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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Round indicator lamps

Chaps

Sacrelige perhaps, but I think the rectangaular sidelamps/indicators on our beloved midgets are somewhat incongruous with the overall rounded effects of the front end of the car.

I have seen a few de-bumpered 1500s with round indicators and the effect looks rather pleasing. Perhaps a combined round indicator as per the MGA may also suit...

Trouble is, filling in the large and slighly proud recess in the bodywork could present a problem and an even uglier solution. Could plate and fill it I suppose, but I wondered if there were any simple indicator assemblies out there which may fit and cover the recess, but give a more pleasing rounded effect than current?
M Ogden

Thats all about personal taste and style... something you just have to dig for to find for what pleases you

prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

There are aftermarket round indicators in various sizes.... most autoparts stores will have a shelf with them also try jegs.com or summit racing.com ... they will have a much wide selction and delivery is always fast and safe with garrentees

prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

The combined (and round) indicator/side lamp assembly from a Wolseley 1500 may fit with a little work?


Jeremy Tickle

Is that Wolseley lamp the same as that on later Morris Minors and MGAs?
Jonathan Severn

Yes...and Moris Oxford, MG1100, A40, etc.
Dave O'Neill 2

This guy did a top-notch job...

http://www.mgexp.com/phorum/read.php?3,3162262
Andy Phillips (frankenfrog)

The guy in Andy's link makes the assumption that most of us don't like the original oblong side/indicator lamp.
I disagree. Having seen what people do when they de-bumper a 1500, I think the small round indicators that most fit, look too small and out of proportion with the headlamp and indeed the size of the front wing.
The original looks more "finished off", mainly because it fits on a proper raised mounting, whereas the small round ones on converted cars look to be just "stuck on".
But it's M. Ogden's car, so he can do what he likes with it and it's good to hear different views on what looks best, and let's face it, people have always modified their cars to personalise them, so why not change the indicators?
Bernie Higginson

but that's the whole point Bernie, the guy in Andy's link doesn't like small round ones either - so he made a former and pressed out raised plinths larger than the (round) sidelights he had chosen.
David Smith

I wasn't able to view all of the photos in that link without logging in.

It looked interesting - was there a photo of the finished product?
Dave O'Neill 2

here's his plinth tacked in place


David Smith

here's the finished (well, not quite) article



David Smith

Very interesting and not stupid (as Rowan & Martin nearly said :])
Only issue from a UK perspective is the combined sidelight/indicator unit where the change was from a single to a twin element bulb.
Might the solution be to use an orange bulb in the unit as the indicator and have the sidlights in the headlamps? M Ogden's spridget looks like it's a 1500 in which case the sidelamps will already be in the headlamps?
Jeremy Tickle

I think you can get led bulbs that have sidelights and indicators all in one.
Andy Phillips (frankenfrog)

David. I only said that I disagree with his assumption that most of us dislike the oblong lamp, if he prefers the round lamp, so be it, and he seems to have made a very professional job of it.
I wonder why he has also welded up the grille aperture.
Bernie Higginson

I wondered that too Bernie.
Jeremy Tickle

Hi,
This is what I did to mine.
Welded a plate over the hole and filled wing then fitted Lucas type lamps
Pete


P J Vass

I would agree that the smaller Lucas Mini style indicators may be too small, and have to say the MGA type as per the link from Andy looks just the job. However, there is clearly quite a bit of prep work to do and then repainting to match.

What I was looking for, and if such a thing exists, is a round indicator, clearly in a rectangular mount, to fit over the recess. Another thought would be to plate over the inner area of the chrome surround and fit a round indicator within the chrome - but again it would be have to be pretty small. Maybe two small round ones each side....

Incidentally JT...1275 RWA...
M Ogden

Oh ok, mine too. I have lamps in both the sidelights and headlights (at the time of replacement I could only get headlight assemblies with sidelights...) so wired them both up :)
Jeremy Tickle

This thread was discussed between 28/03/2016 and 06/04/2016

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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