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MG MG Y Type - Headlight Disassembly

I am trying to disassemble headlights on Y4465, for the purpose of re-plating the reflectors. As I see it, the only way is to open the crimp holding the glass lens in the reflector body, get them plated, and then re-crimp the metal over the lens. Does this sound right? Does anyone have a tip on how to do this, without breaking the glass lenses?
D W McReaken

Hi Bill

I am presuming you have standard headlamps? There hould be a single screw that holds the headlamp ring into the body - slacken this off and the headlamp glass and front ring can be detached from the body as it is only held in by a clamping bar at the top and a tongue that inserts into a slot in the bottom of the body.

The glass lens is held into the front ring (or should be) by 3 or 4 spring tension clips. The reflector simply sits in the back of the body so I am not sure what you mean by opening the crimp.

Dont worry about busting the clips that hold the glass in place - if they are orignal they are probably rusted and will snap but are easily replaced from Moss Motors or Abingdon Spares.

If I have failed to answer your question please send me a photo or post one on here (size must be less than 2mB) and I will try again to do so.

Paul
Paul Barrow

Have you considered swopping to sealed beam units...much easier than sticking with the old units. This would have hapened when the cars were a few years older in the '60s no doubt.
D MULLEN

Paul,

According to my manual on the Y type, I have an older style headlamp than the one you describe. Removing the spring clips separates the ring from the body of the headlamp. but the lens is crimped into the body of the lamp. The tripod is held in place behind the lens by three screws, one at each point of the tripod, but the glass is held in place by the metal rim, crimped over the edges of it.

I am attaching photos.

D W McReaken

Hi Bill

A ha! I understand. The give away is the use of the word TRIPOD!

These are actually sealed beam units and post-date the Y rather than predating it. They were first used on the BMC built MG Magnette ZA. You cannot seperate them easily and they are not cheap to resilver in any case. I do know that there is someone in the UK that does this, but it may be cheaper for you, as you are in the UK, simply to by new tripod 7inch Lucas Sealed Beams. Moss have these at http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=32178 at $145 but you do not need the front chrome ring (detachable) so it is worth asking if they will sell the P700 lamp on its own to you.

Failing that you can go back to the original type set up of seperate reflector and lens (you can get Halogen upgrade bulbs for these too) or a sealed beam unit without the Tripod as shown in the top two diagrams at http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=32931.

Paul
Paul Barrow

Keith Ardley in Cambridgeshire is the chap you need. Keith has a special tool that 'peels' the glass from the backing and can fit a new 'bowl' to the original glass.

Keith has fitted new bowls to the 'Catseye' glasses on my car and the total cost for the pair was less than £50, but that was a while ago. It is possible to have original bowls, original with sidelight, or sealed beam bowls fitted to the bowl. Keith can be contacted at kieth@ardley8142.fsnet.co.uk Please note that this is the correct address not a typo!!

If you email me off the Bulletin Board I will send you his telephone number.

Regards.
David Pelham

Bill, from you photo and description the lights sure look like Lucas PF770 lights. Is the reflector scalloped? You can remove the reflector by using a pair of pliars that have been ground away to form a thin lip on the leading edge. Do a little bending at a time and you should not have any problem getting the reflector out. To re-seal the lens back into the reflector use a clear silicone sealer.
Cheers, Hugh Pite
H.D. Pite

This thread was discussed between 25/04/2012 and 28/04/2012

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