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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Rear Fog Lights

Aside from the regulations concerning the above, I was just wondering if anyone has converted the rear lights to take a fog lamp in either one or both of the rear light cluster refector position.

Brian
brian s

I think the regulations forbid red fog lamps being within a certain distance of the brake lights.

Four inches (100 mm is that?) separation minimum I think, this is what springs (sluggishly) to mind.

The lamp clusters on all cars I've owned with built ins have separate defined sectors for both.
Bill1

I've changed my reversing lights to extra brake lights. Compared how much I drive in the fog to how often I brake and how often I reverse in the dark, and it was a no brainer.
Rob Armstrong

IMHO the compulsary fitting of fog lights to vehicles is one of the dafter pieces of legislation ever brought in. I doubt if their use has ever prevented an accident, and the pillocks that use them in the rain! AARGH!
Rob's extra brake lights though seem very sensible. Anything to warn the tailgating texting, headphoned boneheads that you're stopping is a great idea.

Bernie.
b higginson

when it's really foggy they're great. rest of the time, not so much.

We've got front fogs on the Rover 25, and they're fairly useless, so I use them to flash madly at other people with fogs on :) Though once it was really really foggy, but what worked best there was fogs and sidelights. Interestingly (perhaps) the P6 had fogs wired in that killed the main beam, which was very scary if you did it in the dark to see if they worked...

Bring back that bit of cunningness and the daylight foggery will be finished!

p.s. pic of rear with the extra lights on.


Rob Armstrong

Brian,
a missing or offset rear reflectors would probably be an MoT refusal
Nigel Atkins

One of my fave rants this one.


Why do so many think it's necessary to drive at night with the front fog lamps on?


They really ought to wired so they can't be illuminated when the headlamps are on, as per the the S type jaguar I once owned.


Surely the point of front fog lamps is to shine at ground level beneath the fog when the headlamps just bounce their light back off the water droplets. So you never need both on at the same time.


As to the idiots that forget to turn off the rear ones when the poor visibility has passed, the less said the better.


I think if you tamper with the rear reflectors, the MOT guys won't like it.


If you want high intensity rear lamps, why not just hang them beneath the rear bumper as per the OE ones on the last of the MGB's.


Just my thoughts
SR Smith 1

SR, I agree with all your thoughts.
Bernie,I agree daft legislation especially as, legally, only one rear foglight is required.
Bill, I think you are correct 100mm separation is required
Ray Rowsell

Rob,
Did you colour the bulbs, or find red lens covers ?
Graham

I think I've only once driven in the 'correct' type of fog for front fog lights on various vehicles

as Rob points out on the Rover P6 putting the front fog lights on turns off the headlights

I think rear fog light or lights can are a good idea in fog (not very thin mist though), very heavy bouncing rain and heavy road spray

the extra 21w or 42w of red light supplementing the existing 10w and small red reflectors are very good for helping with being seen from behind

the additional brake lights would of course be used more frequently

if I'm stationary on the road I repeatedly press my brake lights in a hazard light fashion until another vehicle has stopped behind me just to draw the attention of those behind me that I'm there
Nigel Atkins

Sprayed the inside of my cloudified cracky reversing lamp lenses with red plastic paint :)
Rob Armstrong

Don't know if I can agree with Bernie on rear fog lights. I've always felt a bit vulnerable in the midget in fog and very heavy rain with the somewhat dim rear lights compared to modern standards.
I've often wondered about fitting a race rear led rain light as a fog light, possibly one witha flashing setting to use as a hazard light in case of emergency. I'm sure it would be highly illegal as such on the road but I don't think it would be picked up at MOT time and in emergency circumstances I'd prefer rapped knuckles from the cops rather than be rear ended!
Any thoughts?
Matt1275Bucks

Hi Brian,
Rear end visibilty i something that concerns me greatly.

Different to your lights i know as i have a frogeye, but i just bought the LED rear lights set from Moss, if the literature is to be believed then they will make a big difference (not installed them yet).
Expensive but it was my birthday....

Could you get some brighter led bulbs for your rear lights ? there is an online company based in UK that has a large selection....
Also, i have bought (but not yet fitted... trend here i think!) an LED 3rd brake light strip that i intend to fit high up on my roll bar.

http://www.carbuildersolutions.com/uk/28-led-high-level-brake-light

if you browse through the carbuildersolutions site they have lots of cool stuff for rear/fog lights
Andy Phillips (frankenfrog)

I'm not sure how successful LED brake lights are compared with the other LED lights

it is important to have existing (or new) lights as bright as possible by having clean, secure and protected wiring and connections

simple things like cleaning the glass on the bulbs and the inside of the lenses and looking for blackened bulbs can make a big difference to the amount of light that gets out - and obviously very important is keeping the outside of the lenses clean (and reflective number plates) especially during mucky conditions like rain and fog
Nigel Atkins

ETA:
I meant to put, don't use polish on the plastic bulb reflectors or the surface can rub off - don't ask how I know
Nigel Atkins

Well some interesting input there, thank you all. Not sure that there is a great deal that can be done unless of course you want to look like Blackpool illuminations lol.
brian s

This thread was discussed between 21/04/2014 and 24/04/2014

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