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MG TD TF 1500 - Fog/Driving lights

I've been searching the forums and the Internet trying to decide what fog/driving lamps would be appropriate from my 51 TD. I'm not trying to build a show winner. But when it is easy and not too expensive I like to stay as accurate as possible. Can someone suggest fog/driving lights that would have been available aftermarket in the '50s for a TD? I've seen two driving lights, two fog lights and one of each mounted on TDs. Were any of these combinations unique to Britain or just a mater of choice?

Thanks

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

The ONLY spot and fog lamps that look correct are Lucas Sfts

Jan T
J Targosz

Yes the Lucas SFT576 is the fog light and and the SLR576 is the long range driving light.
The fog lights usually have a ribbed lens and the spot light a plain lens.
If you fit H4 halogen bulbs in the headlights it makes the SLR576 redundant, so to my mind the SFT576 is more useful. But if its just for looks, who cares!
Dave J
Dave Hill

Lucas SFT462 was used on the late TC's and early TD's. The TC's used a vertical ribbed lens and the TD's have a checkered/block pattern on the glass. I think the 576's were later.


rich40701

Certainly if one wants to stay British then the Lucas lamps would be correct. However there were others of the era. Marchal comes to mind and were found on many sports cars if that era. Made in France
I recently acquired a pair of Marchal Rally headlights from the era of my dad's TD/c and plan to use them on his car. My dad had switched to Marchals when the car was new. He claimed they had a better pattern and lit the roadway far better than the original Lucas p700's I don't know whether that is true or not but will find out one day I expect

Bill chasser
TD/c 8151
W. A. Chasser

Moss reproduction of Lucas SFT576 fog-light. Approx 5.75 inch (146mm) diameter. Usually mounted on passenger side of badge bar.


T.A. Sirp

Moss reproduction of Lucas SLR576 driving-light. Approx 5.75 inch (146mm) diameter. Usually mounted on driver side of badge bar.


T.A. Sirp

I have an original Arno-lite (Arnold) that was from that time period. Had to find. From what I know it was it was installed by the selling dealer in 1951.


David Honness

My TF has old SFT drivers in yellow. My, they are bright!!

Tom


T Norby

Try to get original lamps - there are lots on eBay. Original ones are plated brass but repros are steel and can rust.

Jan T
J Targosz

David,

Why did you mount the oval badge upside down? Not enough room?

SFT576 behind the Lucas covers...

Jasper


Jasper Nederhoed TD3966

SVC has lovely reproductions.
http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/category/driving-lights/

I have their headlights and am really pleased with them.
Regards
Declan
D Burns

I have a pair of Lucas SFT576 on my TF, one plain, one fluted. I will probably replace the inserts so they are matching. I am going to add a relay, but certainly don't plan on any night driving.

I have just added a badge/lamp bar and they do look very nice after I polished them up.

Back to the garage for some more work today.
P G Gilvarry

You can get leds with a BPF mounting to fit, and as they use much less current than the originals tungsten bulbs, they don't need relays.
Dave H
Dave Hill

I never fully understood how people only want to add things like driving/fog lights that are from the era when the car was new. We talking about add on features, not replacing lost factory installed items. Way I figure it, add-ons could happen any time after the car was built right up to today. Those Lucas driving lights from the 40's and 50's were not at all bad for normal fast motoring in dark places, but so many better lights came to be in the late 60's and the 70's. By the time you get much later than the 80's chances grow that the good lights no longer have chrome, and chrome looks better up front on this sort of car. Round Cibie 6 inch don't look too big, and throw a great beam. Other brands can be good too, but 6" about max diameter. Then there the rectangular Cibie, Marchal and a few other ones that throw down an outstanding beam much better than the Lucas with the right bulb in blace. That is if you are wanting some great functional lights. I turn off my headlights and turn on my 2 driving lights when speeding down the dark 2 lane highway where I live. The low beam regular headlights are set up as my fogs.
D Peltier

Thanks everyone. Excellent information. Looks like I'll go with the Lucas SFT576 and the SLR576. I like the original look. IMHO newer lights just don't look right.

