy enough to get a replacement negative (-) wire/connector but i still have to deal with the positive. Even the screw on top is so short that it barely reaches the battery pole. Does one put a hole on the terminal? Do I need a longer screw? There's no way to tighten the connector onto the battery terminal otherwise . So sorry if this has been asked before....I did try to search. Thank you.

 

Can you exchange the battery for the right style? If not I thought I saw an adapter at Advance Auto that could handle the issue.

 

early mini had a lead cast cap that was screwed onto the Batt terminal these can be cut or melted off and a modern terminal fitted

 

Thank you so much for your replies. I guess they're called "helmet type", appropriately so, and they're supposed to have self-tapping screws on top...as I said, the ones on mine seemed too short. I'll check advance auto and/or other options.

 

as said above

 

You could try a slightly longer or fatter self-tapping screw for now.
But in reality the helmets were never a very reliable connection - you're much better off with a clamp type terminal.

 

I learn something new about Mini all the time ... never heard of or saw this 'screw' type cable connector but did some digging and shazam there it is.

Assuming you have some cable length to play with I'd cut off that connector and replace with a clamp type available at any parts store for a few dollars. When my car arrived from UK, a 79 I got back in 04, it already had a standard clamp type