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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - Want to modify your ZS front indicator repeaters from orange to clear?

I know that Rog has already said that he is keen to ditch the orange front repeaters on his ZT, and I've got a feeling that many others are feeling the same.

As I already have a R200, I was browsing through the web bad lands (as you do) and came across this guide which I think would be as equally applicable to the ZS as it is to the Mk3 R200...

See http://homepage.eircom.net/~technozen/Html/headlight.htm

Looks utterly fab IMO.

Good luck all!
Rob Bell

Nice one ROB!
Mega

I have a R200 and have also done the said above mod, thanks to Paul Techo.

It isn't easy to do and you have to be in a extreamly good mood at the time, but is well worth the effort. And looks evan better with some silver indicator bulbs.
David Harasym

Looking at the ZS lamp shows that there is an orange film much like that of the 200. However I am not as confident that this same procedure would work.

The other point of note is that with the 200 there wasn't an option of clear front indicators, on the ZS there is the simple option of fitting Rover 45 units, which are available minus the orange. Cost is another matter!

Rog
Roger Parker

Quite right Rog. No idea if it would work, but I guess if one were determined to go for the cleaner 'clear lens' look then one could give it a go, and then if it failed buy the R45 items!

I doesn't sound like a job for the feint hearted- but it shouldn't be too difficult and has the added bonus of being a very cheap job! LOL

BTW anyone know WHY the front indicators are orange when all the others are clear or smoked??? Bizarre!
Rob Bell

Bizarre indeed Rob. It was a question I did raise at the launch and I think the reply was that it was to look different. That reply has a point since the fashion for some time has been to go clear or smoked. Orange is out of step with the norm.

Rog
Roger Parker

i cant understand why the presant range of rovers has orange indcators...the old 200/400 range had clear lenses!!
.

What wrong with orange?
Kelvin

<i>What wrong with orange?</i>

Nothing per se but i) it really doesn't look that good with Anthracite and ii) it looks messy and implies a lack of attention to detail to have 3 (three) different types of indicator lenses (clear, smoked AND orange) on the same car.

I would prefer all the lenses to be the same. Smoked would be my preference as my car is Anthracite but clear would be a close second.

Cheers,

S.
Steve H

It has always struck me that colour coding would be better if it were applies to the whole vehicle. Now that techniques are available to display the leaggy required colours and intensities from behind different coloured frontages it would make sense. Whilst the orange and smoked lenses go well with the Blue, I can see that smoked is really only the right colour for the Anthracite.

Rog
Roger Parker

Sorry if this is dim, but I'm not deep into petrol if you know what I mean.

I was cleaning my ZS today and I noticed that both my indicators misted up. Is it possibly for sealed headlamp units to mist up or are mine a little less than airtight!?

No I haven't tried the conversion above, although I'm in favour of clear indicators, though the orange doesnt go bad with the red.



M
Mike

Mike, the head lamps aren't exactly sealed as the bulbs are removable. Mind you you shouldn't really have condensation inside the lamps- I'd suggest you get them either sorted or replaced under warranty as prolonged exposure to moisture damages the silver reflector component of the lamps.

Smoked versus clear is a question- I guess the answer is reliant on the body colour of the car. But if you wanted smoked front lenses, you could replace the standard amber film with a grey item to produce the smoke effect. Suitable film is available from Foliatek (found in your local branch of Halfords). Might be worth considering Steve?

Personally, I think I'd go for as uniform colouring as possible for the front/ side/ rear repeaters. On a dark coloured car, I think that clear would be the best in that there is more co-ordination with the headlamps. Just IMO!!! ;o)
Rob Bell

Just a thought, but upon closer inspection of Kelvins indicator lenses I noticed that the indicators and headlamps are one unit...is this correct??...in which case it would be very expensive to replace the indicators or R45 units.

Neil
Neil Turner

Exactly Neil!

In this respect they are very similar to the R200 units found on the web link mentioned above (http://homepage.eircom.net/~technozen/Html/headlight.htm)

Rob Bell

Mike I have done the above mod as metioned above. I thought I'd try it because my lamps where misted up and I thought It couldn't possibly be any worse than before.

Try this though first...... Get some petroleum jelly/Vaseline and rub a smear around the seals and 'o' rings on the bulb housing bayonett fittings at the back of the lamp. This is the most likely cause of your problem.

Hope it works.
David Harasym

Excuse me....am I missing something here?

The front repeaters on the wings of my ZS 180 ARE clear. Is mine the odd one out or are you all talking about something completely different?

Regards
Pilky
Pilky

Could you simply use a tinting spray over the R200 lenses to black them out?
John G Hackett

"Excuse me....am I missing something here?

The front repeaters on the wings of my ZS 180 ARE clear. Is mine the odd one out or are you all talking about something completely different?"

We not talking about wings mounted indicators, we're talking about the front indicators... i.e, the ones fixed to the headlamps....

Neil
Neil Turner

Exactly Neil :o)

As for covering the lenses with a tinting spray John, it is a nice simple solution, I agree. However I am not sure either of their legality or their longevity; the lamps are on an exposed position, and any paint finish is bound to chip off leaving a less than professional result after 6 months. Using a tinting film INSIDE the lamp assembly, whilst a lot more work to achieve, would at least be protected from the elements!
Rob Bell

Yep suppose that could work but the tint wouldn't look all that good.

Theres a polish 200 that has red laqured rear lamps on the net somewhere (Ie theres no white reverse or indicaotrs).
David Harasym

This thread was discussed between 23/11/2001 and 10/12/2001

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