Lucas

[joecurto@aol.com]

I have an author signed copy of the book "Lucas the first 100 Years" which the company commissioned history of Lucas done around 1975. The 1st 50 years were the most interesting auto wise , Lucas used to produce whole car accessory packages , wiring , lamps, door latches, hub caps etc. They spun off the none electrical division into a company called Wilmot Breedon ( Lucas son in Law) as they were getting bad press if a door latch flailed the whole of Lucas company was blamed. Interesting side story was that Lucas had an agreement with Bosch electrical in Germany to get a leg up on the new technology of electric windshield wiper motors , and Bosch also had the patents on Magneto technology which they would not share with Lucas. The British Military WW 1 figured that they would be able to buy aircraft magnetos through Bosch Canada to use in their war planes ( surprise the Germans were not that dumb) If I remember correctly Lucas was also involved with Vanderville Bearings , they made it big pre automobile getting into the emerging field of bicycles at the turn of the last century Joe -----Original Message----- From: motionwear twilson@indy.rr.com> To: mg-tabc mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Fri, Dec 16, 2011 9:55 pm Subject: [mg-tabc] Re: Lucas 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. > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[1939mgtb@comcast.net]

Actually, Lucas parts work well. How many other switches work for 50, 60, 70, 80 years? And, the early ones are usually rebuildable! We have Lucas components in airplanes! If we want to talk about lousy electrical bits.....valeo of France, the old magnet morrelli .... Now, that was weird stuff! Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Rick Waters]

And this is interesting too. A small point here: Wilmot Breeden also made a thermometer to be used in/on automobile radiator caps. Rather than a column indicator, it uses a moving needle to indicate engine coolant temperature. I have one on my TC, and find it very useful. -Rick, TC 7881 in Vancouver,

On 11-12-17 7:30 AM, joecurto@aol.com wrote: > > > I have an author signed copy of the book "Lucas the first 100 Years" > which the company commissioned history of Lucas done around 1975. The > 1st 50 years were the most interesting auto wise , Lucas used to > produce whole car accessory packages , wiring , lamps, door latches, > hub caps etc. They spun off the none electrical division into a > company called Wilmot Breedon ( Lucas son in Law) as they were getting > bad press if a door latch flailed the whole of Lucas company was blamed. > > Interesting side story was that Lucas had an agreement with Bosch > electrical in Germany to get a leg up on the new technology of > electric windshield wiper motors , and Bosch also had the patents on > Magneto technology which they would not share with Lucas. The British > Military WW 1 figured that they would be able to buy aircraft magnetos > through Bosch Canada to use in their war planes ( surprise the Germans > were not that dumb) > > If I remember correctly Lucas was also involved with Vanderville > Bearings , they made it big pre automobile getting into the emerging > field of bicycles at the turn of the last century > > Joe > > -----Original Message----- > From: motionwear twilson@indy.rr.com > > To: mg-tabc mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com > > Sent: Fri, Dec 16, 2011 9:55 pm > Subject: [mg-tabc] Re: Lucas > > 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. > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[pgl]

Good example of this Wilmont Breeden thermometer on the pebble beach winning Daimler Double six Body by Corsica car. Wow what a car! I am sure this was Cruela DeVilles car of 101 Dalmations ! The first volume of Lucas the First Hundred Years is Great read!! Sent from my iPad

