Topic

Hello everybody
Thanks you for accepting me!
I need some expert advice on how to set the headlights to my country law? (Turn from right drivers position to left drivers position) Do I need to find new optics? Or there is a cheaper options?

F or TF?

F or TF, the only proper permanent solution is new headlamps.
The Tf does have a lever on the headlamp to stop the left side kick up on the dipped beam, as a temporary solution, but this would probably not be accepted by your MOT equivalent car testing regime.

There is also this pdf that explains how to dismantle the TF Headlights to convert them permanently. Warning, you COULD desrroy the headlamp units in the process

With the MGF, it is asserted online that you can disassemble the headlamps, swap the glass lenses side to side and install back to front. This gives a dipped beam that kicks up right. This method produced beams that were acceptable to a German TUV test station.

N.B. Disassembling the MGF lamps is much easier than the TF.

As a bonus, here's how you can convert the steering and pedals,

Converting F headlights from R/H/D the L/H/D is relatively easy........ but you would need to get hold of some buggered L/H/D headlights, I'd look to see in someone has a set with cloudy or burned reflectors (quite a common reason for headlight replacement)
All you need to do is remove bumper then the lights from the car, separate the outer glass lens from the light body, then swap over the inner lens.
Put it all back together.
It'd be a good idea to check your reflectors for cloudiness and scorch marks above the globes, if so then your probably better off sourcing good L/H/D headlight units, though you can get the plastic reflectors remetalised, if you choose do do this be VERY VERY CAREFUL separating the reflectors from the headlight body, turn the adjusting screws out and lubricate the ball-end and socket before pulling the ball-end out of the socket.

As to that pic of the vee belt steering conversion, I've seen a similar effort using a couple of sprockets and a bicycle chain at least this clown had it on the inside of the dash!
Another genius wanted to lower the car down to the weeds, but found the steering box thwarting is ambitions......... No worries he just mounted the steering box upside-down...... Sorted, but for the fact that now he had to turn right to go left and vice-versa! He reckoned he got used to it!
And one of my idiot mates had an old Datsun 180B, he managed to break his right leg and ended up in plaster from his toes all the way up to his nuts, and couldn't operate the accelerator pedal........No worries, he solved the problem by removing the ratchet pawl from the seat runner track and would pull himself in the seat against the steering wheel to accelerate and push to decelerate!

By now you might've gathered when an Aussie says: "no worries".........WORRY!

On both my 1997 MGF's the headlight beam lens on the off-sides have a slight opacity. Where as both cars, on the near-sides beam lens are crystal clear. Is that a coincidence or is that supposed to be that way? I'm not referring to the reflectors.

Also, regarding the topic title, what's that about with English R side to Portuguese?

No the lenses on both sides should be the same clarity, maybe the r/h side lenses on both cars have been replaced due to damage in the past, therefore the l/h lenses have more scratches and pitting due to normal road ware and tare

Volcano wrote:

On both my 1997 MGF's the headlight beam lens on the off-sides have a slight opacity. Where as both cars, on the near-sides beam lens are crystal clear. Is that a coincidence or is that supposed to be that way? I'm not referring to the reflectors.

Coincidence. They should all be equally clear.

Thanks Cobber and David for your replies and info. Just my luck, I have the spare parts car and can’t yet use a headlight from it! LOL

Even the reflector in the back of the light seems dull, as is the backside of the glass. It’s greyed.

I wonder can this be removed and maybe cleaned?