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MG TD TF 1500 - Lucas poster

Ebay# 200699061663 Pretty funny!
George Butz

That is funny.
Tom Maine (TD8105)

I just bought two, one for me, one for my brother who has a TF-1500. They'll look good in the garages. Maybe he has more.
Al
1954 TF, Emma
A W Parker

I also agree that it is cute, but I am somewhat against perpetuating a negative view of Lucas. Like any other company, they have had issues, but from my experience, not any more than any other manufacturer.

My 67 BGT is running all original Lucas systems with the exception of replacing the lucas generator with a lucas alternator. Original wiring and all else is running just fine. In all the MG's I have had, yes, I have had to replace a starter or a generator, but I consider that as to be expected. Have the same issue with older american and Japanese cars I have owned
Bruce Cunha

Bruce makes a good point, right now my Dodge Dakota is giving me more problems than the TF ever did. At least with Lucas I can understand what the system "should" be doing and fix it! Not that lucky with a truck that just dies for no(aperant)reason and then won't start for anywhere from 5 minutes to 5 hours later. Who's bright idea was it to put all these computers and sensors in cars anyway?
But it is a funny poster, and would look nice next to my jar of Lucas wireing harness replacement smoke.
David Sheward

my experience has been the connectors used in the MG electrical system are poor, the components themselves have been very reliable...but having said that...this reputation must have an origin in early service experiences and from the volume of stories it must have been on a grand scale.
regards, tom
tom peterson

"Like any other company, they have had issues, but from my experience, not any more than any other manufacturer."
Really?
I've noticed many Lucal components are just barely able to handle their job,not very stout or overbuilt.
Trace the wiring in a British car. The hot side of the circuit has 20 feet of wire, passing through three or four very poor connectors,then to complete the circuit on the ground side there is another seven feet, going through a few more connectors to a central ground somewhere, far far away from the component. Remember, DC current does not like to travel far.
And... Many sections of the harness have NO FUSE!

It is a good thing it is not wet in England or... Oh, wait. Nevermind.
At least Lucas electrics giave our cars character and personality.
D. Sander

I'm actually quite fond of those sturdy old bullet connectors (not very please with the set screw connectors in instruments, though). They've lasted 6 long decades and maybe need a wiggle now and then; they sure beat those rat nests of twisted wires and electrical tape from previous owners.

A large percentage of new car plastic connectors break when disassembling and easily corrode in a decade, particularly in wet/salty environments.

Dave,
You might get back to basics and clean every ground wire you can find, especially engine to chassis. I recently bought a sharp looking Honda cheap, only a decade old, that refused to run- just bad ground connections! I wire wheeled the terminals on that engine-chassis cable, removed the bracket and engine/trans bolts, wire wheeled those, too and the trans housing, and it still wouldn't ground until the paint was ground off of the chassis.
Jim Northrup

The Lucas humor does date back a few years and was well deserved. My college friend's MGB (last of the chrome bumpered ones)had many Lucas issues. Not to mention a couple TR7s around as well, of course that entire car was terrible. I know, because I fixed alot of them from 1976-1984! Alternators, connections, switches. Lucas quality was truely abysmal in those days! I think it worsened with many of the frequent strikes, etc. later on as well. Does anyone know where you can buy the "warm beer, Lucas refrigerator" or Lucas 3 position swtich: dim/flicker/ short", etc.bumper stickers? They use to be around everywhere. George
George Butz

Jim,
I think you are right on the "ground" statement.
Foolish, (as the wife reminds me)...I really liked my old 92 Dakota V8 (before it got hit head-on) so I bought another one. First one had ground issues ...think this one does also.

George,
I have a good printer, make you as many copies as you like....if you would care to spend the winter in wonderfull Central Ohio...working on my TR7! LOL
We have aheat wave comming ...might hit 20 today.
David Sheward

When I was ready to put the TD on the road, I got a hypodermic needle and filled it with 'Stabilant 22'....an electrical connection enhancer and put a drop on 'every' connection in the car......havent (knock on wood) had a problem in 7 years......
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

Lucas didn't design the electrical system for our cars. They simply made components for general use. If you want to blame someone for no fuses, long wiring runs, etc then blame the engineers at M.G. But remember they had little money to work with so I doubt any of us could have done better.

I've found Lucas components to be very rugged and durable. How many automotive parts from other manufacturers can be found still working after 60 years?
Steve S

Not intending to enter the debate about Lucas, but the description in the e-Bay advert says: "Apparently privately designed and printed by an obviously disgruntled British car owner or mechanic frustrated with the reliability or quality of electrical car components made by Lucas".

It's much more likely to be a US production, as the pun is on the word "sucks". That's an Americanism which, even now, isn't in common usage this side of the Pond. 50 years ago, which is as far back as I go, a Brit would almost certainly have said: "It stinks" or "it's rubbish" (never "garbage", which is another from the US) or, later on, "junk". Now we're more likely to call it "pants". I appreciate the poster would have no point without the word "sucks" but when I was young - and I'm sure this poster predates me by a mile - I doubt is anyone in the UK would have appreciated the slang use of that word.

BTW: Is "trollied" in use in the US (for steaming drunk)? It's gained currency here over the past year or two, and a few friends and I down the pub the other night were wondering if it was originally from Stateside.

- Tom.

Tom Bennett - 53TD 24232

Never heard "trollied" used in that way before. In fact the word "trolly" isn't even very common over here. Maybe it came from having to haul someone home because they are so plastered / hammered / wasted?
Steve S

Picked my poster up today, really a great piece. Yes, it is indeed a US production, and the description of it is exactly right. It was really given out by a British car mechanic/shop, often to a customer that had issues with the Prince of Darkness. Yes Steve, our old Lucas stuff was pretty well made. But later on it was not! George
George Butz

I got my 2 in the mail today, look great, like new, which wasn't clear in the ad. Will have one off to my brother tomorrow, if I feel like braving the Sat. AM crowd at the P.O. My 52 TD, back in the 60's as a daily driver, didn't have any unusual Lucas failures. The 54 TF now, has suffered once or twice, but mostly due to something being worn out, e.g. starter. The new wiring harness went in with "connector grease" in all, paint was removed from ground connections, etc.
Al
A W Parker

This thread was discussed between 15/01/2012 and 20/01/2012

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