Rimmer Bros Ltd

[TR6oldtimer]

I am about to do my best to help the international economy by spreading my wealth.

So, I have searched all the usual vendors in the US for a bush and brush set for a Lucas 2M100 starter. No longer available. But Rimmer Bros has them, or so they say.

How are these blokes to deal with, and is there any concern or special things I need to know before going international? What about shipping express or standard?

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Great folks, from my experience. Shipping can be costly, of course, but if you catch their sales, you can make up some of that. Your items shouldn't weigh much, so it may not be too great an issue.

No experience with express shipping...

 

[GreenOne]

I purchased the entire rocker assembly from Rimmer last winter (best price by far) and the transaction was flawless, and with express shipping I received the order in 3 business days on the east coast with minimal up charge.

 

[TR6BILL]

I like calling them. They speak ENGLISH! They always seem to laugh at goofy Americans though.

 

[TR4nut]

For what you want to order, I think you might be surprised at the shipping. For small, low weight items UK Royal mail small packets will be very cheap, similar to US priority mail.

But definitely call them to place the order, they are helpful and can give you pretty quick advice. I bought a TR3A harness from them a few months ago, easily $100 cheaper than the best price I could find over here.

Randy

 

[Andrew Mace]

... I have searched all the usual vendors in the US for a bush and brush set for a Lucas 2M100 starter....

I don't recognize that model Lucas starter; what's it from? Have you checked with any local auto electric shops or rebuilders? The one really good one in my area never seems to balk at anything old and Lucas, so it might be worth a shot.

 

[Dale]

Have enjoyed dealing with Rimmer. Bought all the stuff for rebuilding the engine in my TR7 from them, including the crankshaft. Even with shipping from England, the price was better than what the domestic suppliers were offering at the time. It did require a little creative dickering on the core charges, but talking to the folks there and getting up at 6 AM to catch them after lunch was all part of the adventure. Their catalogues are great reference materials as well.

 

[johnrip]

I have used them several times. Email them the part number, and your zipcode, and within a day, they will email you exact shipping cost. Costs are all about sixe and weight. I think your part would be resonable.

 

[Dennis]

Have to agree, dealing with them is great. I just bought some items from the last sale they had, just arrived yesterday as a matter of fact. They do carry some parts we can't find here and their catalogs are impressive. They use the factory part numbers and it's easy to cross reference them to TRF's. ( at least from a Spitfire/GT6 perspective.) I do like VB, Moss( no catalogs GT6 specific but.. ), and Spitbits but I really don't like the part number changes they have.
Dennis

 

[TR6oldtimer]

... I have searched all the usual vendors in the US for a bush and brush set for a Lucas 2M100 starter....

I don't recognize that model Lucas starter; what's it from? Have you checked with any local auto electric shops or rebuilders? The one really good one in my area never seems to balk at anything old and Lucas, so it might be worth a shot.

It came out of a 73 TR6. I have taken it around to the shops that do this work. Most had no problem taking the job, their only caveat was parts availability. Now that I have sourced the bushing and brushes, and bought a spire nut, the rest is a piece of cake

https://www.zeni.net/trf/TR6greenbook/14.php

 

[billspit]

I bought a European downpipe for my Spitfire and the transaction went like butta. The part was on backorder for a few weeks though, but they notified me right away. I was charged for shipping twice and it was expensive. You will also pay a transaction fee on your credit card for an international purchase. Royal mail is the way to go on small parts. I have ordered stuff from Rimmer before and gotten it quicker than if it came from BPNW or TRF.

 

[TR3driver]

I have ordered stuff from Rimmer before and gotten it quicker than if it came from BPNW or TRF.

Me too. But if you pay TRF that much for shipping, they will usually beat Rimmers. Rimmers' ONLY method of shipping is air mail, while the default method at TRF is (much cheaper) UPS ground. TRF will ship "overnight", if you want to pay for it.

Fully half the stuff I got from Rimmers for my Stag did not fit properly; the boot boards were totally useless. Friend of mine bought a rebuilt OD gearbox from them that had to be returned twice for jumping out of gear (and then it was Herman who discovered the mismatched parts, not Rimmers). Not my favorite supplier.

