Heater control colour?

[smp]

Should heater taps be painted engine colour, or left as bare metal?

Thanks

[BAD942B]

bare metal, actually (cad) plated metal, i doubt whether my car has ever had a new one fitted & that's what colour it is

[Peter Laidler]

Same as above.

Interesting....., a Mk2 (?) S with an ACR alternator. Same as mine. Does it/did it have the the separate regulator on the right hand scuttle panel? Mine is under the felt stuff, where your flasher unit is. Or is the alternator an afterthought fitting. Mine was an ex cop car with an early Lucas 11AC alternator fitted with separate regulator. So said, AC stood for Averse to Charging.

Mind you, like most early Lucas stuff, Lucas stood for Loads of Unconnected Crap And Solder

[smp]

Thanks both.

( Peter, I have no idea about the alternator. This one is a new one, but it replaces another one that was on it when I bought it)

[roger mcnab]

hi
how come lucas got away with dodgy electrics when there were others around like bth and miller there stuff was used on motor bikes bth had a better advance system for there magnetos just curious
cheers roger mcnab

[Peter Laidler]

Yep, you're right Roger. In mid to late 60's Australia our imported (CKD(?) Land Rovers - as opposed to the home built jobbies, all came with Lucas alternators and some other stuff. The RAEME fitters first job was to remove the Lucas AC alternators and fit AC Delco's that were a straight swop fit as I recall after all these years.

It made sense when they got into the really harsh terrain of Malaya and Vietnam

[mab01uk]

Some favorite sayings listed below from a USA Jaguar forum on Lucas electrics as fitted to classic British sports cars....

"For as long as the English have been making cars (some would say poorly, but with excellent style, poise and panache), Lucas has been providing the electrical wiring and switch gear. For as long as Lucas have been making the electrics, British cars have suffered. Now, I’m not saying that the company today is like the old company, today Lucas are modern company, with a quality and reliability second to none, but for most of the company’s history their quality and reliability has been hit and miss. So for any one who still suffers from the memory of having ever owned, driven, or pushed a British sports car, here are some of of my favorite sayings about old Lucas Electrics."

Lucas is an acronym for Loose Unsoldered Connections and Splices

Lucas has never had a patent on darkness, just sudden unexpected darkness.

Lucas also hold the patent on the Short Circuit.

During the 1970 and 80′s Lucas electrics branched out into domestic appliances and sold vacuum cleaners in England, it was the only product they ever made that didn’t suck.

There is absolutely no truth that the company’s motto was "Lucas, get home before dark”.

While other talked about it Lucas invented the the original anti theft device.

Lucas were also the inventors of the first intermittent wiper, although they thought it was normal.

Lucas are also the inventor of the self-dimming headlights.

All of their headlights had a three position switch – Dim, Flicker and Off.

If Lucas was a manufacturer of firearms then wars would not start.

There is no truth to the rumour that the English drink warm beer because Lucas makes their Fridges.

There is no truth to the rumour that Lucas, tried to get British Parliament to repeal Ohms Law, but that they gave up after too much resistance.

[TECH396]

This picture was taken of a 12k mile car. It appears the heater valve was masked ( somewhat)

[TECH396]

On top of my reply to the paint question, here's another photo of an engine tag when fitted with an alternator. I believe the factory fitted late 60s cars used a stamping within the engine tag that denotes an Alternator was fitted. Here's a pic. KC was the code used.

[Arctic Circle]

During the 1970 and 80′s Lucas electrics branched out into domestic appliances and sold vacuum cleaners in England, it was the only product they ever made that didn’t suck.

Haha! Funny.

[111Robin]

On my ADO16 the flange and "stalk" are painted as well so they were painted on the assembled engine with the valve body masked. You can also see that the paint has almost completely fallen off the alloy casing, no surface prep', longevity not intended

[smp]

OK, so now I am confused. Some heater valves clearly show signs of paint. Do we think this was the way all cars originally left the factory , and any heater valve without paint must be a replacement?

[TECH396]

OK, so now I am confused. Some heater valves clearly show signs of paint. Do we think this was the way all cars originally left the factory , and any heater valve without paint must be a replacement?

I would be inclined to say yes, they were painted with the engine. How long it stayed on such a part is a different question.

[mab01uk]

This thread linked below may also help...

Engine paint: what is painted? What is not?
https://mk1-forum.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=34235

[smp]

This thread linked below may also help...

Engine paint: what is painted? What is not?
https://mk1-forum.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=34235

Thank you. From those factory photos it appears the engines were painted without heater valves in place. The the photo of finished engines with their carbs added shows unpainted heater valves. Of course I appreciate it is not definitive evidence.

[111Robin]

It would be an extreme anorak that picked you up for not painting the valve, I wouldn't be too bothered about it, it will look perfectly authentic unpainted. Taking it to the nth degree, the cylinder head studs and nuts would be painted, as would the rocker cover hex heads and engine ID plate but hardly anyone does as it "doesn't look right". Damned if you do...........