Lucas

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Dave Abramson
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2002 8:47 am

Re: Lucas

Post by Dave Abramson » Wed Mar 18, 2009 6:47 am

Hi John, I had not really had any problems either until about a month ago..... I was driving my 67' MGB-GT one evening when suddenly.....without warning.... All the dash illumination went dark! I just laughed as I kept driving.... The Prince got me....... finally! Dave in warm Ca. USA -----Original Message----- From: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [mailto:mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of john Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 6:18 PM To: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com Subject: [mg-tabc] Lucas It has really been fun raggin' on Lucas products. I have enjoyed the roast as much as any of you. However... I have been driving Lucas "powered" machines for 50 years and have never had any serious problems. Sorry gang, the king of darkness ain't all as bad as it's reputation. Having said that, tomorrow everything will probably shut down....... LOL -- John Taylor [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

recon6060@aol.com
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:29 am

Re: Lucas

Post by recon6060@aol.com » Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:54 am

This is not Lucas related but about 20 years ago I was driving my 1978 Z-28 up to Watkins Glenn at about 1:00 AM in the morning. The electric power kept spiking up, the volt meter would go way up and the headlights would get real bright. I was concerned that I would blow out the headlights and not be able to see so I pulled over, loosened the belt to the alternator and drove on. It was fine with a little slip in the belt. Now the sad part is I drove the car that way for 4 more years till I sold it. Still working fine with a loose belt. Ed In a message dated 3/18/2009 9:47:44 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, davea@symbolicdisplays.com writes: Hi John, I had not really had any problems either until about a month ago..... I was driving my 67' MGB-GT one evening when suddenly....I was dr warning.... All the dash illumination went dark! I just laughed as I kept driving.... The Prince got me....... finally! Dave in warm Ca. USA -----Original Message----- From: _mg-tabc@yahoogroupsmg-t_ (mailto:mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com) [mailto:_mg-tabc@yahoogroupsmg-t_ (mailto:mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com) ]On Behalf Of john Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 6:18 PM To: _mg-tabc@yahoogroupsmg-t_ (mailto:mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com) Subject: [mg-tabc] Lucas It has really been fun raggin' on Lucas products. I have enjoyed the roast as much as any of you. However... I have been driving Lucas "powered" machines for 50 years and have never had any serious problems. Sorry gang, the king of darkness ain't all as bad as it's reputation. Having said that, tomorrow everything will probably shut down....... LOL -- John Taylor [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] **************Great Deals on Dell 15" Laptops - Starting at $479 (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1220433363x1201394532/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fad.doub leclick.net%2Fclk%3B212935224%3B34245239%3Bb) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

MGLeckstein
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 4:19 am

Re: Lucas

Post by MGLeckstein » Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:08 am

Fuse? Bad ground? -----Original Message----- From: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [mailto:mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dave Abramson Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 9:47 AM To: 'john' Cc: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [mg-tabc] Lucas Hi John, I had not really had any problems either until about a month ago..... I was driving my 67' MGB-GT one evening when suddenly.....without warning.... All the dash illumination went dark! I just laughed as I kept driving.... The Prince got me....... finally! Dave in warm Ca. USA -----Original Message----- From: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [mailto:mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of john Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 6:18 PM To: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com Subject: [mg-tabc] Lucas It has really been fun raggin' on Lucas products. I have enjoyed the roast as much as any of you. However... I have been driving Lucas "powered" machines for 50 years and have never had any serious problems. Sorry gang, the king of darkness ain't all as bad as it's reputation. Having said that, tomorrow everything will probably shut down....... LOL -- John Taylor [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links

