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Most of us have Lucas fixtures somewhere on our TD’s. We know all the digs about British car electrical systems that won’t work in the rain. And the jokes; “Why do the Brits drink warm beer?”…”Their refrigerators are made by Lucas.”
BUT… they’re right, the bit and pieces that make up Lucas systems are just ludicrous.
I’ve been chasing Lucas about my Dutchess since I got her. The latest go around was with the lamps on the front mudguard.
Here’s the scene, 2 AM on the 101 motorway in Los Angeles. A gentle turn and over the bridge bump and…Darkness.
Back at the hanger I tracked it down. The lamps wire had slipped out of the little Lucas spring clip and touched the case. Zap! Darkness. This is not the first time. So I decided to modernize the sockets.
Here’s the culprit. The Lucas socket circa 1712
Now to convert to modern…
First locate the crimped ring holding the thing together.
Then carefully pry up the ring (flange).
Once you have the flange raised up, use a pair of pliers to flatten the rim up against the socket.
Once flattened, the socket can be removed from the bracket.
The Socket I found to work was the Dorman brand “Universal double contact 3/4″ socket” Part number 85803 for the 1157 bulb.
Pull the wires and plastic bits out so you just have the can.
Then break off the little tabs. Yes the can can be mounted by snapping the tabs into the bracket’s ring. But then the socket will sit too far back in the lamp housing and the socket will ground out. And its darkness we’re trying to prevent.
So break off the little tabs.
Next clean off the oils and finish from both socket and bracket.
Next tin both sides with solder.
once you’ve tinned both side assemble and sweat together.
Reinsert the wires and plastic bits and you’ve done it.
This socket will take both the 1157 incandescent bulb as well as the new LED style.
Then it’s just a matter of threading the wires through the housing.
That’s it..
THE DARKNESS BANISHED!!
I’m hoping anyone with a tech idea about Lucas or other electrical tips will continue this thread.
< style=":;:1000" ="application/x-dgnria" id="plugin0" height="0" width="0">< value="ff-tab-1" name="tabId">< value="73" name="counter">No trees were injured in the making of this message, but some electrons were inconvenienced.
Excellent pictorial. Those sockets are a definite weak spot.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Great job Wizzard. I haven’t gotten to the point of installing those front park/turn lights yet so I may just take a look at doing that to my lights before I install them.
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackMy Prince of Darkness story. It was the late 1950’s, I was in college and had a 1952 MG TD. I lusted after a very pretty lass – lusting was about all we did in those days. She finally went to a dance with me, and we connected. As we drove back to the campus, I knew I was going to score – a good night kiss. Suddenly, the driving lights went out. It was a dark lane and I barely managed to get stopped without incident. She looked at me and said, “You could have at least run out of gas.”
No good night kiss, and she never went out with me again.
OK
No trees were injured in the making of this message, but some electrons were inconvenienced.
As I understand it, the problem was due mostly to the use of “positive earth” i.e. positive grounding as opposed to negative grounding.
 My first car, a 1964 MGBGT that had been converted from positive to negative grounding.
I was told that with positive grounding, a series circuit was used. All fixtures were fed by one wire from one to the next to the next to the next and so on. If one fixture had a problem, the entire system went down. It would lose the continuity and go dark.
 With negative grounding they used a parallel circuit, Each fixture had a positive and negative leg feeding it. Any individual fixture could go out, but the entire system would still work.
Early on either system was used, depending on the manufacturer.
From the mid ’60 most went over to the negative grounding system, but a few(mostly British) still used the positive grounding. Today, with all the computers and transistors used in cars, the negative grounding is the only way to go.Amor Conquista Todo
Thanks for the great advice and pictures! What a cool idea. It just prooves once again the value of tdreplica.com!
Another reason to love my Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess.
The kit came with Lucas housings and lenses. But modern sockets.Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
I bought the light socket at Auto Zone on the Dorman rack.
No trees were injured in the making of this message, but some electrons were inconvenienced.
my 1st job out of mechanics school was a MG/Triumph dealer I soon learned there was no way English engineers where aware of modern electronics. the whole wiring harnesses had only 3 colors. it took forever to find the right wires to fix I taped the wires with masking tape flags in case I was ever working on that car again the trick a good electrical system on an English car is to keep the smoke in the wires when it gets out now you have a problem
Hey Court Wizard. Where did you connect the ground wire for your new front T?S and parking light socket? In the photos I only see two wires.
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackAllen,
The ground wire attaches to the mounting plate as in the Lucas socket.
Having non-conductive bodies on out cars we have to run a ground wire from ALL lights and accessories.
On a metal body car just mounting the lamp would have grounded it.
So there are only two wires coming from the socket. The ground wire attaches to the mounting bolt.
It’s hard to give visual information through words but I try…so I hope you understand I’m not trying to talk your eyes off.
it seams I’m posting too much the forum won’t let me post any more in this “Time”.Court Wizard 2016-02-28 00:39:28 No trees were injured in the making of this message, but some electrons were inconvenienced.
Wizard. I knew about the ground at the socket. Â didn’t express my question well. My Bad. What I’m wondering is where you ground the lights to the chassis/frame. My TDr has headlights, park/turn signals, fog lights, horn and fuel sender up front. Do you ground left side and right side individually or ground both sides together at one point on the chassis?
I guess I can ask this question for the group.Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackAllen,
I have a tilt front end so I brought all my front end electrics to a plug in front of the left front wheel which is where I grounded the whole works. Self taping screw into the frame.
The plug is so I can disconnect the wiring when I pull the front off.No trees were injured in the making of this message, but some electrons were inconvenienced.
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