Dodgy alternators etc

Whilst running errands and generally sorting out the move of my PI estate from painter to trimmer yesterday the Stags alternator decided to start dying - blown diode diagnosed but still managed to just keep charging at 13v volts rather than 14.3v

Of course nothing is as straightforward on a Stag as a saloon. You need to dropdown the front ARB and delicately extract the (35+ year old Lucas 17ACR) alternator which I had fitted a few years back when the original 18ACR died

Now I had a choice - fit a Chinese made copy or a 40 year old original known to be OK - simple really - all votes were placed on the RH alternator being more reliable and the shiney new fake will be returned for no charge.

You'd never guess it was 2012 in our staff carpark this morning - more like a mid 70's hotspot for playboys and charlatans. 1965 CV8 (running a bored and stroked 440 big block) 1974 V12 XJ and 1973 Stag with scruffy alternator to match the paintwork..