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MG MGA - Driving light bracket

Anybody familiar with installing the fog/driving lamp bracket (Moss 407-720, SF G115)? I thought I would dress-up my 1600 during its restoration and add driving lights. Bought the bracket and now I can’t see how it should be installed. It obviously goes behind the overrider, but I don’t see how to make it stable. The bracket has three holes. The top hole matches with the top chrome bolt holding the two bumper pieces together. So far, so good. The middle hole appears to be an oversized clearance hole for the overrider bolt. Doesn’t provide any hold to the bracket. The third hole (at the bottom) doesn’t match any hole in the bumper. Do I really need to drill a hole through the chrome??

By the way, the bracket came with two bolts, one chrome button head and oneplated hex head. Clues??
FJ Bruns

FJ

Mine are behind the over-rider but infront/on top of the bumper. The top horizontal hole is attached as you describe, as is the large vertical hole. The bottom hole on mine is redundant but you could, I suppose, use it for the wiring if you can get access to it (pretty tight down there). I find that the unit is perfectly tight with the 2 attachments points. Definitely no need to cut through any of the chroming to enlargen holes.

It gets quite interesting and fiddlesome if you also add a badge bar as it shares the same over-rider bolt.

No idea about the bolts you received. Mine arrived without any.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve –

Thanks for the quick response, but my thick head is still lost. If we are talking about the same bracket, the middle hole (the one the overrider bolt goes thru) is the one that is bothering me. I feel like it should provide the second point of attachment, but I don’t see how. The bolt enters from the back, thru the two bumper pieces, thru the larger center hole in the light bracket and then threads into the overrider. As I tighten down on the bolt, the overrider will tighten down on the bumper, holding the two bumper pieces in place, but the light bracket is left floating. I thought about adding a nut on the overrider bolt between the overrider and the light bracket, but there is no room to get a wrench in to tighten it down on the light bracket after tightening the overrider to the bumper. What am I missing?

Frank
FJ Bruns

Frank

I have a large spacer between the front of the lamp bracket and the over-rider. It looks like a purpose made spacer, but to be honest I cannot remember (about 10 years ago now) whether the spacer was provided with the over-rider or the light bracket, or the badge bar.

Someone who installed one more recently is sure to know - where are you?

Blurred picture attached looking up from underneath - bumper/light bracket/badge bar/spacer/over-rider

Steve


Steve Gyles

I've fitted spots to my car and out of interest I wonder how often other owners with them actually use them. It depends on where yo live I suppose but with halogen conversions in the head lights I haven't seriously used mine in 8 years. But they do look good.
J H Cole

John

I tend to use mine as flashers! - not wired through headlights.

Can you remember anything about the spacer?

Steve
Steve Gyles

No knowledge of a spacer, nor is one shown in the Service Parts List diagram. Just one top domed bolt and one horizontal bolt, both through the bumper. I remember it being fiddly to install especially trying to get the arm of the bracket to not rub against the back of the over rider. Spacer might be a DIY attempt to raise the lamp bracket to miss the over rider.
J H Cole

Frank,
You are supposed to drill an extra hole.
Page N15 factory shop manual states "to fit a fog lamp bracket remove the over-rider and place the bracket in position.Mark off and drill a further hole through the bumper to accomodate an additional 5/16in screw".
Barneys site says to use a spacer between the over-rider and bumper which will work as well.I drilled the hole when I restored my car and it has not created any problems with the chrome flaking.
Tony
Tony Cox

Mine are from Clarke Spares about 15 years ago and, like Steve's photo suggests, includes the spacer. Looking back at his catalog, a spacer was included. And as mentioned by JH, I installed them as I liked the looks but seldom have the need to use the. They're usually covered. Marvin
Marvin Stuart

Thanks to all for your help and comments. As I feared, most likely the "correct" way to mount the bracket is by drilling another hole in the bumper(s)and securing the bracket independent of the overrider. -- thus the included chrome bolt for the top and the hex head for the new hole. Even with that, I'm going to try the spacer first. Given the right spacer thickness, I should be able to tightly snug the bumper-bracket-spacer-overrider combination while still making the overrider-to-bumper connection snug enough to prevent movement. My guess is that I will end-up with a combination of spacer tube and washer.

Couldn't do this restoration without this site and everyone's help

Frank

FJ Bruns


Frank,

had the brackets also from TC and have a spacer fitted. can check the sice later this week. The brackets are handed.

Siggi
Siggi

Just to bring closure – I went back into the shop and tried one more time. The bumper is now assembled and has been test-fitted on the frame.

I tried a third approach. I added a washer, lock washer and nut to the overrider bolt just past the bracket. I then tightened the nut (and therefore the bracket) until the bolt would just still turn. Then I added the overrider and tightened the as far as it would go, pulling the overrider tight. Then I reached behind the overrider and tightened the nut as far as it would go. There was not enough room to turn the nut the 15 degrees needed to turn the wrench over and move it again. I could, however, move the wrench from the top of the overrider to the bottom turning the nut slightly each time. I finally made the nut tight. Keep in mind that I had the bumper on a padded bench, not on the car.

I probably just became the DPO if anybody wants to remove the overrider!

Everyone’s help is much appreciated

Frank
FJ Bruns

Frank,

checked the washers made, they are 5/16 dia.
In Todd Clraces MGA Technical Guide is a description of all the bumper assembly. Sorry my copy walked away with some MGA friend.
Call TC he is very helpful.

Siggi
Siggi

This thread was discussed between 08/02/2012 and 11/02/2012

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