Jonmac,
Not only is this excellent information, it's also re-assuring information for
those of us just learning about our newly purchased Triumphs. You've given me
a boost to better understanding why things are as they are. Oh, how first
impressions can be misleading when they are tempered with ignorance.
Mike
Corvallis, OR
'69 TR6 CC27876
>>> "jonmac" <jonmac@ndirect.co.uk> 08/24/03 07:55AM >>>
Michael Corbitt wrote:
I was amazed at all the disconnected wires under my dash the first time I
looked. No wonder Lucas has been referred to as the Prince of Darkness.
Further to my earlier post on this issue (can't remember which list) - the
disconnected wires will have two key reasons/causes for being the way they are.
The more likely is previous owners fiddling with things they didn't understand.
The other is Standard-Triumph. Few appreciate that to minimise production costs
and to meet the many very varied levels of electrical legislation in many
markets, the company used two main "fit all" wiring harnesses - one for LHS
cars and the other for RHS. May seem daft but when you're selling in 130 plus
markets, you can't afford 130 different types of loom. Maybe they can in Japan
- but I doubt it. So, unused terminals (i.e. those not required for US spec)
were taped out of the way during assembly so as not to 'interfere.' If anyone
gets the (unlikely) chance, look at how cars had to be wired for Italy and then
the "Fix it again Tony" acronym/wotsit for FIAT might be clearer?
But as the cars were never expected to last more than 10 years at the most,
this probably explains why the insulating tape has already given up the fight
30 years later! The issue isn't really the fault of Lucas or Ripaults cables
who made the looms - it's the national legislators who could never agree what
was needed, how it had to be wired or for how long the legislation was to stay
in force, because they didn't care. After all, what more can you expect of a
politician? Poor old Joe gets blamed again...
Jonmac
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