Lucas – Prince of Darkness

Lucas was the name for electrical components for British motorbikes and cars in the nineteenth century. While back then the parts were not the most reliable (making their catchphrase ‘The Prince of Darkness’ rather ironic), Lucas almost held the monopoly on bulbs, wiring and generators. Another Birmingham-based brand, they were in good company along with classic motorbike factories BSA and Ariel.

Lucas used a comprehensive numbering system that can be a bit unwieldy at first but it is worth getting to grips with. Each type of item (e.g. dynamo) that they produced had a model designation (e.g. E3LM), the 1936-57 Lucas catalogue lists 18 models of dynamos. The model designation can be decoded, for our example E=Eccentrically mounted armature; 3=3” diameter; L=Long body or yoke; M=Magneto mounted. For most models there are several variants, each of which has their own ordering number even though the difference might be only one part, this results in 72 different dynamos from those 18 models. The model designation and the ordering number are invariably stamped onto a major part of the component as well as the month and year of manufacture. Needless to say this information is very useful to restorers.

Tinkerer’s Tip – The direction of rotation of a component is taken to be as viewed from the drive end. E3 in this list means all E3 dynamos’ i.e. E3HM, E3LM etc similarly E3L means E3L and E3LM and so on.

Whether you need a new distributor, ignition coil, or wiring harness, Lucas has you covered with a wide range of products to choose from.