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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - How does one use this floppy rubber thing?

I am fitting replacement front headlights to my MK1 Sprite. They came as a complete kit which includes two rubber seals for each light. One clearly fits before the headlamp bowl.
The thin floppy rubber one looks like it should go around the headlight assembly but it then impedes fitting of the final chrome finisher. Do I just need to persist and try harder? I've not come across these before. What do others do? Do you just throw the extra floppy rubber seal away?
GuyW

Which part are you trying to fit, item 11 or 12 in the illustration from the Moss US catalog?

https://mossmotors.com/mg-midget-austin-healey-sprite/electrical-ignition/headlamps-bugeye-to-c-19014
Martin

Persist and try harder is the answer!

It is a seal to prevent dust and water getting into the headlamp bucket. It should fit over the chromed ring that sits around the headlamp glass, and sit far enough forward to allow the finisher ring to be mounted. Often this is tricky, particularly if a reproduction ring is slightly undersized. It often squeezes out a little in the gap between finisher and mounting ring.
Dominic Clancy

It's the part 11 in that Moss drawing. I thought I had it right, though I have never seen these on my later cars (1275/1500's), or on any other models like minis, A35 etc using this style of headlamp.

Thanks Dominic, I will try harder! But I will probably leave them off for now as until I have adjusted the headlight beams as the chrome finisher will be off and on a few times yet.
GuyW

Guy,

I have tried the left headlamp with and de right headlamp without the floppy ring. I drive summer and winter. Without gives less rust. I suppose the water evaporates better.

Flip
Flip Brühl

Guy

The aftermarket rubber seal tends to be a faff to fit. The later cars have a different 'bucket' and adjuster for the sealed beams perhaps less likely to be affected by damp and hence why they are omitted.

Even the NOS rubber ones don't last that long and I think over time people just leave them out. When I first got a Frogeye in 1973 there were none in there.
Bob Beaumont

This thread was discussed between 30/01/2020 and 31/01/2020

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