On Dec 17, 2011, at 8:10, Rick Waters rwmgtc@shaw.ca> wrote: > And this is interesting too. A small point here: Wilmot Breeden also > made a thermometer to be used in/on automobile radiator caps. Rather > than a column indicator, it uses a moving needle to indicate engine > coolant temperature. > > I have one on my TC, and find it very useful. > > -Rick, TC 7881 in Vancouver, > > On 11-12-17 7:30 AM, joecurto@aol.com wrote: > > > > > > I have an author signed copy of the book "Lucas the first 100 Years" > > which the company commissioned history of Lucas done around 1975. The > > 1st 50 years were the most interesting auto wise , Lucas used to > > produce whole car accessory packages , wiring , lamps, door latches, > > hub caps etc. They spun off the none electrical division into a > > company called Wilmot Breedon ( Lucas son in Law) as they were getting > > bad press if a door latch flailed the whole of Lucas company was blamed. > > > > Interesting side story was that Lucas had an agreement with Bosch > > electrical in Germany to get a leg up on the new technology of > > electric windshield wiper motors , and Bosch also had the patents on > > Magneto technology which they would not share with Lucas. The British > > Military WW 1 figured that they would be able to buy aircraft magnetos > > through Bosch Canada to use in their war planes ( surprise the Germans > > were not that dumb) > > > > If I remember correctly Lucas was also involved with Vanderville > > Bearings , they made it big pre automobile getting into the emerging > > field of bicycles at the turn of the last century > > > > Joe > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: motionwear twilson@indy.rr.com > > > To: mg-tabc mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com > > > Sent: Fri, Dec 16, 2011 9:55 pm > > Subject: [mg-tabc] Re: Lucas > > > > 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. > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[joecurto@aol.com]

Actually Lucas like many manufacturers made excellent quality , long lasting items , remember like most stuff if it is going to fail it will do so in the first year or so, so the stuff we are using today is the stuff that did not break in 1949, Lucas made super heavy duty switches until the late 1960's when they went to rocker switches and sort of re designed their product like and then the fun began , If anyone remembers the electronic ignition system Lucas used in the 1970's which was the OPUS system . It was hard mounted to the distributor got hot like a baked potato and surprise would fail at 50 MPH let it cool down or pour a cup of cold water on it and you were good to go until it got hot again. The replaced it with a GM based module which went on forever Joe -----Original Message----- From: David Thoumine thoumine658@bigpond.com> To: MG tabcgroups MG-tabc@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Fri, Dec 16, 2011 5:47 pm 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]

[Dennis Nelson]

I have owned several British cars, and what I have found is that most of the issues with the electrics boil down to rust and resulting high resistance shorts on the ground connections. On my '86 XJ6, when I got it, I immediately found every ground connection I could find and cleaned them down to bare metal. No problems at all after that. True, the older Lucas switches were typically British products and would easily break, malfunction, etc. One only has to look at Labour dominated, union labor after the war and up to the late 70's to see the shoddy production quality of most automotive products. I have a bumper sticker that reads, "All of the parts falling off of this car are of the finest British quality". (FLAME ON, everyone! This is guaranteed to create bad vibes amongst the true believers in this group - Sorry! ) Dennis TA3074 ________________________________ From: "joecurto@aol.com" joecurto@aol.com> To: thoumine658@bigpond.com; MG-tabc@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 9:48 AM Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] Lucas Actually Lucas like many manufacturers made excellent quality , long lasting items , remember like most stuff if it is going to fail it will do so in the first year or so, so the stuff we are using today is the stuff that did not break in 1949, Lucas made super heavy duty switches until the late 1960's when they went to rocker switches and sort of re designed their product like and then the fun began , If anyone remembers the electronic ignition system Lucas used in the 1970's which was the OPUS system . It was hard mounted to the distributor got hot like a baked potato and surprise would fail at 50 MPH let it cool down or pour a cup of cold water on it and you were good to go until it got hot again. The replaced it with a GM based module which went on forever Joe -----Original Message----- From: David Thoumine thoumine658@bigpond.com> To: MG tabcgroups MG-tabc@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Fri, Dec 16, 2011 5:47 pm 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]

[Stephen D Stierman]

I suspect the items Lucas made after the war that are on my TC were made by the same union workers who made the rocker switches on my late 60's Morgan. There is no comparison and if you have ever taken one apart you will see that. The people who designed those switches were engineers and likely non union and I would suspect the quality control folk and the managers who accepted the products weren't either, nor were the bean counters who tried to cut every penny out them they could, not that their union membership or lack there of has anything to do with it. The UAW didn't design the Chevy Vega either for that matter. Steve

