In memory of Joseph Lucas and his products

[Rich Waugh]

Gluttons for punishment? Or maybe just perennial Pollyannas? :laughing:

 

[nuffer460]

I have a Nuffield 460 tractor and a 2008, 254 NorTrac ( Jinma ) tractor. The both started all Winter, every time. The lights might work on the nuffied, but I know that most of the wiring is broken. 6 hours and I think that they would all be working. I know that some owners have had some problems, but my NorTrac has about 750 hours on it and runs like a top.

 

[Bird]

My first "new" car, right off the showroom floor, was a 1962 Austin Healey Sprite.

 

[Travelover]

My first "new" car, right off the showroom floor, was a 1962 Austin Healey Sprite.

Brother's car was a 1967 MG Midget, which I believe was a twin to the Sprite. It had a whopping 90 day warranty and needed it. :laughing:

 

[Runner]

My second car (first was a Morris too...).

For some reason, don't recall it having any electrical issues. I was more worried about keeping up with traffic and not falling through the floorboards.

 

[Bird]

Brother's car was a 1967 MG Midget, which I believe was a twin to the Sprite. It had a whopping 90 day warranty and needed it. :laughing:

Yep, in '62 at least, the Midget & Sprite were the same except the Sprite had a black & white instrument panel while the Midget had some red, green, etc. The Sprite had a stamped aluminum grill while the Midget had chrome. I think (can't remember for sure) the Midget also had a strip of chrome down the side that the Sprite didn't have. I can't remember what the price difference was, but the $2,200 for the Sprite was enough of a strain on my budget.:laughing:

 

[Travelover]

Yep, in '62 at least, the Midget & Sprite were the same except the Sprite had a black & white instrument panel while the Midget had some red, green, etc. The Sprite had a stamped aluminum grill while the Midget had chrome. I think (can't remember for sure) the Midget also had a strip of chrome down the side that the Sprite didn't have. I can't remember what the price difference was, but the $2,200 for the Sprite was enough of a strain on my budget.:laughing:

I recall that to augment the wonderful Lucas electrics, there were no inner wheel wells on the front. So, when you opened the hood you could see the front tires a few inches from the engine. The spark plug wires also did not have a rubber boot. I don't have to tell you what happened when you hit a nice mud puddle at speed. But, I guess it never rains in England.

 

[Bird]

I recall that to augment the wonderful Lucas electrics, there were no inner wheel wells on the front. So, when you opened the hood you could see the front tires a few inches from the engine. The spark plug wires also did not have a rubber boot. I don't have to tell you what happened when you hit a nice mud puddle at speed. But, I guess it never rains in England.

My '62 was not like that at all. If I'm not mistaken, the '62 was the first year that was not a "bugeyed" model where the hood and fenders were all one piece and tilted forward. My '62 had the hood hinged at the back and the fenders didn't move when you opened the hood.

 

[Travelover]

My '62 was not like that at all. If I'm not mistaken, the '62 was the first year that was not a "bugeyed" model where the hood and fenders were all one piece and tilted forward. My '62 had the hood hinged at the back and the fenders didn't move when you opened the hood.

The '67 Midget had the hood hinged at the rear, too. On most cars there is an inner fender that shields the engine from road splash. On this model it was all open between the engine and the tires, which was disastrous to the ignition system on a wet day.

 

[TruChaos]

While I had 'challenges' with the Triumph 1200 Herald, the worst car I ever owned was a Renault Le Car. That was many years ago and right now my teeth are glitched just thinking about it.

Not only was the electrical system a disaster (used those bullet shaped fuses) but the mechanical design was bizarre. For example the engine was in the car backwards, the bell housing faced forward and since there was no room to run accessories off the front of the engine (between the engine and firewall) they extended the cam shaft through the bell housing and drove the alternator, air pump etc. off the cam. If you tightened the alternator belt too much, it would pull the cam shaft to the side and let oil dump through the seal and on to the clutch! I had to drop the transmission and replace the clutch and cam shaft seal after this quick lesson.

While the car was nearly new, I sold if for $600 "As Is" and warned the buyer. That buyer then sold it someone else who then came back and tried to sue me because the exhaust fell off while she was driving it. Of course they weren't successful.