Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Bulbs for clear indicator lenses

I once heard that each test centre is checked against national averages for 'passes' & advisories' and if it looks like they have a high pass rate the man from the ministry comes for a visit

So the odd advisory for something a bit border line just keeps the percentages in check

O.K. It's the screw driver MOT fix then !! Just hope I don't break a bulb.

I believe test centres are also checked regarding the time taken from MOT test start to finish - partly why older cars are beginning to be an irritiation with relatively little to test compared to modern designs.

Decided the orange lens front indicators on Morton jarred too much with the red paintwork. Without doing too much homework ordered these on eBay for under £20 the set delivered.



Firstly no issues fitting supplied orange bulbs as the pins are in line. The L691 lens are shallower than original and are not supplied with a reflector as OE although they fitted ok. Not happy with the pin point orange glow though so decided to swap the reflectors over from original.

This is where the problems started. The new lens have ten internal braces molded in and each requires a semi-circular clearance in the chromed plastic reflector. Painstaking work with a Dremel and appropriate tool soon had those added though, and once the mount stands were cut down to match shallower lens all fitted OK.

The reflector adds a great improvement matching original glow well.

Tarka has amber bulbs and clear lenses, as fitted by the factory.
I've never felt they were either dim or just a point of amber light.

As a result of this thread I took the cover off the O/S front one.
The amber coating is starting to crack and there is no reflector, just the metal of the light fitting.

So, I'll buy a bottle of amber clear lacquer from Halfrauds and re-coat the bulbs.
I found mirror coated 0.3mm plastic sheet on Amazon, self adhesive. So I'll make up reflectors for the 4 indicators and the brake/stop lights.

The pack is 24 6" x 6" sheets for less than £8.00, I'll need no more than 6 and if I can get 2 per sheet, only 3.

I'll report back when I've worked out exactly how to cut and shape the reflector.

. Try some cooking foil.

I changed mine to led canbus bulbs which whilst expensive get over the fading colour problem.

My Merc failed the MOT on the yellow bulbs fading. So beware that issue.

Now done the homework I should have at the outset. Original lens on latest models are L794. Just ordered a pair of clear ones for rear indicators which come complete with reflectors as here.



Also ordered a bargain price set of 10 amber coloured BA15s (inline spigots) indicator bulbs from here so will have plenty of spares. The ones to avoid with offset spigots are BAU15s BTW.

I suspect the OE lens molding may give a more diffused light. We shall see.

Finally have all four indicators with clear lens and orange filament bulbs.

The plot deepens though. Don't know how far this extends back in production but the current factory setup for Classics is as follows:

Front have the deeper L794 lens with reflector
Rear have the pointed L691 lens without reflector as the reduced depth and lens internal shape won't accept one (see below though)

Fixing screws for both are imperial UNC size (approx 3.5mm) as researched by Peter J here although longer for front.

Note the clear L794 lens I bought come with 3mm replacement screws and brass captive nuts. I was obliged to use a pair when I cross threaded originals on front. I suspect the chrome on brass screws shed tiny slivers of hard chrome which can cause the cross threading following difficulty in engaging thread. The smaller cadmium plated 3mm screws fit much easier.

Having already butchered spare reflectors to fit inside the L691 lens (see earlier post), a little further work with Dremel tool should reduce their fitted depth enough to allow use in rear indicators. As already observed a reflector does offer an improvement in diffusing point source of light.