MGB & GT Forum

I am in the UK. I have a 77 RB GT. So the front indicator lights are well back in the front bumper. The UK cars don't have the side marker lights that many of the exported MGBs do. So my options are a bit limited.

Without lots of boring story, I was nearly side swiped by another car yesterday. I was turning left and a guy behind decided to pass me on the left. Anyway, later I realised he could have missed the turn signal from the rear indicator and couldn't see the front one from the side.

So, if you have an RB car, either use the side marker lights as turn indicator repeaters or fit a separate one on each side. On the UK cars there is a small BL badge just in front of the doors. I am planning to replace them with small repeaters. I have a choice. Possibly ones from a later MG or from one of the later editions of the original Mini or an oval one used in Europe on Ford vans. Where the badge currently sits is - I think - behind the trim panel either side of the back of the foot well. So fairly accessible for running wires to the indicator wiring near the steering wheel.

With luck this should avoid an accident in the future. I will probably upgrade the rear indicators with the most powerful LEDS I can get with a suitable fitting to replace the existing bulbs or fit extra side facing LEDS as well to enhance the light output to the sides.

If I use LEDs instead of standard bulbs, the additional electrical load shouldn't upset the flasher unit. Most of these lights seem to use a small bulb with a wedge base rather than a metal cap.

Regarding LEDs. They produce a narrow range of the light spectrum. So, an orange LED will put a lot of light through an orange lens. With a cool or blue white LED much less light would be able to pass through the lens. The same story with the red lights at the back.

Paul I have a pair of these to fit onto my GT. My front indicators are frenched and the bulbs are LED switchbacks (indicator/DRL); rears are classicautoleds and you know about my head lamps.

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Mk1: CKD 11/66 first registered 8/5/67; owned since 3/77. 18GB +40 balanced. Peter Burgess BVFR head. Piper 285. 123. FidanzaFW. 4synch c/r box. Superpro. Nut and bolt rebuild 2010 - 2015. Tartan Red.

GT: 12/78. VW Golf guards, flush fit front and rear valances, frenched indicators, Mk1 rear lights - LED lights. 'Worked' Rover V8, Monsoon ECU for EFI. Commodore VSV8 GM4L60E, Lokar tiptronic shifter & Quick4 controller. Vintage Air A/C. FC IFS. CCE 4 link rear. Salisbury with Quaife. Jaguar Storm.

Thanks Barrie

That's nice. Do they need a metal clip to hold them into the wing panel? In effect a slot wide enough to go over the end but then holding the lamp by the ridge at the back. Or perhaps they are just a push fit into a 28mm hole in the panel. As they already have LEDs in them, no bulb hunt needed.

Going to order a pair now.

Push fit.

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Mk1: CKD 11/66 first registered 8/5/67; owned since 3/77. 18GB +40 balanced. Peter Burgess BVFR head. Piper 285. 123. FidanzaFW. 4synch c/r box. Superpro. Nut and bolt rebuild 2010 - 2015. Tartan Red.

GT: 12/78. VW Golf guards, flush fit front and rear valances, frenched indicators, Mk1 rear lights - LED lights. 'Worked' Rover V8, Monsoon ECU for EFI. Commodore VSV8 GM4L60E, Lokar tiptronic shifter & Quick4 controller. Vintage Air A/C. FC IFS. CCE 4 link rear. Salisbury with Quaife. Jaguar Storm.

I use my yellow front side marker lights as a turn indicators along with the normal one in the rubber bump. I am convinced it helps others see me. It takes only minutes to switch the front markers from night lights to turn indicators. I do use normal glass bulbs in these rather than LED as the reflection seems better.