MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MG Y Type - ST51 D Lamp Variations

Hi All,

Have a look at the attached photo.

It shows two D Lamps, although both are marked as ST51s they have different internal configuration.

Is this a correct 'pair' ie
- the 'stop lamp side' having the reflector for the number plate (ST51) and
- the 'reversing lamp side' having a larger wattage bulb for reversing and no reflector for the number plate lamp (RT50).

Did they really have a 6w bulb for the single stop lamp?

All of the reproduction lamps I have seen seem to a 'matched' pair with a similar internal configuration to the 'reverse lamp' type.

I would guess this is to enable 21w bulbs to be fitted both sides.

On the issue of legality (but not safety), I know only one stop lamp is required to get through the UK MOT but is a minimum wattage of that lamp specified

Thanks

Rob (still learning every day)

Rob King

Hi Rob

No doubt someone with a far greater knowledge that I have will be able to comment on the variation on the D lamps. You may be correct about only requiring one stop lamp - but all the cars that I have to be tested incluidng Y's and my curent TA both have stop lights in each D.

My point is that you really do need to be seen when you stop. There is a very nioe fitting of a high level brake light fitted in Muarry Grainger's blog which you pick up on the International Y Type site. I think that it was provided by Stafford Vehicle Components (SVC). Howvere, this can be clarified by linking through to his site. As well as this he has had LED's fitted to his D Lamps through a conversion which again Paul has mentioned this on his site. OR it could be that he fitted the LED's and not the High Level light.

I do know that Neil Cairns has fitted one and they really are useful and you need maximum illumonation at the backend. Whilst we are covering see and be seen I dont know if you have fitted/are considering fitting rear and front flashers. If you havent got that far then when you come to it DO fit them.

The rears can come from motorcycle parts suppliers and are chrome finish and are loactednext to each overrider (should you have them fitted). The front I would suggest that you SVC's conversion which fits into the body of the 1130 sudelights. They are really good as they provide for the white sidelight and an orange bulb for the flasher.

David Pelham has suggested a way whereby you can wire the flasher pertaion into the circular timer arrangement used on the trafficator indiv=cator. This eneables you to use flashers and also use the semaphores. Semaphores are useless on their own as they are not seen by the avedrage motorist who probably has not got a clue what they are for! See and be seen.

Hope this helps

Sincerely

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

Sorry for all the typos guys it took me longer than 5 minutes to edit the changes!

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

Hi Jerry,

Thanks for your contribution...

Before I go any further can I just say how splendid your YT looked at Stoneleigh on Sunday.

I would usually use the word 'bostin' rather than splendid, but I'm not sure everyone would understand.

I guess once the saloon is finished I'll be after a tourer.

I did notice the very neat high vis stop lamp fitted to your YT, I also like your rear flasher solution, also very neat (SVC I guess).

What I am trying to do is understand exactly what was original equipment and then work from there. I am a fan of historical accuracy but I can't believe the medieval nature of some of Jo Lucas' electrical solutions.

As ever there is the balance between original appearance and practicality to make. I would like to find a way to retain the reverse lamp and I am exploring the various options available.

I take your point that safety is paramount, I have a new loom with the correct wiring and a pair of relays to enable front and rear flashers together with non flashing trafficators.

However I plan to use twin filament front sidelight bulbs and thus have white front flashers.

I do like the rear parcel shelf LED option as this is almost invisible...until it needs to be seen.

Thanks again
Regards
Rob
Rob King

I was driving my Y this weekend all day and half the night too and even with an LED festoon style they werent that bright. Fortunately I also have a high level brake light fitted (as Jerry says I think this may well be covered in Hints and Tips).

I now intend getting a set of the full LED convertion kits that TA Terry sells (see his page on the MG Y Type Shopping Mall at www.mgytypes.org). They are extremely bright and there will be no excuses for anyone missing them! They are also extremely good value and I will recommend you look at installing a pair too. Now if he could somehow install a turn signal into them too ...!!!

Paul
Paul Barrow

Hi Rob

Thanks for your kind comments about the YT - much appreciated. There are still quite a few things to do, such as bits that were missing or not finished off! The chrome strips were in the boot as were a few more parts. It was just that at 6.00 am on Sunday I was fiddling in my tight garage and just had to draw a line on what I could do if I was to get to Stoneleigh just after 8.00 am!

The high level brake light was with the car and is magnetic. I guess the supplier was a US company but probably there is a supplier in the UK.

The rear flashers were provided by a local motor cycle supplier, though I believe that SVC do supply them. They msy be cheaper if you obtain them from a m/c factors. Steve, who owns SVC, is a really helpful and very nice guy who has a wide product range.

