[Healeys] Lucas headlights

[" Just Brits " Shop]

<< On 4/5/2012 3:59 PM, Per Schoerner wrote:
                     I don't think Lucas electricity systems are worse 
or better than any other
                     electrical system of the time. >>

and

<<  On 4/5/2012 5:58 PM, Michael Salter wrote:
                     .....furthermore, IMHO Lucas designed systems of 
old are far easier to repair
                     than those of many other manufacturers. >>

AGREED, Per and Michael ! ! !

In my FIFTYish+  (50+) years <VBS> (Very Big Sigh) of working on 
(mostly - @97/5%) British
LBCs all of which were equipped with Lucas Electrics and those that 
were 100 % ORIGINAL
had ZERO probs.

Let Mr. I-know-better,  Mr. I-gots-a better-idear,  
I'll-just-use-dis-here-wire,  Scotch-Locs
-are-the-cats-a**,  Mr. just-twist-dat-der-wire-together,  Mr. 
but-I-can't-read-no-diagram
[even if I HAD one],  Mr. what's-a-shop-manual [guy dat does da work?] 
??? ,  and da rest of
his brothers get their heavy-handed,  dumb a**ed paws on a car that 
actually DOES have a
legit electrical problem and God help the MECHANIC that has to fix it 
CORRECTLY ! ! !

Perfect example is a '53 MGTD that I got in with "light" problem, 
battery dies in two (2) days,
a headlight out (hi beam works),  RR Brake light out but turn signal 
works, and a couple other
things I can't recall off hand.

Three (3) hours into troubleshooting and I said to myself, "Screw this 
! !" ! !  So I call Owner
and explain what I have found so far.  I STRONGLY suggest to Customer 
that replacing the
entire harness would be CHEAPEST & BEST way to complete the electrical 
portion of the
job.  In a VERY typical LBC Owner response, he says no --- just fix as 
best you can inorder to
get everything working properly !?!?!?

All of the Gent's mentioned above 'talents' were involved with this TD 
with the addition of
left-out Mr. alls-I-gots-is-yellow,-stranded-12awg-wire, Mr. 
alls-I-gots-is-white,-solidcore-
16awg-wire and Mr. alls-I-gots-is-yellow-connectors(all kinds).  This 
chaps contributed
Greatly[to my wallet] ! !

All-in-all;  Electrical System Labour = 69 hours.   Parts included 
CORRECT colour coded wires
in correct sizes, bullit connectors [2, & 4 wire],  bullits [both 
solder & bare wire types],
ring terminals [solder & blue/red/yellow crimper style],  several 
sizes of heat shrink tubing,
several [by the yard] sizes & yards of harness protection tubing and 
two (2) rolls of 3-M
black electrical tape.  Socket Assemblies for Turn/Marker/Brake 
Signals, Head Lights & a
couple Dash Light fixtures.  Also, couple dozen of assorted clamps & 
clips for harness/wires
retention.

I will flatly tell you that unless some ham-fisted nitwit returns to 
fix something that AIN'T
broke, my "harness" will last another 50+ years [just like a brand NEW 
one would] <VBG> ! ! !

So as both of the Authors sited above allude to;  Follow/Obey The 
K.I.S.S. rule ! ! ! !

Ed
Please visit MY site at:
www.justbrits.com