Coil HT Lead Removal MKV Distributor Cap

There are two clips to hold the plug leads, and they are mounted on the flywheel bolts.
While we are on important matters does anyone know why engines rotate clockwise, looking from the front? My guess is to make it easier for left handed people to crank start.

Or indeed why convention is that turning the steering wheel clockwise turns the car to the right? Occasionally someone has made one the opposite way.

Thank you Ed.

I’ll leave someone else to take your bait!

Cheers,

Tim

Timothy Fox

Timothy2963@gmail.com

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I imagine the steering convention dates back the pulling of horse reins but I’m struggling to think of a horse analogy for the engine rotation.

As for attaching the plug lead clips to the flywheel I think this would cause a right muddle regardless of the engine rotation!

Peter :astonished:

Only very briefly…

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I never know when you guys are going to start out serious and then get goofy.
Bell housing bolts!

The bracket on the left side is taller than the bracket on the right side.
PICT0009
The rubber grommets were also used on early XK120.

Hand cranking I think was derived for right handed people, the 90% of us, so that if it backfires, and you remember to leave your thumb loose, the crank will just pop harmlessly out of your hand. If you don’t remember to hold it loose, like my mother didn’t while cranking her 1933 Pontiac in about 1941, you can get a broken arm.

Steering wheels come from ships, but believe it or not there was once a thing called the Motor Horse that was controlled by levers that the driver pushed, pulled and lifted. It looked like a horse with a big wheel inside, and could be attached to the shafts of any carriage. It was built by Joseph Barsaleaux of Sandy Hill NY about 1897. The idea was that he was already familiar with controlling a horse, so he didn’t need to learn a new driving technique. I saw it in a museum in Wisconsin.
He also patented a steering gear.
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/0691519.pdf

Here’s some more fun stuff.
Horseless carriage pioneer Alexander Winton reminiscing in 1930 about his part in the early days, in which he claims to have invented the steering wheel.
http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2017/01/09/archives/historical-retrospectives/get-horse-americas-skepticism-toward-first-automobiles.html

Hi Rob,

Thank you once again for the helpful photo’s and information.

I’ll have to look at my car and see if it’s necessary to fit the two different types of brackets as both are available. It looks as though yours needs to clear a cable on the plug side of the motor, hence the change of angle?

Cheers,

Tim

Please ignore my speedometer cable dangling where it shouldn’t be and trying to get itself in the picture. :grin:
Both my brackets are original and match several photos in the Service Manual.
The cables take a turn there to head over to the spark plugs.
The copper tube below them is from the brake reservoir on the right to the master cylinder on the left. I have a LHD car.

Understood!

Than you once again, Rob.

Cheers,

Tim

Timothy Fox

Timothy2963@gmail.com

Hi Rob, great to see the Packard cables in your car. Packard Electric is now about 128 years old. Parts of the company went into what is now General Electric. And General Motors bought a main portion of the company which is now separated from GM as Delphi Packard Electric Systems. The Packard cars are out of production but the electric company portion has an impressive continuing track record.

Packard Cable sponsored the marvelous Miller 91 FWD race cars, in the late 20s, into the 30s.

I bought a 25 foot spool from JC Whitney. There might be enough left to do the '38 SS and get rid of that hideous yellow stuff.

BTW I see the '38 has two tall straight plug wire brackets, not the short turned bracket as on the Mark V.

Hello again,

Now that I have the correct HT lead mounting brackets and grommets I noticed that on Page B.20 of the Service Manual Plate B.12 “Drain Tap. Cylinder Block” it shows what looks to be some sort of heat sheath for the HT Leads. Does anyone have one? Have seen one? Or know where to buy one?

Cheers,

Tim

No ignition wire sleeve like that are in my reach. Ignition wires, the clips, and grommets shown in plate B.20 are listed on page 24 of the Spare Parts Catalogue, but not that item. I can’t recall ever seeing this pictured sleeve/carrier (or whatever is the correct term). Does anyone know parts listing details for it?

I also was aware of that enigmatical photo, and two other things guide me to the tentative conclusion that it is a photo of a pre-production bodyless chassis, those being the starter solenoid mounted on the starter which is characteristic of Mark IV but not Mark V, and the angle of the shot showing the brake and clutch pedals which couldn’t be achieved with the body in place.
So I am inclined to believe that this sleeve was an idea that was contemplated but not carried through to production cars.
Another photo in a Jaguar book shows the plug wires held together with rubber rings, which I believe dates from the SS era.
A similar conduit sleeve was used on XK engined cars; in fact there were a couple of versions which have been investigated by XK archaeologists.

Thank you Rob & Roger.

These cars prove to be both perplexing and humorous, and I love it!:blush:

You are required to have forensic and archaeological skills.

I have one of the common heat shields fitted to the top of my XK motor so perhaps they originated from an idea originating from this photo?:thinking:

Cheers.

Tim

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The rubber rings part no. 1588 are in the SS, Mark IV and Mark V parts catalogues.
image
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But the only pictures I could find were of this early 120.

Hello everyone,
For the record, original Lucas sidewire distributor caps had a top cover attached with 3 Brass screws to access removal or replacments of plug wires.

Clockwise rotation of the engine (looking from the front) started back to early cars used for racing.
Rotation counterbalanced the drivers weight sitting on the right side. As told to me by an old
proffessional race driver. Phil Hill.

Regards to all,
Popop

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