I found this pic in the magazine article http://www.streetrodderweb.com/tech/0209sr_four_banger_then_and_now/photo_16.html
Here is mine. I'm horribly disappointed in the quality and performance. The flat head I'm running now is just as powerful.
Happy New Year banger buddies! I'm going to get back to work on my A roadster soon. I took the gas tank out to get boiled and as most of you know, that pretty much means the car is in 100 bits. I'll do a post when I get back to work on it. Now, just need to find the time to run over to Snyder's Antique and pick up everything to put it back together. Could have had it months ago if I would have just ordered the parts and had it shipped vs. the 45 minute drive
I ordered them last week and Don III sent me some sheetmetal same day. I wouldn't drive there just as easily...I have little longer distance maybe 10000 miles...
Just thought I would share this experience with you. Same car ,same block, same kids! They have just changed places sorta! After all it has been 14 years.
I thought some of you could use these. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170578968306#ht_1924wt_1167 Not mine!!!!! I'm the one that brought three
Happy new years all you crazy kids... minus the MG, this is as close as I am going to get to a banger this year. the next days are going to be inline 6's.
Hello Tub in da dirt: I have a copy for the V8 pressure plate spacing in my doc file. It is a bitmap and is to large to post, 645kb. I tried to resize but that did not seem to work. If you like I can try to send it in a pm. ?? Gary in MN
What are you guys going to use for voltage regulators , to keep the Prince of Darkness from spitting the dummy? The C 40 generator needs the RB 340 regulator, I see the Jaguar aficionados on Ebay want $200 each !! http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jagu...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item483d9e988d Info http://www.sterlingbritishmotoringsociety.org/files/Lucas_Generator_and_Control_Box_Tests.pdf
It's your engine so i don't doubt what you say but i wonder how or why the conversion can be so down on power? I know it's a big bucks deal and man i'd be pissed to say the least........
Are you a Hot Rodder or a parts replacer We don't need no stinking Lucas Regulators It's a standard switch even a Chrysler podded unit will work..... Now If it was French CAV we might have a problem Heres what I found ..... this is big and ugly like Lucas..... but you can get podded units waterproof and small. http://www.amazon.com/Ford-Tractor-Voltage-Regulator-2000/dp/B003PL9KKC
thanks gary, but i had a few guys send it to me already. i think i will post it so everyone can have it. thanks tom
I spent enough time working on Lucas electrical systems in the last 40 years to know that I would NEVER use one on a push bike let alone my hot rod......until we were over run with Jap imported junk in the late 80s about 50% of cars here were English origin... Aussie cars were close behind with a few Euros and even less American cars. If you have had good luck using Chrysler ( Autolite???) regulators on a Lucas C40 great, but every time I have seen a Bosch or other regulator used on a little 25 amp Lucas C40 , it has been burnt out armatures, and comutators . Especially if they are revved past about 4500rpm. Not that the Lucas reg is all that reliable itself , but I think that the Lucas reg is made to work for the lower amps range and that the others made for higher output systems are at the very lower edge of their adjustment range to work with the Lucas ....dunno , and I don't really care I just wondered what you were going to use?
Did you LOOK at the control box I listed! Please take two seconds and read the specs It is a drop in replacement If you've some Jap alt with a Mechanical tach drive please let us know 4500 RPM? Yes we're talking Bangers not Ferraris
When all is said and done, Those small trusted Jap 1 wire alternators will fit inside this housing. What is more fun then changing something to make people wonder what the hell it came off of. At this price, the housing and tach drive is worth it.
should not be to hard to convert a gm regulater to work In the early 60's i used gm on a triump bike because the lucas was junk did quite a few on everybodys bike after that. generaters are generally pretty simple and sraight forward field armature n battery
Lucas, The Prince of Darkness. I knew that Lucas had a bad track record but I never knew until recently how it aquired that name. When I found the perfect tailight for the roadster on eBay, it was a Lucas from the early '30's. It had a shape that duplicated the rear of the turtle deck and I thought I could make it work, if there was an electrical problem. On the top of the tail light housing was a small silver medallion of about 1/2" dia.(see lousy picture) and had a Lion (I think) with the words "Lucas, King of the Road" embossed on it. I could just hear the ticked off owner of the early British car, stranded on the side of a country road due to an electrical problem saying " King of the Road" my ass he is, more like the The Prince of Darkness. Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Ron
Ha , good one,Yes that is an RB340... I can see it now ,but your link wasn't there when I made my reply..... Hey don't get me wrong, I am not knocking the deal, it is a great price for a new part and the tach drive is the clincher if that is what you need !! I looked for a regulator to suit and and saw the prices.... in any case I guess I have a negative view of Lucas generators after servicing cars fitted with them for so long. Many of those "replacement" regs don't work "out of the box" and need adjustment on a proper test bench , also they have a rubbery type insulation on the resistor wires , as opposed to the heat resistant cloth of the originals. This rubber type insulation will burn off in a puff of smoke the first time the reg operates... I am told it is nothing to worry about, however I guess that means it is not insulated now. The 4500 rpm I refer to is generator rpm and they have to be going around that speed to put out the 20 amps. If you have 1-1 on the crank there isn't enough juice at lower speed for decent lights and everything else .... Lucas electrics often go into deficit at night. There are plenty of Jap alternators for diesel engines with a rear drive for vacuum pump which could easily be used for a mechanical tach drive...... However I would not use any of them, either...... I wasn't touting Jap parts just explaining my era of experience with Lucas. I like to use an American generator on an old American car/engine... I have Lucas stuff on some of my British bikes, and Alternators on modern US made vehicles.... I don't see Lucas or British as "exotic" as it appears a lot of Americans do...hence the price for "Jaguar " and Rolls Royce" parts on Ebay.
Cool, I haven't been able to find one here ( NZ ) which is small enough to fit inside a C40 housing...
Hey guys, my first time posting in the banger meet. Ive got a 30 model a colonial cab pick up. check my albums for pics, or my build thread, http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=544660 Hope you all having a great start to the year. Cheers, Jeff.
Has anyone heard from JIMMY B in Australia? I just saw a news story on TV about the incredible flooding over there. I know you guys in Cali have had your share, but the news story overlayed an outline of Texas over the flooded area. The flooded area was larger. That's a lot of water.
He should be OK in New South Wales, Tweed Valley is about 500 miles from Rockhampton, Queensland ..the worst hit city/state , where all the pics are coming from..