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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - LED High Mount Lights

I'd been looking for a reasonable (read cheap) way to install a couple of LED light bars to function as high mount stop/turn indicators. A recent ad from JCWhitney gave me a way to do it for about $20. I've posted it at http://www.ttalk.info/led_high_mounts.htm to show what I did. I'm not really finished yet. They interfere with the tonneau cover.
Bud Krueger

Bud,
That's a great idea! I like the price. I don't want to modify my car though. How about making a bracket that bolts onto the spare tire ? There are plenty of holes in that and it wouldn't interfere with the Tonneau.

In fact, now that I think of it, a bracket could be made that attaches to spare tire frame behind the tire with hose clamps that attach it. It could come up behind the spare, perhaps resting against the tire.

I'm a crackpot inventor...

Larry
Larry Ayres

Larry, I prefer to use them for both stop and turn signals. This requires a degree of separation. These can be removed and tucked back inside the tub in a couple of minutes.
Bud Krueger

I did what Larry suggested with my TF. As it has a wire wheel spare, you can see the light through the spokes. I made the support bracket to mount on the spare tire carrier and with the entire unit black it is not obvious until the brake light is on. The led light is from JC Whitney. Have a good day!

John
John Progess

On the TF1500 there are "reflectors" on the top corners of the tub. I put mine in those. You can't even tell they are in there except at noght when turnning or braking or turnning.
Cheers,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

I thought I had the perfect solution for the poor illumination problems of my 50 TD's rear lights and purchased a couple of 1157 (double filament) led bulbs from the local japanese hot rod "tart em up" shop. They are only supposed to work in one direction, and if fail to illuminate you are to reverse them. I tried everything and they did not work in my sockets so I installed them in my Yamaha FZ1 motorcycle with great success. I still think they are a very inexpensive solution at $6 each if they work. I am going to try wiring in a new 1157 style light socket. Would any one know why they wouldn't work in the first place?
Ken Bannister

Ken, the most likely reason is that your car is probably wired for positive ground. LEDs (the D stands for diode) are polarity sensitive and will not illuminate if reverse biased. A problem with using an LED/1157 bulb is that the LED is VERY directional and only illuminates directly on axis. Light bulb filaments radiate over a large solid angle. The LED light bars that I used would not be very effective if they were mounted down by the tail lights.
Bud Krueger

There are a few manufacturers who produce positive ground LED's and others will do them on special order.
gordon lawson - TD 27667

bud, what a great idea. could you supply the cj whitney discription and numbers, so i could duplicate what you have done? thanks gei
gei irwin 1

gei, it's Catalog No. 124336, 3RD BRAKE LIGHT 16 LED @ $6.99, MFG Part No. WE-16S
Bud Krueger

Modified to remove the strain on the tonneau cover, plus a bit more about the wiring. http://www.ttalk.info/led_high_mounts.htm
Bud Krueger

This thread was discussed between 08/04/2006 and 22/04/2006

MG TD TF 1500 index

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