Author Topic: Prince of Darkness Cards  (Read 4796 times)

twowings

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Prince of Darkness Cards
« on: January 11, 2018, 11:36:03 AM »
« Last Edit: January 12, 2018, 07:36:52 PM by twowings »

Offline Kiwi_Roy

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2018, 12:10:36 PM »
Lucas actually made some good stuff, I cut my teeth on it as an apprentice.
I don't remember having too much trouble getting a generator to work and the starters were dead simple.

Strangely enough my 72 Eldorado has a Lucas starter with the solenoid underneath instead of on top like a Bosch
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Offline guzzisteve

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2018, 01:12:53 PM »
80's smallblocks had Lucas starters.
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Offline Rich A

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2018, 01:15:07 PM »
The headlight switch for my MGB had three positions: dim, flicker, and off.

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2018, 01:15:07 PM »

Offline normzone

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2018, 01:21:45 PM »
I worked on an MGB GT that belonged to a buddy of mine - the battery had a positive ground, and you pulled the engine to change the clutch.
That's the combustion chamber of the turbo shaft. It is supposed to be on fire. You just don't usually see it but the case and fairing fell off.

Offline 73eldorado

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2018, 01:57:57 PM »
My 73Eldorado has a Bosch starter with the solenoid under it also.
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Offline Sheepdog

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2018, 05:12:53 PM »
I found a Lucas Tee-Shirt a few years ago. It was only available in black...
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Offline D Knaus

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2018, 08:39:18 PM »
I have a t-shirt that says "Lucas quality electric lighting sets" - "Prince of Darkness".

and it has a quote from Joseph Lucas (1834-1903) : A Gentleman does not motor about after dark." 

Offline Tom H

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2018, 11:30:45 PM »
LMAO!!!! Can't help it when someone brings up Lucas, the Prince of Darkness.

For a moment from the title of the thread, I thought it was Ozzy! Maybe because I'm watching a Sabbath documentary.

Bosh for Loops should have the solenoid down so that it would clear the 4 speed clutch cable mount.

Dim, flicker, off....Only available in black!!!! snicker, snicker LMAO!!

Tom
« Last Edit: January 12, 2018, 12:40:19 AM by Tom H »
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Offline Pop

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2018, 08:30:37 AM »
Had my small block starter motor checked out 2xs . Would just get a click sound intermittently. Finally checked it myself to detect the location of the sound. 5 min. With a mechanics sretescope and found the plastic end cap on the Lucas starter had prongs to hold in place. They had distorted and would not allow the plunger to engage.  Boy, that was a really expensive " easy fix"
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Offline JJ

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2018, 08:37:43 AM »
A few years ago at the Vegas vintage motorcycle auctions, some vendor was selling those "Prince of Darkness" T-shirts and I regret not buying one! :laugh: :grin: :wink:  If I see one this year....I am going to buy it! :cool:

Quote from Joseph Lucas (1834-1903): "A Gentleman does not motor about after dark." 

Brilliant... :huh: :shocked: :wink: OK - Some of these are "bad"...but also funny!! :laugh: :grin: :wink:





« Last Edit: January 16, 2018, 03:00:05 PM by JJ »
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Offline JoeKirby

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2018, 03:49:26 PM »
I had a '62 Triumph TR4 and a '57 TR3 for a combined 25 years and the electric was great because it was unbelievably simply.  Never stranded for long.  These car didn't need much more than what was in those cards to get you on the road again.  Now, the electrics on my '78 Bonneville was a different story...
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Offline Murray

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2018, 05:34:05 PM »
Lucas actually made some good stuff, I cut my teeth on it as an apprentice.
I don't remember having too much trouble getting a generator to work and the starters were dead simple.

Strangely enough my 72 Eldorado has a Lucas starter with the solenoid underneath instead of on top like a Bosch

Its was more in combination with some of the dip!@#$ wiring solutions the British automotive industry used made them fairly crap when they got a few years on them. Prime example the Landrover 110 / Defender and sadly this is not what you'd call and old model and had a production run of over 30 years. You can put the power for the headlights through a relay like any other manufacturer that can breath and talk at the same time or you can put all that power through the switch/stalk. Works long enough to get out of warrantee 5 years down the track yep umm ha ha. Guzzi mainly in the Detasmo era weren't exactly immune to these ideas.

There is pages that can be written on positive earth.


Offline Sheepdog

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #13 on: January 12, 2018, 06:06:30 PM »
Lucas got the blame, but outdoor storage, heavy vibration, and modified wiring harnesses deserves the blame. Even the Asian-sourced Lucas components are pretty good. My '71 TR6R's wiring was a hot mess when I started getting in to it.

On the other hand, I'm glad I don't have to rely on a Lucas Zener Diode these days...
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Offline Muzz

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #14 on: January 16, 2018, 03:03:32 AM »
You used to be able to buy cans of Genuine Lucas Smoke.

