MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

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 - Original Lucas Battery

Anyone have a colour pic of an original Lucas battery they could post? (The one that is illustrated in the WSM). If you happen to have a case for sale that would be even better! Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

I would say getting a picture even in B&W is a challenge. BTW the WSM is from 1949 pre production. I would not trust it much.

This picture is from the assembly line but other than having slotted wheels its hard to tell what year. The caption I have says 1950. The battery is barely visible.

You might want to email the BM Trust to see if they have any closeups available.

Chris Couper

I've emailed the BM Trust requesting an assembly line pic showing the Lucas battery. When/if it arrives I'll post it. The following is from Rob Grantham on the TF 1500 battery thread;

"Contrary to popular opinion, the 'LUCAS' logo, at least in the early stages of TF production, had vertical printing on the battery front in red lettering. Maybe white lettering later and possibly went to horizontal format. As you know, the TF WSM, depicts a Lucas battery with the vertical print."

This suggests the Lucas battery with the white horizontal embossing, as supplied by Antique Auto Battery, is later. Cheers
Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

Here is a Lucas ad from 1957 in color with a battery


Chris Couper

People at local shows see my Antique Auto Battery "Lucas" and are impressed. They will never know the script was suppose to be vertical and I'll never tell. George
George Butz

Great find Chris! This indicates that as late as 1957 the LUCAS on the battery case was vertical & appears to be embossed in white. The caps are the same as those supplied by Antique Auto Battery today (unlike those illustrated in the WSM). I have an early undated original Lucas publication "Electricalities", Publication No 444/3 TL/127/L, which shows a couple of illustrations. Unfortunately they appear to be generic & indicative rather than attempts to accurately portray the Lucas battery. The caps however are like those in the ad above & unlike those in the WSM & the location of the terminals is clear. There is no doubt that the terminals were originally at the rear with the + on the right, when viewed from the front. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Just received the reply from the BM Trust. They stated they have no pics of the battery detail. There are only 2 pics from the Abingdon TD assembly line on their website. Both are wide shots with little detail. I've followed a lead from Rob Grantham & contacted Ariel Batteries in Melbourne who are able to rebuild a rubber cased Group 27 battery using the detail shown in the pic Chris Couper posted above, for AU $250. It will be correct in every detail & the only difference from the original will be the absence of the vertical LUCAS embossing on the case. (I may even be able to have that made elsewhere using a 3D printer if I can find a closeup of the original detail, if not I'll use a LUCAS decal). Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

The battery I got from Abingdon Spares (which I think came from (http://www.antiqueautobattery.com/) is pretty spot on. It does not sport any white lettering and the Lucas is horizontal and mostly hidden by the battery bracket. The caps are correct and black.

Its pricey but seems to be a wonderful battery. I charged it and left it on the shelf for 5 years once and its still seems to be as good as new. Its a solid state battery (not just maintenance free).

Did they or Abingdon Spares quote you a price to AU? They are heavy.
Chris Couper

Why does the battery on antique battery.com have cast colored caps and not black caps? I modeled my batteries after the one on their website. Optima AGM Gel cell battery disguised as a Lucas tar topper for less than $200. One has been going for five years, the other for two.
David
D. Sander

This is what mine looks like:

D. Sander

This is the prototype:

D. Sander

Dave: I am not sure. But this is actually what they sell.


Chris Couper

The best indicator I've seen of the original LUCAS battery is the one shown in the coloured 1957 ad above posted by Chris on the 26th. None of the batteries, including the one in use by Dave nor the one on the Antique Battery website match it for accurate detail. Shipping from the States to OZ is outrageously expensive often costing more than the part itself. I shudder to think what a battery would cost to ship (literally) as they can't be transported by air. I've considered the options & have decided to proceed with the Group 27 rebuild from Ariel Batteries in Melbourne. Thanks guys for all your input on both threads. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

From The Autocar 4th of March 1955 if this helps.

Matthew.

M Magilton

A big thanks Matthew!. Identical battery to the colour pic Chris posted from 1957. Although in black & white the image portrays the rear of the battery & perhaps shows the LUCAS embossing in slightly more detail. What I really love is that it takes us back that much closer to the TD production run & for you TF'ers is right there in TF territory! A really terrific & very valuable post Matthew! Love your work. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Its interesting that the Lucas vertical logo shows up left on my ad and right on Matthews.
Chris Couper

Its interesting that the Lucas vertical logo shows up left on my ad and right on Matthews.

Left hand drive and right hand drive batteries??
:-)

David
D. Sander

Also the pos/neg posts are reversed.
Jim Neel

No mystery here guys. If you study both pics carefully you'll see that Chris's is a view of the front & Matthew's shows the rear of exactly the same battery! Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Update. Last post incorrect as the terminals are at the front in the second pic! Different batteries!
P Hehir

I found other images in 1952 and in 1954 and the logo seems to bounce around from right to left so no consistency at least in their ads. What was real is another question :-)
Chris Couper

TF/TF1500 Service Parts List (AKD580 - July 1955 Issue 2) lists the battery as GTW9A/2 0r GTZ9A/2. The Triumph TR2/TR3 also came with GTW9A/2 battery.
The attached image is from the TR2/TR3 owners handbook. It is of course in black and white.
Don't know if it helps in any way.

Ian
TF4056

Ian Fry

Ian: Looks to be the same battery. I suspect it might not have been colored white and its just artists renderings/highlights that make it look so on the ads.

This also shows the textured finish that I think is more true too plus the correct caps.
Chris Couper

Chris are you able to post the 1952 & 1954 images?
P Hehir

Ian,

The word 'Lucas' on the battery you depicted does'nt
look like white print to me,possibly darker,red in colour!!!? (lol.

Cheers
Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
R GRANTHAM

Rod
Agreed. In a black and white photo?? from a 1950s publication, it could be any colour.

The handbook cost 5 shillings at the time, wish the prices wer still the same (50 cents).

Ian
TF4056
Ian Fry

Is the fake case with LUCAS in the vertical position available, OR, is a complete replica battery available with the vertical lettering?
Oh yeah, and what's this about the true tar top batteries can not handle a battery maintainer? True or False? PJ
Paul S Jennings

Paul: I am not aware of any replica that has the vertical lettering. They all seem to be horizontal.

The new replica batteries cannot be trickle charged. You will ruin them. They are solid state batteries and once they are charged they will hold their charge forever it seems. I had one on the shelf for 2 years and it was still charged. They actually give you a guide by voltage on how long you need to charge it and at what rate and then you must disconnect the charger.

Rod: I think what we are seeing in the logo is just raised or smooth lettering on the pebbled background. It does not appear to be painted.

This is the 1952 ad.

Chris Couper

Here is the 1954 ad with the logo on the right.

Chris Couper

Had a reply from Ariel batteries. The top wont be exactly the same as the original LUCAS but it will be close. I'll see if I can get a pic of what to expect. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

My dimensions are: 12"w x 6 7/8"d x 8"h



Chris Couper

You can see the reproduction just has Lucas horizontally on the front. Not sure what made them decide to do that. The texture finish looks like the TR2 battery finish from its manual.

Chris Couper

I also gave you a picture inside the cells so you can see its solid state and not lead/acid.


Chris Couper

This thread was discussed between 26/03/2014 and 31/03/2014

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archives. Join this live forum now