MGA Forum

Folks, searching for an upgrade to the read lights on my MGA that would allow the existing 1500 setup to be retained without having to add additional indicator units to the bumpers or bodywork externally. I came across this LED kit:

http://www.bettercarlighting.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=638

The company sent me some pics, which look promising - see attached.

Barney's site has very useful info on this subject, but I don't think these have been covered (yet).

Does anyone have experience of this kit?

regards

Daran

I have a set of LED lights for my 56 MGA, although not quite like these as they don't have the Orange indicator included

they are really bright. They came as a complete unit ( remove the old bulb unit and fit the new all in one base-LED light-unit)

My lights came out of the USA and had a similar price tag .

I bought mine from BMC Autos, Brian McCollough. http://bmcautos.com/britmarket/led-taillights/mg/mga-1500-1600-more-led-tail-lamp-set-l549-pos-earth-detail

Picture 4 is just the running lights as I did not have the brake light wires hooked up to the switch when I took these pictures.

Jim

Yup,Thats them ...

Dang! You could see those puppies from two miles away!

Thanks all. The multi - LED setup looks like a big improvement in visibility. The kit being offered in the UK with a yellow LED seems to offer an answer to the indicator question too. I'll be the guinea pig and let you know how I get on.

That's a useful topic and I'd be really interested to know how you get on.
I've recently started driving my A again after 40 years and do feel exposed, as modern drivers don't get the combined light function indicator/brake light.
I find myself reverting to a hand signal for a right hand turn, as I'm concerned the following car hasn't clocked the flasher.
When I last drove the car in the 70's the traffic was nothing like as busy as now and most drivers were brought up with semaphore signals and generally poor signalling, so more attuned I guess.
Mind you, having finished my restoration, I thought I'd finished spending (my wife hoped so), but it's amazing what you can find in the accessory sections!
Bill.
www.mgarestoration.com

Hello Bill
Congrats on your project, looks great. My car in the South of France so nobody has ever seen indicators used for their correct use, just as "park anywhere" lights!

Selwyn



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-08-12 06:32 AM by SelwynA.

Welwyn, thanks for your kind words.
Where in the South of France are you?
We're doing a road trip next year down to the Lot region, all being well.
Bill.

Daran,

I have the same kit from Better Lighting but not installed in my 1500 yet. The indicators require a thin twin wire to be added, and run to an electronic flasher unit. Unfortunately, the one that BL supplied to me only has 2 terminals, so no take off for the indicator light on the dash.

I am pondering that at the moment, and think the solution will be a three terminal electronic flasher.

Let us know how you get on. The BL arrangement looks more stock than the multi LED set up you see above. Also, I have seen a problem with "brake light switch bounce" on these multi LEDs.

Peter.

www.Classicautoleds.com is the way to go and Brian has purchased the company and is making them.

I can vouch for Brian's system, I have had them for years.
He was great at customer service too, after his shipping guy sent the first set to Swaziland instead of Switzerland (next to each other in the drop-down menu....). I had a question a couple of weeks ago, and he answered it very fast, and even remembered me because of the shipping screw up. The only disadvantage is that the bayonet fitting has to be removed from the base.

An alternative now is a standard 1156 or BA15D red LED bulb - these were not available at the time i fitted Brian's solution, but can be found for a few $$ each too

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1156-BA15D-21-SMD-5050-CANBUS-OBC-No-Error-Car-LED-Light-Red-White-Yellow-ZC-/131995724998?epid=936600788&hash=item1ebb8eecc6:g:bHoAAOSwnbZYIDat


Although I fit these to many cars because they are much cheaper than the BL one, most agree immediately that the BL solution is much brighter.

For the front on my 1500 I use a so-called switch-back LED that has a white sidelight, but flashes amber for the indicator. about 2USD each on eBay including shipping. Buy 4 and have some spares or to give away

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BAY15D-1157-Switchback-60-SMD-White-Amber-LED-Light-Bulb-Car-Turn-Tail-Foglight-/152312891506?epid=0&hash=item23768e4872:g:NfEAAOSwal5YJG4Y



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017-08-14 02:29 PM by dominic-ch.

Is this the Classic Auto system the same as the system offered by Moss? The one I was referring to at the start from BCL has red LEDs for the light/brake and an orange LED array for indicating, within the same light housing.

I'm really interested in this setup as I don't want to add additional indicators to the bodywork or bumpers. Hope to get one shortly, before the nights close in here.

There is no unit available anywhere that can produce an amber turn signal through a red plastic lens - the laws of physics forbid this.

The Moss units and the BCL ones appear to be the same, BCL is normally cheaper.

I forgot to mention you will also need an LED-compatible flasher unit - I use these as they work reliably and many others have given up the ghost pretty fast or not worked out of the box:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-3-Pin-10W-LED-Flasher-Unit-With-Diagnostic-Function-Merit-Malta-/131415257333?epid=1148748783&hash=item1e98f5b0f5:g:kOMAAOSwrnNXPwrl

Duran

These are not the same units, they are better IMHO.

Dominic

There is no such thing as an LED flasher, the older ones were mechanical and the newer ones, which work with LED's, are ordinary electronic flashers.