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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - TD/TF Generators

I recently learned that not all MG generators have the word LUCAS stamped on all the generators. Some have a Mercedes Benz TriStar symbol stamped on it instead. All the parts are interchangeable with Lucas made generators and part numbers and codes are Lucas. I assume that M-B (or Bosch?) may have had a subcontract to manufacture to Lucas specs.
Can anyone in our knowledgeable group shed any light on this? Thanks.
Jim Merz

Jim,

This may be true for MGBs and MGAs, but I believe that all MG T-series featured a mechanical rev-counter take-off at the rear of the generator, and as far as I know, none were made by MB; rather, all by "the Prince" himself.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

Thanks Gord. I should have made the title TD/TF/MGA Generators.
Jim Merz

I received a note saying that the MGA has the tach drive taken from the block. He suggests that it might have come from a Sprite or midget I. I thought those cars had the push-on type wire connectors rather than the nut/bolt arrangement we have on the T series.
Jim Merz

The Sprite Midget generator does have the spade terminals (I think Lucas called them Lucar terminals). The field termial is 1/4 inch and the generator output is 3/8.

Mine is from 1968. The advantage is the slightly higher output. I think Bob J. told me once it was about 22 amps instead of 19-20 amps. I simply cut the lugs off my harness and soldered on some matching terminals.

warmly,
dave


Dave Braun

Hi Jim,

If you look in the Archives there was previous info on this same issue. What you think is a 'Mercedes' symbol is in fact a Lucas mark, found on lots of their products, but I understand why you made the connection! It's also true that genuine Lucas generators don't always have 'Lucas' on them. I don't know why - perhaps others know the background story to this?

Dave Braun's mod seems sensible to me - original 'stud type' endplates are rare, whilst Sprite/Midget 'spade' type are slightly less so!

Cheers, John.
J C Mitchell

Gentlemen, thank you all for your information. I knew the knowledge and expertise of this BBS would have the answer.
Jim Merz

I believe the first MGB also used a mechanical tach drive off the generator.
Bruce-C

JCMitch, I looked for the subject in the archives to educate myself but I was unable to locate it. Do you remember by any chance how long ago it was published?
Jim Merz

The last MG to use a generator tach drive was the MG-TF. All later cars MGA-MGB went to a drive from the camshaft until the electric tach came in.
Sandy
conrad sanders

Sandy, I have been researching the Moss catalogs and found that the 948 cc Spridgets also used a generator with the tach drive feature.
Jim Merz

Jim - The generator with the tach drive for the Spridgets has spade lug connections, but is otherwise usable on the T series cars. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Hi Jim,

In the Archives search 'Lucas generators', then near the top of the list, 'Lucas TF generator originality' from Keith Murphy dated 16th Oct 07. Some interesting info on the missing 'Lucas' letters, plus reference to the Lucas 'steering wheel' emblem, similiar to the Mercedes mark.

No explanation to date re why some generators, including mine, don't have the 'Lucas' letters, yet have the 'steering wheel' emblem, and are clearly of Lucas manufacture.

Hope this is of help,

Cheers, John.
J C Mitchell

John, your guidance led me directly to the information I needed. Once again, the participants of this BBS have a wealth of information unmatched anywhere else. Thank you and the other contributors!
Jim
Jim Merz

Dave Braun, where did you buy the necessary Lucar connectors to install the C40 generator/
Thanks,
Jim
Jim Merz

Jim. You are correct in saying that certain spridgets used a tach drive.The end plates however are different . The threaded portion is a few threads shorter and they use a different tach drive gearbox.
Sandy
conrad sanders

Jim,

The 1/4 inch field terminal is available at any hardware store. The 3/8 receptacle was harder to find. I ran into it a Northern Hydraulics which is a store much like "Tractor Supply" is nationally.

If you are using a sprite generator, with the shorter boss for the tach gearbox which Sandy pointed out, then you need to add a hard rubber washer to the tach gearbox connection to stabilize the gearbox and prevent it from turning on its input fitting.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Once again, thank you Dave B for the info.
Jim Merz

This thread was discussed between 03/10/2008 and 08/10/2008

MG TD TF 1500 index

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