Everyone knows that when the smoke leaks out of the wire it stops conducting electricity. Replace the smoke and, voila!
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Offline wrbix

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #15 on: January 16, 2018, 07:22:48 AM »
A few years ago at the Vegas vintage motorcycle auctions, some vendor was selling those "Prince of Darkness" T-shirts and I regret not buying one! :laugh: :grin: :wink:  If I see one this year....I am going to buy it! :cool:

Quote from Joseph Lucas (1834-1903): "A Gentleman does not motor about after dark." 

Brilliant... :huh: :shocked: :wink:
I felt compelled to gift my BIL and FIL each with one of those shirts after they supplied an extension cord to hot wire the headlamps on my AH Sprite one dark and chilly night so Teresa and I could get home.
Think those shirts are still available at Moss or Victoria British....will check for you.
<edit/update...nope, don’t find them>
« Last Edit: January 16, 2018, 07:29:44 AM by wrbix »
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Offline JJ

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #16 on: January 16, 2018, 09:43:27 AM »
I felt compelled to gift my BIL and FIL each with one of those shirts after they supplied an extension cord to hot wire the headlamps on my AH Sprite one dark and chilly night so Teresa and I could get home.
Think those shirts are still available at Moss or Victoria British....will check for you.
<edit/update...nope, don�t find them>

Thanks, and I will also check when I go to Vegas next week... :cool:
By the way, this is the last Meriden Triumph I owned, a "fully restored" 1970 T100C Trophy 500...should have kept that one!  It had all the correct Lucas bits...and if they are maintained and cared after...they are fine! :wink:










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Offline Sheepdog

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #17 on: January 16, 2018, 09:47:14 AM »
A beauty, JJ!
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Offline Wayne Orwig

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #18 on: January 16, 2018, 09:48:33 AM »



Scientist have discovered that people will believe anything, if you first say "Scientists have discovered...."

Offline JJ

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #19 on: January 16, 2018, 09:53:21 AM »
Poor Joseph Lucas...what a legacy... :laugh: :grin: :wink:







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Offline trippah

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #20 on: January 16, 2018, 09:54:31 AM »
Yes indeed, my 63 MGB had two 6 volt batteries in series I believe under the back bench, with positive ground.  The first time I stopped to give a friend a jump start, it took us over an  hour and several phone calls to figure out how to do it. :grin:

Offline Kiwi Dave

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #21 on: January 16, 2018, 12:10:19 PM »
A few years ago at the Vegas vintage motorcycle auctions, some vendor was selling those "Prince of Darkness" T-shirts and I regret not buying one! :laugh: :grin: :wink:  If I see one this year....I am going to buy it! :cool:

Quote from Joseph Lucas (1834-1903): "A Gentleman does not motor about after dark." 

Brilliant... :huh: :shocked: :wink:

Me too.  I think it was at a national Guzzi rally in Grass Valley, Ca I saw the shirt.  It had a picture of the classic Lucas headlight switch with the three positions marked as "OFF, DIM, FLICKER"!

Why didn't I buy it?

Offline Sheepdog

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #22 on: January 16, 2018, 01:30:42 PM »
Here is my Lucas tee...



 I had a 1967 Morris Garage B-Model. I had lots of trouble with U-joints, carburetor synchronization, and throttle linkage. However, the electrics never let me down. It was pretty much the same with my ‘74 Commando...
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Offline wymple

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #23 on: January 16, 2018, 02:55:15 PM »
I worked on an MGB GT that belonged to a buddy of mine - the battery had a positive ground, and you pulled the engine to change the clutch.

My nephew has a Triumph GT6 that was positive ground. We hung a GM alternator on it (I always use an early 70's Nova unit for simplicity) and we switched it to negative groundwith 12 volts. Everyone tried to warn me that the starter would spin backwards, but that is not true.
No trees were harmed by the conveyance of this message, but a lot of electrons were seriously disturbed.

Offline JJ

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #24 on: January 16, 2018, 02:56:48 PM »
On a more positive note, at least he is immortalized here...in his home town.







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Offline Kiwi_Roy

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #25 on: January 16, 2018, 03:33:42 PM »
  Everyone tried to warn me that the starter would spin backwards, but that is not true.
If it was a Valeo with permanent magnet fields it would have run backwards, something like a Bosch or Lucas with series fields doesn't care because they flip poles at the same time.
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Offline analog kid

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #26 on: January 16, 2018, 11:53:33 PM »
My '71 TR6R's wiring was a hot mess when I started getting in to it.

I had a girlfriend who was a hot mess.
Her name wasn't Lucas though...
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Offline JJ

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #27 on: January 18, 2018, 06:27:15 AM »
I had a girlfriend who was a hot mess.
Her name wasn't Lucas though...
 :boozing:

Perhaps her name was...."Flow?" (Meter) :laugh: :grin: :wink:
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Offline drbone641

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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #28 on: January 18, 2018, 07:41:36 AM »
My 73 TR6 had her entire wiring harness replaced. I expect it to last...at least a couple more years.
 :rolleyes:




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Re: Prince of Darkness Cards
« Reply #29 on: January 18, 2018, 08:50:02 AM »
You can find several shirts offered online by googling "lucas prince of darkness t shirt price".

I never had much trouble with Lucas electrics that wasn't owner-inflicted.

Moto

 

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