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MG TD TF 1500 - Lucas Headlight question

I have one Lucas 700 headlight that came with my car, a 1951 MG TD. I need another and would like to match the one I have. I've seen many original and reproduction 700s for sale but none have the square Lucas emblem in the middle. Is anyone familiar with this particular model of the Lucas 700? And more importantly, does anyone have one in good shape for sale?

Regards

Tim
TD12524


TW Burchfield

I don't have any for sale but I do have a set dated 1958. Maybe that will help narrow your search. Good luck!
Steve Simmons

Thanks Steve. I sure would like to find some information as to what lights Lucas offered by year. Is the date listed on the glass somewhere?

Regards

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

I just found this parts list. I don't know if it well known but I thought I'd post it here in case it is not.

Tim
TD12524.


TW Burchfield

Tim

Usually the reflecting surface has deteriorated on lights of this vintage, the reason I discarded my originals.

Maybe someone is aware of a company that refurbishes the silvering.

Graeme
G Evans

Graeme
Hyqual Australia, which manufactures funeral supplies and accessories in Caloundra, QLD, resilvers headlight reflectors, using vacuum metallising.
http://www.hyqual.com/home

I am about to send my YT ones to them. They have indicated they have a 2 week turn around and cost about $80 each. More cost effective than purchasing new repro lights. Just got to use gloves (not touch reflectors) when putting the lights back together.

Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Graeme, luckily the reflector on the one 700 lamp I have is in excellent condition. I'm sure I'll be very lucky if I find an identical lamp in such good shape. I did see somewhere that someone bought reproduction Lucas headlamps and replaced the reflectors in his original bulbs with the ones from the reproductions.

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

Hi Tim
I have some new old stock ones. Still in the Box.
Email me for more Info.
gary krukoski at yahoo dot com

Gary
gl krukoski

I am not sure , but I think the ones with square emblem were for European market (left hand drive) and round emblem were right hand drive. US cars were required to have sealed beam units installed.
J K Barter

J K, I don't know about the Lucas light, but you're right sealed beam headlights became mandatory in the US in 1940. Here is a pretty good history of headlight requirements in the US https://www.carid.com/articles/brief-history-of-sealed-beam-headlights-in-us.html

Regards

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

I made an error in my posting. The ones I have here stamped 1958 are round logo, RHD. Otherwise the same lamp.
Steve Simmons

A related question on headlight glass:

When a Lucas headlight says "Left hand drive"
or "right hand drive" does that refer to the driver/steering wheel position, or are they referring to the lamps being designed for driving on the right side or left side of the road? For instance, which would be appropriate for a left hand drive TD being driven in Britain? RHD bulbs or LHD?
D mckellar

Tim -

Did you find the Lucas Service Parts page on line? What address? It doesn't look like it came from the Lucas Service Parts Lists that I posted on the MG Experience.
http://www.mgexp.com/phorum/read.php?46,3453564,3453903#msg-3453903

In the 1954 Lucas Service Parts List, I can't tell if the headlight for export to the U.S. is sealed beam.

A headlight in unrestored U.S. TF9052 is sealed beam. It doesn't have three aiming tips on the glass lens. I believe that the tips started appearing on headlights in 1957.
http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtf/Pictures/TF9052/TF9052_323.jpg
http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtf/Pictures/TF9052/TF9052_325.jpg

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

Lonnie, did you see my post above on US headlight requirements? I would think that if the TF was destined for the US market it would have to have sealed beams. Note this line from the article, "1940-1956: All U.S. cars are required by law to use (2) 7" round sealed beam headlamps, one lamp on each side. Note that each lamp is a "dual filament", meaning that the same sealed beam lamp serves as both low beam and high beam. Therefore, they all have 3 electrical prongs at the rear."

I'll look for the page where I found the chart.

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

Yes I saw and read it. Thanks for posting. Just couldn't find a reference to sealed beams for U.S. export in the Lucas Service Parts List. I posted the photos of TF9052 to confirm your comment.

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

Lonie here is the complete file location http://campkahler.com/files/Lucas-400e-to-A116-ocr.pdf And here is the page with all of the files http://www.team.net/mharc/archives/html/triumphs/2010-09/msg00255.html

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

Yes, a good pick up on TF9052,USA car.

The Australian sent TFs (and I suspect UK units) had 700 Lucas semi sealed light units with round centre Lucas logo.' Right Hand Drive' is cast into the top area of the glass.

The later,more 'modern' look alike Lucas RHD 700 light units have the '700' cast in the glass lense just below the Lucas centre logo where as the original units had the cast lettering on the bottom edge of the lense.


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

Lonnie, Rob, after carefully examining (with a magnifying lens not my old eyes) I found the Left Hand Drive lettering in the top left and the vertical number 553914 on the far right center of the lens. I understand all of the 700 (and maybe more) lenses had this number. I looked through the entire lamp section of the Lucas catalog and could not find a sealed beam headlamp. Perhaps the cars were shipped to the US without headlights and they were installed here.

Tim
TW Burchfield

Not sure about the sealed beam headlamp US requirement as my 1960 Morris 1000, owned since new, came with Lucas (round Lucas logo in the center) bulb type headlamps. If there was a law, this car has been in violation for 57 years.
John Quilter

The U.S. sealed beam headlight regulation was for cars built in the U.S.
D mckellar

Tim -

Thanks for the link to Lucas Master Parts Catalog 400e. Downloaded all 756 pages. A good addition to my digital manuals and documents.

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

D mckellar, you are correct.

John, looks like you were legal all that time. In fact that quote I posted above says, "1940-1956: All U.S. cars..." Sorry I missed that.

Regards

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

Lonnie, I did the same. You never know when an old thread like that one will disappear.

Regards

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

Have a set of what I think may be original equipment from TD 7191, built in 1951.
They have been in a box since the 60's.
They do not have the logo in the center of lens.

lettering on the bottom of lens:
LUCAS 700 HEADLAMP

LEFT-HAND DRIVE

MADE IN ENGLAND

reflective surface maybe dull.

also have the bulb sockets. They have to be rewired.

If interested add a post to this thread.
R W Hinton

RW, thanks. I bought one off of ebay and I'm waiting to see what condition it actually is.

Regards

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

D mckellar, the LHD or RHD designation refers to where the steering wheel is. High beams are straight ahead on both models but low beam dips slightly away from oncoming traffic. So a RHD lamp will dip to the left. This makes it illegal to run RHD lamps in the USA, but no one would ever know or complain. Your lamps on dim or bright are still lower to the ground and dimmer than most modern cars. I have stock Lucas sealed beams in my MGB GT daily driver and even with the high beams on, no one ever flashes me.
Steve Simmons

This thread was discussed between 19/02/2017 and 23/02/2017

MG TD TF 1500 index

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