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MG TD TF 1500 - Lucas 1130 Side light ground (late TD)

I just realized that the Lucas 1130 side lights have not been working since my 1953 TD was painted. I suspect this is a ground problem.
Each has two red wires and I assume these are for the sidelights and the directionals. The fixture is isolated from the body by rubber so it does not look like it is grounded.
What is the correct grounding method for these fixtures?

Thanks
Mark Sherman
Mark A. Sherman

Inside the light there is a loop on the bracket for a bullet on a ground wire. I ran a new wire back under the fender with the other two wires to the ground wire block connector in the light harness and the ground bolt connector nearby in the engine compartment. The TD and TF wiring harness has ground wires in all the runs for the lights (front and rear).
It helps a great deal to also bolt these to panels using a star washer for good contact.
Don Harmer

Good idea Don. I scraped the daylights out of my paint to get a decent connection. Your idea of a ground pigtail is much better.
Christopher Couper

I've often thought about getting a good earth connection & as that stage of reassembly is now not that far off it's time to consider it seriously. The problem is, as I see it, that a really good earth means bare metal to bare metal contact. But bare metal also equals rust. Clearly what is required is great contact without the potential to rust. Paint is an effective rust inhibitor & an even better insulator. Is there an application, product, chemical, or substance that achieves the best of both worlds? That is good contact without the subsequent corrosion? Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

I saw, on "Wheeler Dealers" a conductive primer used on on parts to be spot welded togeather.

There are also silver filled epoxie's.
I use copper filled antisieze grease and shake proof lock washers.

Jim B
JA Benjamin

The main problem with the side lights is that most try to get a good connection the the fender for the "ground"
The problem is the fender connects to the body with bead trim flaps and paint in the way. It is difficult the get the fender well grounded.
For this reason it is best to use a "pigtail from he lamp to the wiring harness ground wires.

Note that the headlights have this ground wire

An additional ground wire to the side lamp mounting bolt can't hurt, With a star washer it goes a long way on keeping the fender grounded
Don Harmer

This thread was discussed between 13/12/2014 and 14/12/2014

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