My only thought about having 2 white flashers in the front is to question who would see them. We would but modern drivers would be looking for an orange light. This is why SVC's conversion for 1130 sidelamps is so good.

I may well follow up Paul's comments about using LED's in the D Lamps from TA Terry.

As you are keen to get everything spot on then the source is of course Dave Lawrence's book. 'Let there be Y's' is the gospel for Y's just as Mike Sherrell's 'TC's for ever' is the tome for TC's.

Certainly Jack Murray (the MGCC Y Type Registrar) and David Pelham between them probably no more about YA originality, than anyone else in the UK. I had not appreciated that the bumper blades on my YT were off s TD, though the overriders are correct, until David P advised me. These two guys do know an awful lot about Y's and may probably know someone local to you who has a good example. I am sure that Steve Randle who lives in Coventry would be willing to let you have a look at his early YA which he restored in the 1990's.

A very original YA was owned by Trevor Austin (UMG 360) which you can see on page 25 of John Lawson's 'MG Y Type Saloons and Tourers'. He sold the car some years ago and I am not sure who owns it, or if it is still in the UK. It was a very low mileage car and very original. It is possible that Jack Murray may know of its whereabouts.

Hope this helps - and sorry I missed you on Sunday

Sincerely

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

Gentlemen, I stand ready to supply your LED D lamp needs and can supply you with a simplified turn signal diagram. The units are $85 each and shipping to UK is $10 for one or two...email me!
Terry in Oakland
Terry Sanders

Rob:
Jerry mentioned UMG 360, owned until a few years ago by Trevor Austin: I met Trevor at a show last year, and he told me that he sold it to a buyer in Belgium, so I guess that rules it out as a source for these things. Trevor was extremely helpful to me when I was rebuilding my car, and I have a photo of the two together at the end of the Regency Run in 1999.

My car, UMG 366, is running a rear light set up exactly as per the 1951 spec, with the original rear D lamps and one brake light. though I have added reflectors to the bumper ends. The internals are exactly as your photograph, with the 5W bulbs mounted inboard to act as both tail and number plate lights. On the RH unit, the 21W bulb is the stop lamp, and on the LH unit it is the reversing light. The reflectors are not symmetrical, as you show.

I only made one change: the lamp glass on the left side was cut and bonded so that a piece of red (RH) glass was used for the tail light and colourless glass for the reversing light: the original coating to give a red tail light was patchy and didn't match the RH unit.
Tim Griggs

Hi Tim

Fascinating to hear that you run on only one stop light. Do you feel OK with this? I ask the question because I am of the view that the rear end of a car needs to be well illuminated with either the LED format supplied by TA Terry and/or a high level brake light. The latter can easily be seen and both Jack Murray and Neil Cairns I believe have them fitted.

On my TA I fitted a brake light behind the spare wheel, The YT has a magnetic high level light which was fitted by the previous owner.

I may well go down the route of using the LED's that Terry supplies.

Bearing in mind just how wonderful your YA is are you willing to accept the risk of a rear end shunt by using just one stop light?

See you soon

Sincerely

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK


Hello

In his thread of 22. February, J.B. Birkbeck mentions "SVC's conversion for 1130 sidelamps". Does this conversion use LEDs or bulbs? And could I please have SVCs e-mail address?

Thank you, Anton
Anton Piller

Hi Anton

It includes bulbs and is a very neat conversion.
SVC stands for Stafford Vehicle Components and their e-mail address is: info@s-v-c.co.uk

Just type in Stafford Vehicle Components into your browser and that will take you directly to their site.

It is described as: 1130 TORPEDO LIGHTS CONVERSION KIT
5w side light & amber 21w turn signal bulb
Front mounted push fit bulbs
Designed to fit original type or die cast 1130 bodies. Price is £35 plus delivery and VAT (?) and that is for a pair.

They are really effective and I have fitted them to both my TA and YT. For the rear flashers use either chrome stalked flashers that can use the fixing bolt for the rear bumper or a reversing light that includes both the reversing light and the orange bulb. Details of both are available on SVC's website.
These are not LED's.

I hope that this is of some help.

Sincerely

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

There is also a link to SVC on the links page to their website.

Paul
Paul Barrow


Thank you Jerry and Paul

Anton
Anton Piller

TA Terry has advised me that after the current batch he does not intend making any more as "demand has dropped off" ... so if this is something you had been thinking of doing, then now is the time as I have just taken 3 pairs from him! Perhaps if there is a good enough surge for these excellent safety enhancements he will be persuaded to continue to provide this excellent product.

Paul
Paul Barrow

This thread was discussed between 21/02/2011 and 08/03/2011

MG MG Y Type index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MG Y Type BBS now