 

[Andrew Mace]

For whatever it's worth, I just tried NAPA online, and they list a starter brush Item#: ECHE503, Price: $9.99; and starter bushing, commutator end, Item#: ECH4494, Price: $2.99. Are those the items you're looking for? (I realize that listings don't always imply availability, but it might be worth a visit to your local NAPA!)

 

[angelfj1]

I am about to do my best to help the international economy by spreading my wealth.

So, I have searched all the usual vendors in the US for a bush and brush set for a Lucas 2M100 starter. No longer available. But Rimmer Bros has them, or so they say.

How are these blokes to deal with, and is there any concern or special things I need to know before going international? What about shipping express or standard?

Ray: Not sure of your ultimate goal but these parts are available here.

A quick search at Auto Zone foundthe following. Some additional resources are:

AES UK

ELREG

STAR

 

[swift6]

Until you have the units in hand I would be skeptical of some of the online listings from some of those stores. Too many times I have encountered the online catalog listing items as "in-stock", or available for in-store pick up within a day or two. Then call the store and ask them to order it only to be told it is unavailable and no longer stocked in the warehouse. The online databases are not kept up to date very well.

 

[TR6oldtimer]

Thanks for the feedback. The rear bushing (commutator end part ED13 on the Green book page) is a flanged bushing that provides not only for the shaft's rotation, but for thrust as well. The bushings offered from Napa and other vendors are not flanged. The brushes listed would work, but like Shawn stated, shown, but not necessarily in stock. For example, I needed the front wheel inner and outer bearings and races for a TR6. Napa on line showed them, so off to the local store. Well, they only had one inner cone and it was located in Kentucky, they had four races, from somewhere else, the same story with the outer parts. Not a one in California. So I passed and went to one of our favorite vendors.

Oh, by the way, the starter I have is curious. The thing obviously once was rebuilt (I have had the car since 1975, so it might have been me or a local shop here in town in the 80's). Whoever did it replaced the rear bushing with a non-flanged one, and then CUT the original flanged bushing, leaving about 3/16 inch and stuck it in behind the new to take care of the thrust. If things do not work out, I may have to do the same.

Lot's of fun.

 

[TR3driver]

The rear bushing (commutator end part ED13 on the Green book page) is a flanged bushing that provides not only for the shaft's rotation, but for thrust as well. The bushings offered from Napa and other vendors are not flanged.

Just a thought, you might take some measurements and check out the MMC website. They have a lot of flanged bushings listed (as "flanged sleeve bearings"); perhaps there is something in there that would suit your application.
https://www.mcmaster.com/#sleeve-bearings/=1cfi9o

 

[Moseso]

One more testimonial in favor of Rimmer Bros.
Recently, I was looking for a locking gas cap to fit the TR3. They had it in stock (NOS real stuff, no less) and shipped it air mail, all for less than the catalog prices quoted by TRF (not in stock) and Moss (had it, couldn't tell me the source). This, of course, is a phenomenon subject to change. Right now, the Pound is $1.46. That's a fairly low Pound.

 

[TR6oldtimer]

Once again, thanks of your help. I did the Rimmer Bros. thing. None of the other references lead to the parts I needed, including mcmaster. Just a really odd part. I'll let you all know how it works out.

 

[billspit]

I have ordered stuff from Rimmer before and gotten it quicker than if it came from BPNW or TRF.

Me too. But if you pay TRF that much for shipping, they will usually beat Rimmers. Rimmers' ONLY method of shipping is air mail, while the default method at TRF is (much cheaper) UPS ground. TRF will ship "overnight", if you want to pay for it.

Fully half the stuff I got from Rimmers for my Stag did not fit properly; the boot boards were totally useless. Friend of mine bought a rebuilt OD gearbox from them that had to be returned twice for jumping out of gear (and then it was Herman who discovered the mismatched parts, not Rimmers). Not my favorite supplier.

Only thing I buy from Rimmers is stuff not available in the US. Some internal differential parts and the European downpipe.