Lucas ignition parts - remanufacturer needed

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rwills
Posts: 49
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2004 7:57 am
Location: Moscow

Lucas ignition parts - remanufacturer needed

Post by rwills »

Having spent a couple of years trying to find a supplier for distributor caps, rotor arms etc for my 250 PF that was fitted with Lucas ignition by the factory, I am now faced with looking for someone to remanufacture the parts.

The story so far is that my 1959 250GT PF Coupe was destined for the UK market and a very small number of these cars were fitted with Lucas electrics by the factory. Apparently Lucas sent Ferrari a few of these Lucas Racing Distributors to try in their cars in about 1959. Lucas were hoping they would be used on the production cars or they were sent for Enzo to fit to the racing cars and Ferrari, who were always looking at ways to save a few bucks, fitted them to a few road cars.

Various people have told me the same parts may have been used on the D Type Jaguar, and Aston Martin race cars and that Rolls Royce may have used them in 1959 on some cars. Most of these leads have resulted in a dead end.

Classic & Sports Cars published an appeal for help but that hasn't lead anywhere. The points are quite similar to those used on a Skoda 1000 MB but not exactly the same. They could be adapted or simply remanufactured.

But the real issue I have is the distributor caps and rotor arms. I now need someone to remanufacture the caps and rotor arms based on my originals and I don't know who can do this.

People have suggested Indian companies but my discussions with a couple of manufacturers there don't seem to make sense as they want to undertake a very large volume order only due to the tooling involved - 1000 units plus. Given there are possibly only 5 or so other cars in the world like mine, the total demand is capped at around 10 units plus a few extra for spares etc. I think 50 units would be a more reasonable number. Bill Tipton, who I believe also reads this forum, also has a car with Lucas ignition parts and is also looking for parts. So if 50 is too many, between the 2 of us we need at least 4 caps and 4 rotors, plus spares - lets call it 8 of each.

So my question is does anyone know someone who would be willing to remanufacture 50 rotor arms and 50 distributor caps using mine as the basis? I know this won't be very cheap (but what has been since I bought the car??!!??) but I need to get it done in case the rotors or caps on the car fail.

If someone can help with the technology I will post photos onto this site of the cap and rotors.

Regards,

Roger
1959 Ferrari 250GT PF Coupe 1479GT
rwills
Posts: 49
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2004 7:57 am
Location: Moscow

Post by rwills »

[img]C:\My%20Photos%2020%20July%202004\Ferrari%20interiors\Picture%20129.jpg[/img]
[img]C:\My%20Photos%2020%20July%202004\Ferrari%20interiors\Picture%20130.jpg[/img]
[img]C:\My%20Photos%2020%20July%202004\Ferrari%20interiors\Picture%20131.jpg[/img]
[img]C:\My%20Photos%2020%20July%202004\Ferrari%20interiors\Picture%20132.jpg[/img]
[img]C:\My%20Photos%2020%20July%202004\Ferrari%20interiors\Picture%20133.jpg[/img]
[img]C:\My%20Photos%2020%20July%202004\Ferrari%20interiors\Picture%20134.jpg[/img]
1959 Ferrari 250GT PF Coupe 1479GT
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tyang
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Post by tyang »

Hi Roger,

The photos you're trying to post need to exisit on a server conneted to the internet. These are on your personal computer, and won't work.

As far as remanufacturing them, you may want to contact "grumpy2" who is on this forum. Tom Farrell is a machinist that may be able to do a small run for you. It just depends if he will be able to reproduce the caps and rotors in the materials you need.

tgfarrell@adelphia.net

Tom
Last edited by tyang on Wed May 18, 2005 7:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
'63 330 America #5053
grahamdelooze
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Post by grahamdelooze »

Renishaw reverse engineering
330 GT 6159
Sleeper
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Post by Sleeper »

Rodger,
I am definately in for a couple of sets.
Bill
John Se
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How about this??

Post by John Se »

Have you found an "almost Identical" cap? Then we could machine an adapter, I am imagining an adapter turned on a Lathe (at my disposal with machinest) which would allow you to use your "almost identical" cap. The rotor would be simpler because its hidden and we could engineer a modification from something that exists. What have you found that "almost works".
JLS
Sleeper
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Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2002 10:33 pm

Re: How about this??

Post by Sleeper »

John Se wrote:Have you found an "almost Identical" cap? Then we could machine an adapter, I am imagining an adapter turned on a Lathe (at my disposal with machinest) which would allow you to use your "almost identical" cap. The rotor would be simpler because its hidden and we could engineer a modification from something that exists. What have you found that "almost works".
JLS
There is nothing " almost identical" to the cap and rotor. Vintage 1958-1959 Lucas Racing part. Used on Rolls, Aston Martin, D Type Jaguar.
tim
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Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2002 2:48 pm
Location: sacramento, ca

Post by tim »

Greetings.... I checked with a friend who was involved with racing D types back then and this was his response..... You might try some of the "D" Type and Ferrari specialists such as Nigel Dawes or Duncan Hamilton &Co. (011 441256 765000). An alternative in the States is Tivvy Shenton in Richmond, VT (802-434-2721), he specializes in Jags.
Good luck,
Mike
1964 330GT 5769 -the big yellow taxi 61&66 Morgan +4's Daimler SP250 Turner 950S and some other dull stuff plus a brand Mercedes C300 4matic
330Jim
Posts: 85
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:24 pm

Post by 330Jim »

A Jaguar D-type distributor cap will not work. The D-type used the same cap as the XK120 (wires out the top), which is different than the one Roger is looking for (wires out the side). This link has some unusual Lucas distributor caps, although I believe they are a little different than the one Roger is looking for http://www.vintagemotorspares.com/phdi/ ... ent&part=2 a couple have wires out the side. They may have some contacts for making the one Roger is looking for.

Cheers Jim
66 330GT 2+2
Sleeper
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Post by Sleeper »

Jim,
You are right, none of those caps are correct. Do you know what cars used the Lucas Racing distributor caps? I have always been told that D types and racing aston martin used them. Lucas must have provided them for more cars I would think.
rwills
Posts: 49
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2004 7:57 am
Location: Moscow

Post by rwills »

Attached are photos of the cap, points and rotor arm.

Image


Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
1959 Ferrari 250GT PF Coupe 1479GT
330Jim
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Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:24 pm

Post by 330Jim »

Unfortunately I do not know what used the racing distributors. A friend of mine specializes in D-types and I have had the opportunity to work on several of them, unless it was a one off, Jaguar did not use this distributor on any of their models.

Cheers Jim
Rudy van Daalen Wetters
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Post by Rudy van Daalen Wetters »

Roger,

I saw a response to your querie in Classic Car Magazine. Was that a viable lead for the replacement cap situation?

Rudy van Daalen Wetters
1963 GTE s/n 4001
1966 330 GT s/n 8705
Sleeper
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Post by Sleeper »

330Jim wrote:Unfortunately I do not know what used the racing distributors. A friend of mine specializes in D-types and I have had the opportunity to work on several of them, unless it was a one off, Jaguar did not use this distributor on any of their models.

Cheers Jim

I'm getting depressed!
grumpy2
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Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:29 am
Location: mooresville NC.

cap and rotars

Post by grumpy2 »

I can have a 3d scan taken of the cap and then have it grown in either SLA or SLS this could be expensive but you wouldn't need to make any more then you would need and could easily make more. There would be some work involed with inner parts of the cap but we may be able to use parts from other caps at this point. as for the rotar I don't see a problem with it at all. I will take these pic and find out about how much the scan and SLA or SLS parts would coast.
Grumpy2

63 250 GTE s/n 4157 (apart for now)
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