John Seim
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2000 2:12 pm

Re: Lucas

Post by John Seim » Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:23 am

That condition generally is corrosion in the fuse box. A simple cleaning with some steel wool, and contact cleaner should solve the problem. John Seim Irvine, CA
On Mar 18, 2009, at 9:08 AM, MGLeckstein wrote: > Fuse? Bad ground? > > -----Original Message----- > From: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [mailto:mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com] On > Behalf Of > Dave Abramson > Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 9:47 AM > To: 'john' > Cc: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com > Subject: RE: [mg-tabc] Lucas > > Hi John, > > I had not really had any problems either until about a month ago..... > > I was driving my 67' MGB-GT one evening when suddenly.....without > warning.... > > All the dash illumination went dark! I just laughed as I kept > driving.... > > The Prince got me....... finally! > > Dave in warm Ca. USA > > > -----Original Message----- > From: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [mailto:mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com]On > Behalf Of > john > Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 6:18 PM > To: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [mg-tabc] Lucas > > > It has really been fun raggin' on Lucas products. I have enjoyed the > roast as much as any of you. > However... I have been driving Lucas "powered" machines for 50 years > and have never had any serious problems. Sorry gang, the king of > darkness ain't all as bad as it's reputation. > Having said that, tomorrow everything will probably shut down....... > LOL > > -- > John Taylor > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >

cliffknight@tiscali.co.uk
Posts: 0
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:43 pm

Re: Lucas

Post by cliffknight@tiscali.co.uk » Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:33 pm

Way back in 1962 I went to the Lucas works in Birmingham as a 17 year old looking for university sponsorship for an Engineering Degree. They been told about transistors and had an idea that their thermal automobile switches and voltage regulators could be made cheaper so were looking for new potential researchers. At that time, even to me as a rookie, their works and designs looked like something from my fathers generation. I eventually took sponsorship from ICL (UK's embryonic computer company). Not long after that period Lucas merged and regrouped. What a shame that a company who had pioneered so much in cycle and motor car electrics from 1872 should loose their innovation and world lead. At least for us their simple technology is easier to understand and repair than that found on modern cars. Cliff ----Original Message---- From: jgood67mgb@comcast.net Date: 19/03/2009 18:30 To: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com> Subj: [mg-tabc] TC gas cap and Lucas Greetings Group, I, too, have had good experiences with ancient Lucas bits over the years. A recent example: My 57 MGA was stored in a car collectors' garage and didn't move or run for more than 20 years before my purchase in 2006. The brakes were stuck to the drums, so a test drive wasn't happening but the seller did put a used battery in it to prove that it would at least run. It rode on a trailer to my house where much mechanical refurbishment ensued. I discovered that during its long sleep, mud dabber wasps slowly and meticulously, filled the generator full of mud and wasp carcasses until it was packed tight. The seller had installed the used battery backwards (negative ground on a positive ground car), and yet the 49 year old Lucas bits worked just fine. I think if my BMW alternator was full of mud and the battery leads reversed, it would go down, down, down in a burnin' ring of fire. I've been trying to determine the parts assembly sequence for my TC gas cap. Attached to the chrome cap is a large cupped disk and a smaller cupped disk. Seems like a thick cork gasket sandwiched between the cupped washers is called for. Where does the gasket go and what does the gasket look like? I received a thin paper gasket from Moss but it doesn't look up to the task. Thanks in advance. Jim Goodwin, "No, it's not a kit car" in Colorado Springs [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Get 25 off a case of wine - http://www.tiscali.co.uk/members/wine __________________________________________ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

joecurto@aol.com
Posts: 313
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2000 3:42 am

Re: Lucas

Post by joecurto@aol.com » Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:57 pm

