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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 MGA - Halogen headlamps

A friend dropped me off at the shop so I could pick up the A (new exhaust) and followed me home on the Pasadena freeway. When we were back he said, "good thing you've got that bright shiny chrome luggage rack because your tailights are so tiny, dim, close together and 18 inches off the ground, barely visible in heavy traffic...the reflection of my headlights off your luggage rack was the only way I could see you!"

A bit of an exaggeration perhaps but it prompted me to switch to halogen bulbs and amber lenses for the rear turn signals...BIG difference. Now I want to upgrade the sealed-beam headlights to halogen as well...does anyone have any recommendations? There are a lot on the market, from $35/pair to well over a hundred, would love to hear other's experiences...
Jim Paul

Jim,
I replaced my sealed beam headlights with Sylvania halogen sealed beams.(about $7.50 each). They fit like the original sealed beams and are much brighter. The only other thing I did was to install relays for both high and low beam, as I didn't want to run the increased load thru the original headlight switch.
Ed Bell

I bought a set from LBCarco. They have the added bonus of a secondary bulb that can be hooked up as driving lights for extra daytime visibility. Good price, too.
R. L Carleen

Ed, did MGAs have sealed beams originally? Mine were pre-focus and I bought new prefocus lenses that accepted a halogen bulb.
I have had mine in for about 18m0nths without relays and original wiring with no problems.
Bob (robert)

Jim

I am not sure what brand LBCarCo carries, and it doesn't say on his web site. I have looked at this for a while and there appear to be three major brands of non-sealed beam halogens: Hella, Cibie and Bosch. Bosch does not appear to be easily available over here. I have a pair of Hella lights (with relays) on my 58 A that I got with a gift certificate to J C Whitney. Much better than conventional sealed beams, and a good sharp cutoff on low beam. My reading of various comments on the web over the past year leads me to believe that the Cibie lights are even better than the Hella, and are also more expensive. The secondary bulb is often called an integral side light and is supposedly only for european applications. However, I plan to get a pair for a couple of my cars with this feature. Cibie's are available from a couple of US sources for a little over $50 each. Also, from what I have read, beware of the cheap no-name lights as their beam patterns may actually be worse that a conventional sealed beam.

RL

What brand did you get from LBCarCo?

All

Anyone want to chime in with their specific experience?

FWIW

Larry
58A
69 C in restoration
Larry Hallanger

Jim, look at www.limora.de

Euro 15,00 = +/- US 19,60 each.

Wim.
Wim

Sorry Jim,

www.limora.nl

Wim.
Wim

I got the Wipac H4 halogen headlights that Moss sells and have been very happy with them. Good cutoff, nice and bright and I've yet to see the generator light glow even the slightest, even at idle with the heater blower running. I'm not a fan of sealed beam halogens. On the ones I've seen the disposable lens has never been any better than the ones on Tungsten sealed beams.

David Breneman

Well I was taking a LONG trip up the coast (1000 miles round trip) so I bought a pair of Sylvania "Performance" halogens from Pep Boys @$25/pair and they make a huge difference -- bright white light, sharp focus, really excellent. I bought a Bosch relay but did not install it (no time), and after seven hours of night driving with lights and ipod/80w power amp/speakers noticed no problems like dim generator light, hot wires or hot headlight switch. I also have LBC halogen bulbs in the gauges abd tailights, all this running off the old positive-ground generator.

Maybe I was just lucky? Anyway I plan to install the relay one of these days since I plan to add fog/driving lights soon and don't want to melt the wiring harness.
Jim Paul

I also have the original generator and have had no trouble. I don't think the H4 bulbs draw much more current than tungsten bulbs, although I don't know what the current draw of headlights in those days (or nights :-) ) was.
David Breneman

Bob,
My 1962 MGA came with sealed beam lights. I don't know if that is true about cars sold in the UK. It may have been a requirement for USA cars.
Ed Bell

Ed I am not sure of that either way?
David a 60w bulb is a 60w bulb it maters not what the filament is. That means bulbs with the same wattage draw the same current. With that in mind I do not see the need for a relay
Bob (robert)

Heh Jim Paul,

You mentioned halogen bulbs in your instruments - can you offer more info like P/N's etc. I have tried several means to mask the "escaping" dim light from my instrument bulbs to improve the night reading of gauges - like trying to see how much fuel I have left on a night trip across Europe !!! These old gauges are hard to read at night, with the best of conditions.

John
J Harle

LBCco has them (171-010h) but they still have the same problem as the original bulbs -- they shoot light all over the footwell and very little into the gauge. So yes the fuel and safety gauges are more readable but you also have a brightly-illuminated lap.

I tried this instead: two white LEDs (w/resistor) taped to the inside of a tissue paper tube cut in half. Slit the cardboard so you can fasten it around the back of the gauge. It will reflect ALL the light into the small rectangular holes in the side of the gauge, and block any light from escaping to the footwell. Also draws far less current than a regular bulb.
Jim Paul

Great Jim, I will try some LED's and the masking technique.

Sorry - I thought your first name was Jim-Paul. Somewhat common in Germany.

John
J Harle

This thread was discussed between 25/01/2005 and 01/02/2005

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