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JC T ONE
Joined: 30 Oct 2008
Posts: 1139
Location: Denmark
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 Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 5:46 am Post subject: Age Lucas |
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Hi all, I want to ask for your help, to determine how old the switch on the left side of pic is 
As you can see is it stamped with 39-01 (by hand) in the metal, where the 31828 has both date (4-68 ) & part number in the nylon part.
The part number 31991 is stamped on the opposit side in the metal. Also notice the details / difference on the brass pins, and the finish of the nylon.
The 31991 switch has a reversed function of the lever, so it can fit in tight places, like under a dashboard.
It was used on 3 cars in the early 60ies = http://saintgeorgeltd.com/Part-Listings/LUCAS.html
I found this switch at our annual swapmeet, in a box full of old switches (it was a clear out from a old abandoned garage) so they didnt have any new parts.
I have seen one more of these, which was still in its original car, and it also had the date & part numbers stamped on the metal part, but that was made with Black nylon.
So my question is = were Lucas accessory swithces made in White nylon, and factory fitted switches with Black- or ?
and did Lucas really make a switch in 1971 - 1981 - etc, for 3 cars, that all had gone of the market many years before, and reverting to use the same stamping in the White metal frame as in the early 60ies
Ill get my coat now  
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mikeC
Joined: 31 Jul 2009
Posts: 1808
Location: Market Warsop, Nottinghamshire
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:49 am Post subject: |
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| I would query whether it is, in fact, a Lucas switch; all the parts seem to be of inferior quality compared to the Lucas switch you show next to it. |
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Dipster
Joined: 06 Jan 2015
Posts: 408
Location: UK, France and Portugal - unless I am travelling....
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 10:39 am Post subject: |
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| mikeC wrote: | | I would query whether it is, in fact, a Lucas switch; all the parts seem to be of inferior quality compared to the Lucas switch you show next to it. |
In my experience all parts used by Lucas are of inferior quality!
In the past I have purchased Lucas switches of the type discussed. Some fell apart as I was fitting them. And I am on my 3rd Lucas made horn/dip/headlight flash switch (in 17 years) on my Defender (they cost about £50 plus VAT at specialists). They are, in my experience, simply rubbish that I avoid whenever I can. |
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Phil - Nottingham
Joined: 01 Jan 2008
Posts: 1252
Location: Nottingham
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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They were good quality and reasonable design till the early 70's but went downhill after that in common with the British motor industry. Things were built to the lowest price to just outlive the warranty period (if lucky)
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JC T ONE
Joined: 30 Oct 2008
Posts: 1139
Location: Denmark
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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| mikeC wrote: | | I would query whether it is, in fact, a Lucas switch; all the parts seem to be of inferior quality compared to the Lucas switch you show next to it. |
Its a Lucas, and the detail & quality is better than on my later 60ies ones.
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baconsdozen
Joined: 03 Dec 2007
Posts: 1119
Location: Under the car.
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Keith D
Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Posts: 1165
Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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Lucas reputation was very poor worldwide. My father bought a new Marina (1750cc OHC) that was fitted with Lucas electrics. Alternators only lasted a few months. BMC replaced them with new ones every time. The ignition light would flicker on and off and there was no charge to the battery. When the warranty expired I took his car to my local auto electrician and he fixed the problem in less than an hour. Lucas had fitted the diodes actually in the windings! Unbelievable! The heat of the windings cooked the diodes! My electrician fitted an after market diode kit mounted on a large heat sink straight onto the firewall. He shorted the remaining diodes out and connected the after market set up. That was the last alternator trouble Dad had for the remaining 20 years he owned the car!
Lucas reputation spread world wide.
Have a look at this:-
http://www.mez.co.uk/lucas.html
Keith |
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mikeC
Joined: 31 Jul 2009
Posts: 1808
Location: Market Warsop, Nottinghamshire
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Dipster wrote: |
In my experience all parts used by Lucas are of inferior quality!
