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MG TD TF 1500 - TF Blinker, Who's Right?

I've heard it mentioned at various times that the the blinker on the right is the correct one and some say the the one on the left. Who's right? Or am I opening up a can of worms? Someone must know and it isn't me! Someone must have an original picture of a TF engine bay. PJ


P.S. Jennings

I feel that the blinker in the clip on the left (my car) is wrong. There is a photo of a pre-production TF (the one used in most of the announcement photos) that shows the one-piece blinker with the L bracket, as on the right. Althought the pre-production car is not a particuarly good originality yardstick because of several evident modifications in the engine bay. If there was a seperate clip then I would expect it to be mentioned in the Service Parts List. My blinker is a foreign replacement and I am wondering if anyone can show me a Lucas blinker that needs a clip? If there is no such thing as a Lucas blinker that needs a clip, then clips are out in mho.

Cheers,
Matthew.
Matthew Magilton

I would have a tendency to agree Matthew, that the one on the right would be more than likely correct. Only thing is, Why are so many TFs everywhere using the clip type holder if the "L" type is correct? Just a little baffling to me. PJ
P.S. Jennings

Maybe because at some time the correct Lucas parts were difficult/expensive to get hold of.

Cheers,
Matthew.
Matthew Magilton

My cream TF1500 was re-painted green in 1956, and there is green overspray on the spring clip and the flasher. That proves to me that they were both on my car then, FWIW.

Tom
Bar Harbor, Maine
t lange

I have a late TD that has the original flasher affixed to the body with the L clip.
When it died I was not able to find a replacement with an L clip so I had to purchase a regular flasher that just lies in place next to the original one. This makes me believe that probably MG used up all the L clip flashers and then went to the other type so both could be correct for original installation.

Just my 2c

Cheers,
Jim
James Neel TD28423

my TF 1500, built Jan.15 1955 has always had the L bracket
Don Harmer TF8986

Hi All,

The blinker unit on the right with the L bracket is correct for TFs.

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

Per Lucas Master catalogue, the MG OE 54-56 flasher was 35003A, superseded to 35010A which was OE 57-60. Both have the bracket and screw terminals; reasonably certain that both were designated Model 5FL. Sometime around 1968, flashers were fitted in clips, as on MGB; a clever design that takes either a round flasher the same size as the early one but sans bracket, or the rectangular Lucas 8FL type. These had push on Lucar connectors. MGB to 67 appears to use the 5FL with push on and bracket; 68-on the 8FL type with clip. 5FL is a more complex device, with 3 terminals (why they cost twice as much!), 8FL is a two terminal one as are some American ones. The round ones are exactly as American ones, and I think the clip design was used on American flashers first - we used to not be able to get Lucas at times, and there was always an issue of how to fasten the American flashers down. You might find cars with an American flasher taped to a dead Lucas one. Only later did I realize that they are sometimes fitted with a standard headlamp plug, which has a convenient screw hole for mounting!

FRM
Fletcher R Millmore

Hi
My near original TF has a 35101A unit with L bracket with the suffix "64". Likely replaced in mid 1960's when the original failed. Still clicking along just fine. Stamped "Do Not Drop". I make sure I do not drop my TF.
Tom
Tom Norby

Nice research Fletcher! Much as I suspected.

Cheers,
Matthew.
Matthew Magilton

Here's my 2 cents.......picture is a worth a 1000 words. The flasher unit must have been replaced in 1954 when the car was still in Germany. Unit is a Hella 91/12 L-bracked, bolt on style. Has worked well since installed.


Colin Stafford TF6688

I just found out the L bracket type with the screw terminals is available from Little British Co. Moss number 141-750. I didn't know it was available until now. PJ
P.S. Jennings

Nice photo Colin, which also shows how the battery recess should be painted black.

Cheers,
Matthew.
Matthew Magilton

I have been taking pictures of TF'S for 25 years. Many of my old photos are of unrestored cars, and the vast majority show the spring clip. My early production TF 1500 xpeg 703 was unrestored when I acquired it in 1973 and it had the spring clip. I am in the same quandry as PJ because I have a NOS Lucas flasher with the "L" bracket and have never found a Lucas with screw terminals without the "L" bracket.John
JR Mahone

I know this subject could go on and on but, here's a little food for thought, if the spring clip in question was an after market item, isn't it strange and pretty much impossible that every TF using that type, has the exact same clip, no matter where in the world that car is? The odds are too great for that to happen. No one will convince me that it wasn't an Abington thing. For what ever reason, they used both styles. To know the reason, a person who helped build those cars would have to step forward. Some of our British friends would be more apt to make that contact. Yes, I did open up a can of worms didn't I? A thing I'm noted for. (Grin) PJ
P.S. Jennings

Hi ALL,

Just noticed on page 58 of the MG midget
(Series TF)Operation Manual,1st Edition,
there is a sketch of the L Bracket Flasher Unit bolted to the Tool Box !

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

G'day

From page 13 of MG Midget (Series TF) Operation Manual,2nd Edition is a sketch of these switch knobs. I haven't got them and I have never seen a TF with them. Does this mean we all have non-original knobs?

In my experience (50 years as a motor mechanic) operation manuals are a guide, not a bible.

Unless you are lucky enough to have owned the car since new, or very nearly so, who knows exactly what it should have had. As John Thornley said - they used to send a lad to the corner hardware store with a quid in his pocket when they ran out of bolts. Interesting discussion though, I am enjoying it.

Ian Fry
TF4056 (still in bits)


Ian Fry

As an added aside, my car also has the flasher unit bolted to the side of the toolbox and looks? original.

Ian Fry
TF4056 (still in bits)

Ian Fry

Ian,
My TF and every one I have seen has the octagonal switch knobs as per the owners manual picture.
See also Clausinger's book "The Original T Series".

Moss sells a replacement set #150-908
Don Harmer TF8986

Don, My TF has round knobs, so I'm assuming they were changed over the years. Do you know of a source for the original type knobs? PJ
Paul Jennings

Don

My car has octagonal knobs also. I believe that all TFs had octagonal knobs. The knobs in the photo (sketch?) aren't octagonal. They are a round knob with notches cut into them. They look to me as if the artist has just drawn a generic Nuffield knob to illustrate the book.

Fig N40 in the workshop maual shows what I consider to be a better sketch of what appear to be octagonal knobs as we believe were fitted. I had to have my BIG spectacles on)

My point was that unless it is an actual period photo of whatever, "operation manuals are a guide, not a bible".

Happily smiling not arguing

Ian
TF4056
Ian Fry

Paul,
See my comment above. Moss sells the octagonal knobs #150-908

Ian,
I thought the knobs looked octagonal thru my bifocals. Hence my comment.

But agree you can't trust the drawings since most manuals were a rework from a previous model and errors occurred. The TD-TF Workshop Manual has several, including mirrored images (right-left reversed).
One such makes it appear that the front wheel brake attaches to he front wheel cylinder not the rear one.
Don Harmer TF8986

Why bother.If it works, good; if it doesn't sh*t.
All this discussion regarding originality is often esoteric and has no relation to reality.
I am told that often Abingdon would run out of screws etc and they would send a boy down to Ballards the nearest agricultural engineers (in Abingdon) with a few puonds and told to get what he could.
R J Marshall

This thread was discussed between 28/06/2010 and 07/07/2010

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