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 - Restoration of Chrome YB

Dear Club Members

I am restoring YB 279 and have to decided the best way ahead restoring the Chrome Fittings. I apologise to anybody who thinks the questions are silly' I can assure you they are not to me.

First Door handles and Boot Hinges
Can anybody advise is it better to re-chrome or buy new. If new where can I source the original handles. I have been able to source the hinges.

Second D Lights

Where can I source the split D light which is used for both the reversing and side light ie it has the clear lens as well as the small red lens


Thank you

J Middleton
John Middleton

Hi John

I amy be wrong, but I think under UK Law you need to have two operational stop and tail lights on the same plane (horizonatally speaking). Check this out before you go too far down the route of replacing one of the two red lens D lamps you have.

The Alternate Parts List cites the basic body as being common / similar to the Morris 8 Series and Wolsely 8, I do not know if the door handles were common - I expect that they were, however, I believe NTG do them. You may also be able to source your D Lamp through them.

Regards

Paul
Paul Barrow

I have just had my Y chromed except the handles and bumpers.You can get the non locking handles from moss £10 each but the square bar needs lengthening or swapping (10mm short) and the locking one from Paul Beck. If the boot hinges are bad the pits will still be there unless you can file them out.
I think the lights are legal if they as original .
John

The D lamp is the same whether it has the all red lense or the clear and red lense. In fact the clear lense is totaly clear and the small red portion is simply painted red. When you get a new one whether used or nos you will likely have to repaint it as the old paint will be comming off.
NTG list clear lenses as does Anthony Pearson in Australia. Go to > www.classicandvintagebulbs.com < for more info. Terry
Terry O'Brien

Just coming back on John's comment, it is possible that if they are "original" fittment you "may" get away with it at an MOT. Altogether another concern is perhaps that of safety to consider. How many times have you (and other drivers) had to do a quick double take when even modern high visability stop lights have only one working? I for one had a fright the other day when a car in front of me had one stop / tail light bulb in backwards so only one lamp came on brightish and the other very dim.

With the Y lights being so dim and fairly low down too you may run into other problems - or worse still, have them run into you! Certainly there would be no "extra" points in a concours judgement for having the original fit - it would rarely be noticed and I for one would not notice - sorry John!

Paul
Paul Barrow

I found the details of the MoT: http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_110.htm

What it says about rear lamps is:

"Lamps required by Regulations to be fitted to a vehicle to indicate its presence and width when viewed from the rear.

"They must show a steady red light to the rear, visible from a reasonable distance."

In the "what to look for" column they add:

"d. are not adversely affected by the operation of any other lamp

"e. are not obviously out of position.
Note: The precise position of obligatory front and rear position lamps is not part of the inspection, but check visually that the lamps are at about
. the same height, and
. the same distance from the side of the vehicle."

I suspect that this is all sufficiently vague to be entirely at the discretion of the tester.

dan
dan

Dear John,

as you are probably aware, the external chrome fittings you refer to were made from a cheap alloy called Mazak. As you have found, this stuff is subject to serious pitting over the years and my advice would be to replace with new fittings.
Sadly, the one item that I was unable to replace were the bonnet catches. I tried to dismantle one but discovered that this is virtually impossible without breaking the 'hook'. I had to make do and got mine rechromed.
The D lamps you refer to are available from Paul Beck, as well as most other period suppliers. I believe he supplies both the original 'split D' lamp and the 'full D' version (the one without the vertical chrome dividing bar).
Although I believe it to be legal to fit the lamps as original, I opted for the safer version, fitting the 'full D' lamps and inserting double filament bulb holders so that they act as Stop/Tail lights. I fitted a seperate reversing lamp below the bumper.

Jack
Jack Murray

MG TC and Y Lucas Tail D Lamps
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1873561613
John

This thread was discussed between 24/11/2002 and 27/11/2002

MG MG Y Type index

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