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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 MGA - Spark plug Caps

Hi all,

looking for two sets of spark plug caps (8) as fitted on the MGA originally. They either have to be identical to the originals, ie made by Lucas, or good replicas. I had bought some caps, which had the word Lucas printed on them, but these were absolute crap. They disintegrated the first time I used them. These were bought from AUSTIN HEALEY SPARES in UK. Any ideas of a good source.

Frank
F. Camilleri

Frank,

Try:

The Green Spark Plug Company, see http://www.gsparkplug.com/shop/

Richard
R A Evans

The original caps had LUCAS embossed on them with the part number which I think was 78106 and they had a built in suppressor. I got a set from Moss several years ago but they were poor. The embossing was very bad on two of them and non existant on the other two. When I got them home I found that none of the four had built in suppressors!

Rarely you see them on Ebay and the last set I saw went for about £80! ...........Mike
m.j. moore

Frank, I got my plug caps from these people http://www.vintagemotorspares.com/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/hodge?opendocument&part=2 They are item 194, which I see is POA now. I can't remember what they cost, it was at least three years ago, but it wasn't expensive. They have done over 11,000 miles with no problems yet.
Lindsay Sampford

Frank, we have been here before according to the archives! This quote from one of my postings: "Frank, they were £3.55p each when I bought them in July 2007. Looks like I got something right for once!".
I was the one who suggested you might try the Austin Healey people, they look the same as the ones I got from Vintage Motor Spares. Sorry I was instrumental in pointing you in their direction, but you would think that a firm dealing in Healeys would sell decent stuff.
Lindsay Sampford

Frank, Im fairly certain that I have an original set of these on leads in my box of bits from one of my previous MGAs. I only have 4 I recall. Are they the thin 90 degree angled type?

They are definitely not new, in fact they may be 40 years old and I will look them out for you tomorrow.

I will let you know if they look any good and if they are you are welcome to have them.

Colyn
Colyn Firth

Thanks to all for your help. Many thanks for your offer Colyn. Yes they are the Lucas 90 degree angle type, as used on all MGA's on production. I shall be very pleased if they are original. At present, I believe they are the only items on my car which are not to original specs. Please let me know the cost of posting them to Malta.
Lindsay, thanks to you too for your info. I intend to buy another set of 4 for my mate, and so I will try Vintage motor spares.

Frank

F. Camilleri

To Colyn Firth:
Colyn I have sent you an email with my full home address where you can send me the caps.
Many thanks again.

Frank
F. Camilleri

Tim Hodgekiss at Vintage Motor Spares has not had any in for nearly a year now..............Mike
m.j. moore

Coming back to this thread just to say that I have bought a set of spark plug caps from 'The Green Spark Plug Co., as suggested by Richard Evans of UK. I wish to inform all concerned that these caps are of very high quality, and they are the exact shape and form of the original caps. I am very pleased with them. They also have 10K suppression built in. I most certainly recommend them.

Frank
F. Camilleri

Frank

What was the part number
dominic clancy

Pictures wold be appreciated, if the words LUCAS and the Part Number are embossed as original.
Barney Gaylord

Advertised on Amazon at the moment: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Suppressed-Right-Angle-Spark-3H1422/dp/B005UCFTMW

Distributed by SC Parts.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Barney, the ones I bought from The Green Spark Plug Co do not have the word Lucas embossed on them. As I had mentioned before I had bought a set some time ago embossed with the word Lucas. These were absolute rubbish, they fell apart on fitting. Although these are not embossed Lucas, I am very pleased with them. I shall post a pic if I can upload one and give their part number.

Frank
F. Camilleri

Steve,
The Amazon sale caps look horribly like the type i bought a couple of years ago and, like Franks, mine fell apart on screwing the HT cable on.
regards
Colin
C Manley

Here's a picture of the caps..... Their part no. is "Eire"

Frank

F. Camilleri

Sorry guys, the part No. should read Erie.

Frank

F. Camilleri

Erie used to make high quality resistors in the past. I remember having an early Quad valve power amplifier in the 1960s which used many Erie resistors. It says on the Green Spark Plug site that the Erie plug caps are old stock from 1951 so they may have been made for the TD ? ...............Mike
m.j. moore

Frank,
I’m glad that you found a good alternative to the LUCAS spark plug caps.

I notice that they are suppressed to 10K. I have to admit that I am not a fan of suppression in my ignition system after a bad choice of caps purchased at my local auto store caused me a lot of grief. It was only when they all started to go open circuit that I found the problem. Hopefully your Erie plug caps with the high quality resistors will be OK for you.

Richard

R A Evans

Now sold out
dominic clancy

Thanks Richard, I hope so too. From what I can see they seem to be of good quality. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Dominic, that's a bit of bad luck, they are saying only 1 left. I presume they mean one single cap not a whole set of four. Wouldn't be a bad idea if you ask, you never know.

Frank
F. Camilleri

Crap right out of the box!
I bought 5 spark plug caps as advertised on Amazon - I got the package sent from the SC- Part Group in the UK.
As can be seen in the photo one cap has gone to pieces before it is taken out of the bag!
In the other caps the screw are very loose.
The copper cylinder is tilted cut and sloppily molded into the cap.
In the bag is hospitalized a note:
1) Pierce than of high tension lead with a scribe or similar Sharpe Pointed instrument.
2) Use only very light hand pressure two screw plug cap in two high tension lead.
Failure to observing the above notes kan result in the screw-being Pulled out of the cap.

I think I have lost 35 GBP


Jorgen

JF Hedetoft

Jorgen, contact SC parts and tell them what you have told us. There is no way that you should be expected to pay good money for rubbish like that, and their reputation depends on the outcome you report back to us here!
Lindsay Sampford

These caps come from the same supplier who was selling a single oval wing washer for an eye watering £3.60 - when i enquired what they were made from to justify such a price, i never even got a reply. Buyer beware.
C Manley

Jorgen

Just send them back and demand a refund. If they won't make a chargeback request n your credit card that you used to pay for them - you will get your money back one way or the other
dominic clancy

This thread was discussed between 12/11/2011 and 06/12/2011

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