Indicator Lights on an MG TC

Following Colin Hooper’s article on fitting rear indicators to a TD, I offer a slightly different approach to rear lights on a TC.

Picture 1 shows the rear of my car when my ownership started 5 years ago. Note the low level indicators, the single reflector (surely an MOT failure point) and the shiny number plates.

MG TC Indicators
Picture 1

The first modification I made was to fit a high level brake and rear lamp from Stafford Vehicle Components. The light is located above the spare wheel holder. The wheel holder was removed, a bracket made to go behind the holder, the light fitted to the bracket and the whole was assembled. Depending on the thickness of the bracket you may need longer bolts to hold everything together, see Picture 2.

MG TC Indicators
Picture 2

Although it is behind the spare wheel, the light shines through and makes us more visible to drivers behind. I also fitted a pair of reflectors adjacent to the brake lights.

Over time I became concerned that the indicators were set at such a low level that they could not be seen by drivers who often are far too close. My solution to this was to buy pedestal lights and spot light mounting brackets from SVC so that the lights could be attached to the supports for the luggage rack.

The hole in the brackets was far too big for the pedestal light so I filled it in with some bushes. I drilled a hole at the bottom of the support leg and another at the top so that it was just visible when the rack was put back on the support. I fed a wire up through the tube so that it was hidden and secure. I needed to use long nose pliers to persuade the wire to go through the top hole. I then fitted connectors to both ends of the wire and attached the new wire to the existing wire for the indicators. I attached the earth wire to the brackets Pictures 3 and 4.

A small amount of clear silicone was applied to the wire where it went through the support leg to prevent moisture ingress. Although the new lights came with bulbs, I wanted to carry a spare. The lights use a 23w bulb which can be obtained from most motor cycle dealers.

MG TC Indicators

Pictures 3 and 4
MG TC Indicators

I moved the reflectors on the brackets which previously were used for the indicators and changed the shinny number plates for more appropriate ones. Picture 5 shows the final result of these changes.

MG TC Indicators
Picture 5

I have also removed the separate front indicators which were obscured by the wings and inserted the SVC dual front indicator and side light arrangement in the existing side lights.

Because of my hearing loss exacerbated by wind noise when driving the car, I couldn’t hear the indicator so I have added a buzzer (a couple of pounds at an auto jumble) to the flasher circuit and now know when the indicators are in use. I hope that these changes make my TC, my wife and myself more visible and safer when out on our jaunts.

Frank Shore

Ed’s note: SVC is Stafford Vehicle Components Limited, founded 10 years ago by TC owner Steve Taylor with help from his wife, Barbara and now joined by his son, Ed as Sales Director. SVC are good people to deal with and supplied all the parts to enable me to fit flashing indicators on my PB. They can be contacted through their website www.s-v-c.co.uk

The fitting of brake/indicator lights seems to be a good source of articles as I have been promised yet another one on fitting them to a TD. This will appear in a future issue.

Old Lock and Key Co

One thought on “Indicator Lights on an MG TC

  1. Sally Carroll says:

    My Jim put some brake lighton 6466 . .purchased simple lamps from model T ford (right period) and attached them with angle brackets to the existing plated acorn nuts on the side panels of the petrol tank.I have a picture but don’t see a place to upload it . .

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