One of the more interesting books I have read was a 2 volume set " Lucas the First 100 Years" Now I must admit the first 50 were the most interesting , If you read between the lines the founder Joseph P himself was a bit of a wanderer and made and sold ships lanterns called a "Tom Bolling " lamp they were oil fed and once his son was old enough he ran the company and Sr. hit the road. It went on to talk about Lucas being in the lead of bicycle accessories and how important the new bicycle was transportation wise . And how prior to WW1 had done a merger with Bosche to get the secrets of making electric wiper motors. One funny thing was that on the eve of WW1 Bosche had the advanced technology to make aircraft Magnetos, the British military was not worried as they thought they could buy ther magnetos from Bosche Canada, well that did not happen. There was also the relationship with Lucas and the company Wilmot Breedon maker of our crappy door catches as well as other auto trim accessories. Lucas actually supplied entire car packages of electrics, door handles and trim, well it appears that the good name of Lucas was being tarred with the same brush if a door handle broke or a chrome ashtray broke so the spun off the accessory company to a son inlaw ( Wilmot or Breedon) and then was able to keep the name of Lucas "clean" I believe it was published in or around 1976 for the=2 0100th anniversary of the company I have a collectiuon of various British signs one of which is a Lucas sign painted on glass with a plaster frame. I got it at Beaulieu years ago for 10 pounds it was real scruffy and the vender sort of pushed it on me but once cleaned up it is super, I was told it was from the 1920's Joe -----Original Message----- From: cliffknight@tiscali.co.uk cliffknight@tiscali.co.uk> To: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 3:11 pm Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] Lucas Way back in 1962 I went to the Lucas works in Birmingham as a 17 year old looking for university sponsorship for an Engineering Degree. They been told about transistors and had an idea that their thermal automobile switches and voltage regulators could be made cheaper so were looking for new potential researchers. At that time, even to me as a rookie, their works and designs looked like something from my fathers generation. I eventually took sponsorship from ICL (UK's embryonic computer company). Not long after that period Lucas merged and regrouped. What a shame that a company who had pioneered so much in cycle and motor car electrics from 1872 should loose their innovation and world lead. At least for us their simple technology is easier to understand and repair than that found on modern cars. Cliff ----Original Message---- From: jgood67mgb@comcast.net Date: 19/03/2009=2 018:30 To: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com> Subj: [mg-tabc] TC gas cap and Lucas Greetings Group, I, too, have had good experiences with ancient Lucas bits over the years. A recent example: My 57 MGA was stored in a car collectors' garage and didn't move or run for more than 20 years before my purchase in 2006. The brakes were stuck to the drums, so a test drive wasn't happening but the seller did put a used battery in it to prove that it would at least run. It rode on a trailer to my house where much mechanical refurbishment ensued. I discovered that during its long sleep, mud dabber wasps slowly and meticulously, filled the generator full of mud and wasp carcasses until it was packed tight. The seller had installed the used battery backwards (negative ground on a positive ground car), and yet the 49 year old Lucas bits worked just fine. I think if my BMW alternator was full of mud and the battery leads reversed, it would go down, down, down in a burnin' ring of fire. I've been trying to determine the parts assembly sequence for my TC gas cap.. Attached to the chrome cap is a large cupped disk and a smaller cupped disk. Seems like a thick cork gasket sandwiched between the cupped washers is called for. Where does the gasket go and what does the gasket look like? I received a thin paper gasket from Moss but it doesn't look up to the task. Thanks in advance. Jim Goodwin, "No, it's not a kit car" in Colorado Springs [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Get 25 off a case of wine - http://www.tiscali.co.uk/members/wine __________________________________________ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

david thoumine
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:11 pm

Lucas

Post by david thoumine » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:47 pm

I refer to the latest denigrate of Joseph Lucas Industries. Have you heard the one about how MG, Jaguar, Morris,Riley, Austin,Rover, Land Rover, just to mention a few great British Marques all fitted Joseph Lucas switches, lights, dynamo's, starter motors so on. Where would we be without Joseph Lucas, what type of electrical equipment would we use?. or How Lucas industries contributed to the 39-45 war effort. Oh I forgot to mention Rolls-Royce and Bentley used Lucas parts! David Thoumine Down under TC with all Lucas electrical parts some original and the car is a 1949 vintage say's something for Lucas Parts! TC 7732 with XPAG 8617.

