How to change an MGTF sidelight bulb.

Cheers Pete.

I've just taken some more pics and video which I'll put up shortly. I'll transfer your pics to the original how to guide, if that's ok with you?

It is difficult taking a pic of a lit light bulb as the light tends to diffuse and make it look way too bright. But in reality you just see a clean small white bulb that looks a lot neater and brighter. I had no issues with them on my mot last week and if I did, I'd just bung the old yellow sideys back in.

Look a hundred times better, makes the dipped ones look very old and yellow. Think the white makes the front look more modern.

I havnt taken pics at night before, but use them as you like, I'll have a chat to one of the daughters who is into taking pics.

I suspect there is a filter or something you need, but will find out and post up if better.

Best "how to" yet.

Thanks again Leigh.

petetf160 wrote: Best "how to" yet.

Haha! well... it's the best one you've done so far. But it doesn't 'shine a candle' to many of the T-Bar guides done by the big boys.

I'll add a video shortly. They look brighter than real life in the pics.

I know my limits, big stuff I'll leave to a garage, the days of laying under cars swapping gearbox's and engines long gone.

Nice easy stuff for me, just bought some waxoyl to get down and dirty, plus some calliper paint.

Enough to do, to keep me happy and out of the wife's way.

Already got your how to, "change dipped headlight bulb", ready to go!!!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

petetf160 wrote: Enough to do, to keep me happy and out of the wife's way.

Already got your how to, "change dipped headlight bulb", ready to go!

That's always a bonus Pete.

The headlight bulb change was simple enough to do as they are considerably larger than the tiny little sidelight bulbs. I've got some of these coming - H7 4300K HID SUPER MINI BALLAST Xenon Conversion kit. So, anything could happen. :pinch:

Now, I hear tell that some don't like them and some say that they're even illegal. I got the 4300k tinted bulbs as they're quite normal with a yellow tint but I read that they're definately much brighter than standard. So, there's less chance of me getting 'the pull' with these fitted I reckon (time will tell). Anyway, judging by the ebay video they should be quite easy to fit, even for me and they should be easily enough switched back to the standard headlights come the next mot.

Almost forgot, I've added a night-time video of the new sidelights to the first post - clickety click.

Like the new vid, look 10 x brighter than the old yellow side lights, think its one of the quickest and best mods to do.

Anything that other drivers notice and makes the car stands out is a bonus. So many bumps and "didnt see you", happening now a days.

Just waiting for the whiter than white nightbreakers, for the dipped lights. Then see what to do with the main beam ones.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I thought I had put my how to on here, but obviously not. No need now. Top job.

What I would say is avoid the cheap Chinese ones on ebay. That's what I fitted and they barely lasted a year. I also had to adapt the lamp holders as the original lamps were a bit bigger than standard.

Have fitted Halfords ones now which were a lot brighter and a lot more expensive, but will hopefully last longer.

I'll let you know how my Hongkong ones last !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I didn't realise that you'd done a guide on these as well Clive. Comments appreciated.

Comparing Halfrauds prices with HK prices, it's cheap enough to have a couple of spare bulbs in the car. I'm just carrying the old ones for now and the fleabay ones are just a one day turn around as they're in Birmingham. I use my sidelights for daylight running as well (it's the closest I'll get to running a volvo). Maybe these won't even last 6 months for me but I'll report back, if and when they die.

I don't suppose, when you get five minutes, that you could shin up that lamp-post and switch the bulb on it. That yellow glow is killing me. :lol: Was that an intentional, tactically placed comparison pic? If not, it does a good job in showing the difference between the hues of white and yellow in 'ye olde lamps for new' guides. :lol:

Like the new vid, look 10 x brighter than the old yellow side lights, think its one of the quickest and best mods to do. Anything that other drivers notice and makes the car stands out is a bonus.

Too right Pete. Well said.

Just waiting for the whiter than white nightbreakers, for the dipped lights.

Don't forget to take a pic side by side with one of 'ye olde bulbs' when you change them Pete. It paints a thousand words.

Haha.. I had no intention of changing or modding a single thing when I bought this car for fresh air purposes a year ago. But the 'Darkside' of MG's just sucks you in. :lol:

Do you want me to add it on here? Doesn't add much to yours, but shows that some of the ebay ones don't fit too well.

If it helps a member in not making that mistake in the future then 'yes please'.

Hmmm. It looks like I didn't do a how to, just a post.

This is the mod I had to do. I had to cut part of the holder away for them to fit as the lamp was slightly longer and there wasn't enough clearance to get it in.



Another thing worth mentioning is that the 4 small self tapping screws corrode and the tops shear off when trying to remove the small cover. You can buy a pack of stainles steel screws that are nearly identical from the niknaks stand in Halfords. Well worth changing them.