MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

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 TD TF 1500 - Headlamp beam indicator location

Greetings to all. I have "read the mail" on this forum for some time but never had a reason to post since the information I needed was always there.

I have TD/C 15185 (dumb iron & battery box plate) which shows a build date of March 1952. It was registered as a 1953 by the dealer.

I am wondering where the headlamp beam indicator lamp was located. The speedo has no indicator lamp and I find no spare wire leading in that direction, which would be the case if the instrument had been replaced. The dipper switch is panel mounted, not on the floor.

Although I have read that they were not available until 1953, this car has factory installed turn signals as well. The control switch is a Lucas SD84 which I have found in a list of TC spares.

I have found a few other similar details which make me wonder about the age of the vehicle.

Thanks in advance,

Neil
N.W. Dwyer

On your car the dash mounted dip switch would indicate the position of the head lamps, dipped or main.

On later cars, about the time they moved the dip switch to a self toggling push switch on the floor, they added the main beam light in the speedometer.

My car, which is only a month after yours, has the dash mounted dip switch and a REPLACEMENT speedometer (I know because it has the main beam indicator and the was a different color than the other instruments on my car.)

The serials in question are (from the T Series Handbook):

TD 17548 June 26, 1952, a high beam warning light on the speedometer

TD 18883 August 19, 1952 (61 years ago today!) the original combination horn push and head lamp dip switch was replaced with a horn push and a foot operated dip switch.

This provided room for the turn signal light (no longer in the way of the dip switch handle) for North American Cars TD 22315 December 4, 1952.

Hope this helps,
dave
Dave Braun

Neil, my understanding is that US dealers often register a late year model as next year. I had that often with RVs we rented. But the locals are bettef qualified to comment on that.

My mid 52 17389 had no beam indicator either, though it was not quite clear when I got it. The speedo face has the red light bezel, but the housing had no opening. And no cables going there either, so I suspect no light by factory.
Rgds Mike
Mike Fritsch

Neil, on TD10855 the highbeam indicator is a red light located above the warning lamps, below the gauges. I understand that this is not an uncommon lamp. Bud


Bud Krueger

Hi Bud, I think that was not original, often added "aftermarket". My car (10835) had no high beam light. Neil, unless you have some sort of one-off special ordered TD, the turns are not factory. Moss has had add-on turn signal kits for many, many years, etc. George
George Butz

PS- car built in April, not March.


George Butz

George- The reason I thought the turn signals were factory is because all the wiring is neatly bundled inside the original wiring harness, with no sign of added parts and no indication that anyone had played with the lamp holders. Someone may have done a masterful job of adding the kit.

Thanks to all! This site is a treasure.

Neil
N.W. Dwyer

This thread was discussed between 19/08/2013 and 20/08/2013

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.