--- On Mon, 12/19/11, Dennis Nelson dennis.nelson6@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Dennis Nelson dennis.nelson6@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] Lucas To: "joecurto@aol.com" joecurto@aol.com>, "thoumine658@bigpond.com" thoumine658@bigpond.com>, "MG-tabc@yahoogroups.com" MG-tabc@yahoogroups.com> Date: Monday, December 19, 2011, 11:57 AM I have owned several British cars, and what I have found is that most of the issues with the electrics boil down to rust and resulting high resistance shorts on the ground connections. On my '86 XJ6, when I got it, I immediately found every ground connection I could find and cleaned them down to bare metal. No problems at all after that. True, the older Lucas switches were typically British products and would easily break, malfunction, etc. One only has to look at Labour dominated, union labor after the war and up to the late 70's to see the shoddy production quality of most automotive products. I have a bumper sticker that reads, "All of the parts falling off of this car are of the finest British quality". (FLAME ON, everyone! This is guaranteed to create bad vibes amongst the true believers in this group - Sorry! ) Dennis TA3074 ________________________________ From: "joecurto@aol.com" joecurto@aol.com> To: thoumine658@bigpond.com; MG-tabc@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 9:48 AM Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] Lucas Actually Lucas like many manufacturers made excellent quality , long lasting items , remember like most stuff if it is going to fail it will do so in the first year or so, so the stuff we are using today is the stuff that did not break in 1949, Lucas made super heavy duty switches until the late 1960's when they went to rocker switches and sort of re designed their product like and then the fun began , If anyone remembers the electronic ignition system Lucas used in the 1970's which was the OPUS system . It was hard mounted to the distributor got hot like a baked potato and surprise would fail at 50 MPH let it cool down or pour a cup of cold water on it and you were good to go until it got hot again. The replaced it with a GM based module which went on forever Joe -----Original Message----- From: David Thoumine thoumine658@bigpond.com> To: MG tabcgroups MG-tabc@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Fri, Dec 16, 2011 5:47 pm 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] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[SCOTT BARROW]

Everyone jokes about Lucas components, but I, for one, am gratefull for the fitment of same on MG's. In my youth I was often able to purchase MGAs and other models that their owners had given up on after shorting the red tail lamps wire by trying to clean the bulb contacts with the light switch on! The price was often $25-$50 each. Cheerio, Scott

[joecurto@aol.com]

I actually agree , there are some bad stuff out there but to survive 50-60 years the stuff had to have been decent quality to start. Actually I believe that it is an engineering philosophy, back then things were not designed good enough level. Bosch , Delco and others make parts that would be considered heavy duty today Joe -----Original Message----- From: SCOTT BARROW srb913@comcast.net> To: joecurto joecurto@aol.com> Cc: thoumine658 thoumine658@bigpond.com>; MG-tabc MG-tabc@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Mon, Dec 19, 2011 4:46 pm Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] Lucas Everyone jokes about Lucas components, but I, for one, am gratefull for the itment of same on MG's. In my youth I was often able to purchase MGAs and ther models that their owners had given up on after shorting the red tail lamps ire by trying to clean the bulb contacts with the light switch on! The price as often $25-$50 each. heerio, cott [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[mcnarryjr mcnarryjr]

I have been driving vehicles with Lucas equipment since the mid 1960's. In every case that a wiring problem occurred it was due to high resistance connections and or poor grounds. The quality of switches etc is on par with any other manufacture of the same time period and better than some. Like most things they aren't difficult if you take the time to understand them. It seems a lot of folks just threw their hands up when it came to + earth. General motors built GMC with "+" ground and Chev with "-" in the late 40's and early 50's. How come we never hear of people bitchin' about the blankety blank GMC "+" ground? It seems our beloved cars and Lucas are just plain fun to tease. By the way the fuel injectors in my Ford Powerstroke are Lucas badged and they have not been touched for 400,000 kilometers about 10,000 hours running. That's about 600,000,000 cycles given averaged rpm. Not Bad Lucas! John McNarry TC6338 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]