George Wolf
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 3:26 pm

Re: Lucas

Post by George Wolf » Fri Dec 16, 2011 3:56 pm

Most of the Italian car makers used some Lucas equipment, as did Volvo. Oh, yeah, Lucas Aerospace developed and supplied parts for aircraft from before WWII to present day, including the Concorde and military planes. Joseph Lucas, who has been blamed for nearly every electrical fault in any British car, and who is widely believed to have said, "Gentlemen do not go about motoring in the dark.", actually died in 1902, before autos were electrified. He provided kerosene and carbide lamps for bicycles, carriages, and early autos while he ran the company. The big expansion came after WWI under the leadership of his sons. Lucas was one of the most successful of British corporations. Now only small pieces remain, the enterprise having succumbed to British Leyland's ruinous mismanagement of the British auto industry. Merry Christmas! George Wolf TC3452 From: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [mailto:mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of David Thoumine Sent: Friday, December 16, 2011 5:40 PM To: MG tabcgroups Subject: [mg-tabc] Lucas I refer to the latest denigrate of Joseph Lucas Industries. Have you heard the one about how MG, Jaguar, Morris,Riley, Austin,Rover, Land Rover, just to mention a few great British Marques all fitted Joseph Lucas switches, lights, dynamo's, starter motors so on. Where would we be without Joseph Lucas, what type of electrical equipment would we use?. or How Lucas industries contributed to the 39-45 war effort. Oh I forgot to mention Rolls-Royce and Bentley used Lucas parts! David Thoumine Down under TC with all Lucas electrical parts some original and the car is a 1949 vintage say's something for Lucas Parts! TC 7732 with XPAG 8617. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

LAWRENCE A LECLERC
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2004 8:04 am

Re: Lucas

Post by LAWRENCE A LECLERC » Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:09 pm

George (w/ tongue in cheek) Lucas is not exactly in "small pieces". Lucas Aerospace has a plant here in North Dakota which , the last time I was aware, was making sub-assemblies for 747's To: thoumine658@bigpond.com; MG-tabc@yahoogroups.com From: britishautospecialty@charter.net Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:56:35 -0500 Subject: RE: [mg-tabc] Lucas Most of the Italian car makers used some Lucas equipment, as did Volvo. Oh, yeah, Lucas Aerospace developed and supplied parts for aircraft from before WWII to present day, including the Concorde and military planes. Joseph Lucas, who has been blamed for nearly every electrical fault in any British car, and who is widely believed to have said, "Gentlemen do not go about motoring in the dark.", actually died in 1902, before autos were electrified. He provided kerosene and carbide lamps for bicycles, carriages, and early autos while he ran the company. The big expansion came after WWI under the leadership of his sons. Lucas was one of the most successful of British corporations. Now only small pieces remain, the enterprise having succumbed to British Leyland's ruinous mismanagement of the British auto industry. Merry Christmas! George Wolf TC3452 From: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [mailto:mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of David Thoumine Sent: Friday, December 16, 2011 5:40 PM To: MG tabcgroups Subject: [mg-tabc] Lucas I refer to the latest denigrate of Joseph Lucas Industries. Have you heard the one about how MG, Jaguar, Morris,Riley, Austin,Rover, Land Rover, just to mention a few great British Marques all fitted Joseph Lucas switches, lights, dynamo's, starter motors so on. Where would we be without Joseph Lucas, what type of electrical equipment would we use?. or How Lucas industries contributed to the 39-45 war effort. Oh I forgot to mention Rolls-Royce and Bentley used Lucas parts! David Thoumine Down under TC with all Lucas electrical parts some original and the car is a 1949 vintage say's something for Lucas Parts! TC 7732 with XPAG 8617. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

motionwear
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:10 pm

Re: Lucas

Post by motionwear » Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:55 pm

As MG and the Nuffield car companies were just starting to make cars again after WWII, Lucas announced across the board price increases. Very problematic for Nuffield and they became frustrated with Lucas; going so far as to look for a replacement vendor. Ultimately Miles Thomas and Lord Nuffield met with the Lucas brothers and worked the pricing out. It appears from the papers I have studied that Lucas drove a hard bargain and worked diligently to dominate their market. Tom Wilson
--- In mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com, "David Thoumine" wrote: > > I refer to the latest denigrate of Joseph Lucas Industries. > > Have you heard the one about how MG, Jaguar, Morris,Riley, Austin,Rover, > Land Rover, just to mention a few great British Marques all fitted Joseph > Lucas switches, lights, dynamo's, starter motors so on. Where would we be > without Joseph Lucas, what type of electrical equipment would we use?. or > How Lucas industries contributed to the 39-45 war effort. > Oh I forgot to mention Rolls-Royce and Bentley used Lucas parts! > > David Thoumine > Down under > > TC with all Lucas electrical parts some original and the car is a 1949 > vintage say's something for Lucas Parts! > TC 7732 with XPAG 8617. >

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