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MG MG Y Type - Is my YB (JDM 622) unusual?

I purchased my YB in March this year, details being:
Car reg. no. JDM622
Year reg. 1953
Colour Black
Chassis no. YB-1048
Engine no. 3C2-17920

Fyi I paid £4,750 for it.

It's in excellent condition, with some panels towards the rear having been resprayed several years ago, some welding done under the rear around the same time, and completely undersealed. The underseal shows no sign of blistering, indicating it's likely to be sound beneath.
The interior is original, and with the exception of the rear strap hangers is all complete (incl. all four ashtrays). The leather is very good considering the age, and above all the dashboard and steering wheel are exemplary.
The engine was extensively reconditioned in the mid 1990's (invoice shows £1200 pounds-worth), but is original and has the original head too.
The only addition I have made is to fit (with no holes drilled or any other 'damage' to anything other than to the top hose to the rad) a water temp gauge.

The Jackall system functions on all four corners too.

On seeing the other Y-types at Silverstone last weekend, I was struck by just how good our YB is, as it has the best (original) interior of all I saw, and crucially it still uses the original trafficators.
It was surprising to see that almost all of the Y's there have had electric indicators fitted.

Is mine unusual in still using the trafficators, or was this a bad sample?
Phil Gilbert

My 58,000 mile 1952 YB, 438LRM, is all original, still with its excellent interior, trafficators, horn, etc, etc. The ONLY modification it has is a brake/clutch shaft drilled so they can be greased, and a lead-free cylinderhead fitted with hardened steel exhaust valve inserts. It was there on Sunday, chassis number 0322. It is unrestored, though had a respray in 1983.

Neil.
Neil Cairns

Phil

I would not say that yours is "unusual" in using the original trafficators in preference to "modern" flashing indicators.

You do not actually mention if you supplement the trafficators with indicators or not but I guess from the way you refer to the indicators fitted to the other Ys I guess not. Sadly, as I had to cart all the Y Register regalia up to Silverstone on Friday I could not bring my Y as it will not all fit in so I had to come up in a modern car (without trafficators!!) instead. However, my Y utilises both trafficators and indicators running on a dual circuit from the same switch. Personally, I like trafficators; they sound good as they clunk in and out and they make other people laugh when they see them. But there in lies the nub of the proble "... when they see them!".

Sadly modern motorists have become accustomed to the much safer and more visible orange flash from the corner of a car indicating the intended direction of travel: they do not look for trafficators so rather than have the car totalled by ignorance and a quest for "total originality" one does occaisionally have to bow to modernity in the interests of safty - as much for the car's benefit as its occupants. It is for this reason that many owners of Ys (and Zs too) have adopted the practice of retro-fitting indicators. The custom is present but not prevailent in T types and earlier sports cars as in many cases properly given hand signals can be given and seen (though not at night!). Having just written my last sentence, I am left wondering just how many motorists of today know the correct "I'm turning left" hand signal (when given from a RHD car?? - not many I guess!

It is not a legal requirement to have flashers, however, if they are fitted, it is an MOT requirement that they work: it is not an MOT requirement that the semiphors work if indicators are fitted. Hope that answers the question. What was the question by the way???

Paul
Paul Barrow

Hi Phil, Sorry to hear that your car was not in the line up which I photographed. Nice to have good weather for Silverstone though. My YB only uses trafficators. They are fairly reliable, only needing the occasional thump. I take Pauls point about modern drivers though, and can remember this as a perennial point on the T type board where the safety at all costs people argued endlessly with the originality people about lens colours and occulting brake lights.

BTW r/turn signal (in UK)is a clockwise circular motion with the right arm - or at least thats what it was when I took my test!
Ian Thomson

Ian

Ten out of ten and top of the class. Absolutely right.

So much for you, but I do wonder what other drivers might make of it - some obscure sign variant of road rage?? I am glad you agree about the safety angle though.

Joking apart viz concours etc. my answer is very simple and that is "What is the MG motto?" Answer "Saftey Fast", think about it!

Regards

Paul
Paul Barrow

> BTW r/turn signal (in UK)is a clockwise circular motion with the right arm - or at least thats what it was when I took my test!

I thought that the right turn signal is just sticking your right arm out. The LEFT turn is the circular motion of the right arm.

dan

This thread was discussed between 27/06/2001 and 04/07/2001

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