In the past I have purchased Lucas switches of the type discussed. Some fell apart as I was fitting them. And I am on my 3rd Lucas made horn/dip/headlight flash switch (in 17 years) on my Defender (they cost about £50 plus VAT at specialists). They are, in my experience, simply rubbish that I avoid whenever I can. |
When Lucas built components to their specifications, and then sold them to the motor industry, they were very good quality.
Components built to a manufacturer's specification, like your Defender switch, will only be as good as the manufacturer specifies. |
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JC T ONE
Joined: 30 Oct 2008
Posts: 1139
Location: Denmark
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 6:58 pm Post subject: Re: Age Lucas |
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| JC T ONE wrote: |
Hi all, I want to ask for your help, to determine how old the switch on the left side of pic is
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ukdave2002
Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4231
Location: South Cheshire
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| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Keith D wrote: | Lucas reputation was very poor worldwide. My father bought a new Marina (1750cc OHC) that was fitted with Lucas electrics. Alternators only lasted a few months. BMC replaced them with new ones every time. The ignition light would flicker on and off and there was no charge to the battery. When the warranty expired I took his car to my local auto electrician and he fixed the problem in less than an hour. Lucas had fitted the diodes actually in the windings! Unbelievable! The heat of the windings cooked the diodes! My electrician fitted an after market diode kit mounted on a large heat sink straight onto the firewall. He shorted the remaining diodes out and connected the after market set up. That was the last alternator trouble Dad had for the remaining 20 years he owned the car!
Lucas reputation spread world wide.
Have a look at this:-
http://www.mez.co.uk/lucas.html
Keith |
Keith, you must be referring to Lucas ACR alternators? The diodes are fitted within the case but not in the windings? In exactly the same way that every modem alternates is built. Frankly there is nothing wrong with the ACR they go on for years? Often the bearings are the first thing to fail.
The stuff for older cars that is packaged in Lucas box's these days could come from anywhere, some is fantastic other stuff is poor, and really poor, hydraulic brake lamp switches are one; the original Lucas ones would last donkeys years, the ones available in recent times have been prone to leaking hydraulic fluid into the switch resulting in a switch fail.
With some of the repro stuff they will literally copy everything including dates! So 69 on a repro switch could mean 2015!
Dave |
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47Jag
Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 1480
Location: Bothwell, Scotland
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| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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Jens,
I would suggest that the numbers represent the week number and year. The one on the left would be Sept/Oct 2001 and the other late Jan. 1968.
Art |
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emmerson
Joined: 30 Sep 2008
Posts: 1268
Location: South East Wales
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| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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| In Classic Range Rover circles, there were only three things wrong with Range Rovers - Lucas, Lucas and Lucas! |
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JC T ONE
Joined: 30 Oct 2008
Posts: 1139
Location: Denmark
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| Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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Hi all,
Did some investigation during the weekend, and have now confirmed that my switch IS from week 39 year 1961.
The clue is in the details of both chrome housing - nylon part, and the brass connector pegs.
No Lucas switch was made with part number & date in the chrome after 1965. After this date they moved those numbers to the nylon part.
Next clue = the square holes in the pegs dissapear around January 68.
The "groove" in the brass pegs (where they enter&exit the nylon housing) dissapear earlier - havent confirmed an exact date of change yet.
Last but not least = the "wrinkly" finger print surface is found on almost all the early swithces. Later ones have smooth surface.
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22780
Location: UK
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JC T ONE
Joined: 30 Oct 2008
Posts: 1139
Location: Denmark
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| Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 11:26 pm Post subject: Re: Age Lucas |
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| JC T ONE wrote: | Hi all, I want to ask for your help, to determine how old the switch on the left side of pic is
As you can see is it stamped with 39-01 (by hand) in the metal |
And here is proof that Lucas handstamped the week & year in, and sometimes changed the way they did year from a six to a zero just like SMITHS did.
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