Dave H, do you know if the LEDs can be retrofitted to these lights?

Regards

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

I see no reason why not - I found leds on ebay that would be ideal
Dave H
Dave Hill

I bought these from NOS locators. There not original from the 50/60s, but are Lucas and look and work great! Suit me just fine. PJ



Paul Jennings

Paul, I just got the same light from NOS Locators on eBay. Hoping to win another one. Glad to hear the positive comments about them.

Regards

Tim
TW Burchfield

I chose both lights with the fluted lenses, as around here we do get morning and evening fog a lot, no need for driving lights around here. PJ
Paul Jennings

Paul, is that the Moss light/badge bar? Did you use Moss's attachments for the lights?

Tim
TW Burchfield

Yes that's the Moss bar and it comes with two mounts for the lights built on, naturally the badges need their own clip on mount. The badge on mine is "The Green Country MG Register", a club in Tulsa. PJ
Paul Jennings

Here is a shoot of my 51 TD with Moss driving lights. The quality appears good, but can't speak for the performance. In the 5 years I have owned the car, have only driven once after dark. That was home from a weekend car show that was only 3 miles from my house.


g parker

Jasper,

I reversed the bracket and forgot to flip the badge.

David..
David Honness

"Moss reproduction of Lucas SLR576 driving-light. Approx 5.75 inch (146mm) diameter. Usually mounted on driver side of badge bar."

I was always under the impression that the fog light was on the drivers side not the driving light, as the fog light is the only light visible to oncoming traffic, and it told the oncoming vehicle how far away from the side of the vehicle was safe in order not to hit the oncoming vehicle. If it were on the passenger side, the oncoming vehicle could figure a few feet clearance from the light was safe, only to hit you nearly head on.
L Karpman

The option of splitting the difference with a front & center mounting location can be used if only one light of either style is utilized.

This picture illustrates a 1952 TD with a single center-mounted SFT fog light.


T.A. Sirp

As with any optional equipment, placement is based on owner preference, but here is the logic behind the right/left mounting location statements (based on a two-light badge bar & one of each style light mounted to it).

Driving/Spot Light: The driving light's purpose is to further improve road visibility beyond the range of the headlights when traveling dark, deserted roads at speed.

The driving light beam is straight & narrow, designed to send a powerful beam far ahead, illuminating the next stretch of road that the driver must encounter. The next stretch of road is best discerned when the light beam is cast out along the road centerline. The driving light beam is closest to the centerline when mounted on the driver side of the lightbar.

Fog Light: Visibility & vehicle speed are drastically reduced under foogy conditions. The driver is concerned with maintaining a point of reference to stay in lane
as well as to avoid obstacles such as tree branches, wild animals, or debris in time to avoid them.

The point of reference for staying in lane is often the road shoulder edge and/or guard rail. The fog light beam is low, flat & horizontally wide; meant to cut through the fog and light up the road surface so the driver can see well enough to stay on road and within lane.

The center of the fog light beam is closest to this point of reference when mounted on the passenger side of the lightbar. The light pattern broadcasts across the entire road surface and deep into the roadside closest to the vehicle where potential hazards may exist.

A rear foglight is usually mounted on the rear driver side to help prevent rear end collision from a following or overtaking vehicle.

Here is a 1936 TB with yellow passengerside-mounted foglight.


T.A. Sirp

A 1947 TC with foglight.


T.A. Sirp

A TC of unknown year with an SFT fog light.


T.A. Sirp

...and a 1947 YA with passengerside-mounted foglight.


T.A. Sirp

At TC 4739(9th February 1948) the Lucas Fog Lamp changed from the FT27 to the more 'modern' SFT462.

Cheers
Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
Rob Grantham

As I said in a previous post, I was under the impression that BOTH the front and rear fog lamps were mounted on the driver's side. Obviously, from the recent pics posted, that doesn't seem to be the case. Is it the "consensus of opinion" that the front fog lamp is mounted on the passenger side, and the rear fog lamp is mounted on the driver side?
L Karpman

This thread was discussed between 10/02/2017 and 19/02/2017

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