Electrics Birmingham Scotts

[Derek Swetnam]

ST called last month to attempt to lift the gypsies’ curse but no luck. I am not paranoid but everyone is out to get me.

Does anyone have a distributor cap and/or a rotor arm for a Miller distributor as fitted to Scotts between 4pm and half past five on Friday April 15th 1959?

Please look in your boxes labelled “Hens’ teeth” or “Rocking horse droppings”.

Derek Swetnam

[chris wastell]

can you fit the Lucas distributer cap? i have one but it was made about 10:45 in 1950 if it’s any good to you

[efr215]

Surely that should be Friday 13th 1950?

Seroiusly though do you have an original or bits thereof so that I’d know what I’m looking for? Could you e-mail me a picture or drawing to dnelgar@tesco.net? I might be able to help.

[malcwebb]

Derek

At one time early Lucas distributor bits were unobtainable and I know there were various dodges using other bits (in my case involving a Hillman Minx !).
The person who might be able to help is the bike alternator specialist :
Roy Price on 01480 473225. He recently reconditioned a 1953 Lucas DKX (non Scott) distributor for me at a very reasonable cost and turned it around in a week. If the Scott network can’t help it is worth a phone call.

Regards

Malc. Webb

[Derek Swetnam]

Many thanks Malc and Chris for your interest and advice.

The Lucas distributor is totally different from the Miller. On the Lucas the three connections feed in from the top whereas the Miller has a little chamber/cover on the cap which clamps the three H/T leads.

An additional complication is that the rotor arm sits onto a three eighths inch spindle ;normally 1/2 “.

The above mentioned cover clamps on with three brass screws that are jammed solid! I may have to drill them out, but how far to drill?

The very pretty motorbike did a few miles last week…….on one cylinder! It is looking increasingly likely that a lot of the trouble stems from the H/T side.

Several good folk have claimed that Miller never made a distributor : oh, yes they did! ask Ian Pearce who re-made the bushes on mine.

Thanks again Derek

[chris wastell]

I had a feeling that the Miller item was diferent but wasn’t sure if it could be bodged. To remove the screws, just drill the depth of the head starting with the smallest drill you have, increasing until you are drilling the same size as the screw shank. Do it carefully and the heads will spin off leaving the shanks sticking out of the distributer body. Then its down to WD40, patience and pliers. least the cap will be saved!
good luck

Chris

[Jan Buchwald]

You could try https://www.magneto.co.uk/ they do in such things, but I don’t know if Miller is amongst

[Stan Thomas]

Hi Derek,

You could of course “convert2 to a lucas distributor – which is the “earlier” altyernative. I say earlier as I dont think there was any direct change-over date/frame numbers. If memory serves me correct, Paul Casini’s bike – a very late registered one, came out thge factory with a lucas distributor, Miller alternator AND 12 voly electrics.

Other than that, I’ll ask around for a Miller _ although they were even worse than the Lucas one for premature wear so I’dd go for the Joe Lucas product.

Stan.

[Jan Buchwald]

Sorry, I got something mixed up. Look at https://www.vintagemotorspares.com/
under ignition, perhaps you can find something usefull there.
Jan B

[Roger Hulett]

A short time ago I was looking for some old bits for my magdyno and had occasion to visit FTW Motorcycles in Sheffield ( Old Bike Mart advert)
This guy has a somewhat decrepit workshop but the most amazing range of mag and dyno spare parts, both new and used. Worth a try if you are still looking. Roger Hulett

[Colin Hough]

Derek,

I too have Miller electrics on my 1959 model. I needed a new distributor cap about 35 years ago (on the ’59 model I then had) which I got direct from Miller who sent it along with a wiring diagram which I still have (the distributor cap went with machine when I sold it). Their documents refer to Douglas Dragonfly and this has been crossed out by hand and Scott written in. This suggests that the Douglas OC might be an option.

If of any use, I can take photos and email.

Note: on my last ride it started to rain and there were lots of very powerfull (and pretty) sparks over the top of the distributor cap when it would not start in the pub carpark – I’ve obviously got good electrics (its been converted to 12v), but the distributor is not a good design.

Regards

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

The Miller dist. really is Micky Mouse engineering and VERY difficult to find spares for. I would go for the Lucas DKX2A every time as parts are available if you know where to look. Most of the internals are common to the 4- cylinder version fitted to many cars before the war notably the Ford Model Y Tudor, so lots of car electrical people can help. The specifically 2 cylinder bits such as the cap were also used by Royal Enfield on their 500 twin in the early 50’s, and by Sunbeam on the S7 and S8. Shaft-drive Sunbeam specialists such as STEWART ENGINEERING carry a full range of bits for them. My Brum Scott WDO408L made in 1971, and registered in 1972 had a different Lucas dist. of the type fitted to coil ignition Triumphs of the 1960’s, and it went very well on it. It was also a much neater and slimmer job than the DKX2A. Hope this is of some help. Regards, B.M.

[Jeff Reed]

If you haven’t resolved your ignition problems you might ring Don Law on 01482 325760 who has a Scott distributor for sale at £50 in OBM.

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