ANCIENT LUCAS KNOWLEDGE

[GREYHARE]

I have a pre production buckboard Moke that I think was built in early to summer 1962. My question is this. On almost every Lucas part on the car there is a very small (1/32 to 1/16 inch tall) stamped three digit number, such as 162, 360, 859 etc. that could be interpreted as date stamps. Does anyone know if this is true? If so, the latest piece of electrical equipment on the Moke was built in January 1962 lending additional credence it's build date.

[grantourer]

Hi, I think they may be type numbers. To be a date stamp it would have to be four or six digit. IE November 1962 would be 1162 for April 1961 it would be 0461. This was a common code in Germany.

[Dean]

I vaguely remember someone in the Club telling me that Lucas parts had dates stamped on them.
A quick Google and you find it mentioned in many places on the web.
For example. Taken from a Truimph book "Many Lucas-made parts most usefully incorporate a date code stamped on the body of the part" and from an Austin Healey book "As with most major Lucas electrical components, voltage regulators were stamped with a date of manufacture".
Dean

[Dean]

More to be read.
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=9826

[GREYHARE]

Thanks for the helpful info.

Nick

[Doug G]

Don't forget to buy some replacement wiring harness smoke.