Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Wing Mounted Sidelights

Once again I find myself seeking the collective wisdom of the forum - this time in relation to wing mounted sidelights.

Love 'em or loathe 'em, I am aware of the potential pit falls of drilling holes in the pristine paintwork of an aluminium wing and then attaching steel fittings but I do think that they suit certain Morgan models better than others and I think they would look great on my 4/4 80th. I certainly don't have the kahooners to do the job myself so will wait until the dealers workshops to reopen before progressing the idea - after all if they bodge it they'll have to fix it!

I know that there are two styles of sidelight fitted. The Lucas 516 style seems to be fitted to older Morgans:



And the Lucas 1130 to models of a younger vintage:



I quite like the look of the 516 style coupled with the idea that it involves drilling one marginally larger hole per wing rather than 3. However, from a bit of research I think I'm right in saying that the wing support arrangement of the newer classic Morgans precludes the fitment of the 516 style light - hence why all newer cars with them fitted as an optional extra or otherwise had the 1130 style fitted?

Is anyone able to confirm this please and if possible provide some photos of the underside of the wing where the light fixings and wires pass through.

Very much appreciated.

My thoughts- get the one that covers the maximum area of wing surface. I have no sidelights but I do have bubbling of the paintwork where the bracket sits underneath. Sidelights would hide that

The newer 1130 type replaced the old one due to changes in lighting regs IIRC. The earlier light didn't meet them.

Graham's correct the later ones have 'E' marked lenses

BobJ, the existing harness will already be wired with a spur for the sidelights terminating in bullet connectors (just tucked under the wing & usually cable tied to the stay)

4/4 series 1 had the 1130A red dot. Looks good when driving at night plus you can see if a bulb has blown from the drivers seat..

I've got the newer style on my Plus 8 and you can see whether they are illuminated or not during daylight from the drivers seat...

If I were you I would go for the 1130 version, but with glass lenses and the red dot. Just for aestethical reasons. The plastic lenses can crack around the screws after some time (usually a long time...) and they turn slightly yellow. Not a big issue, but I think the glass looks cooler - I converted mine from plastic to glass. Now with the plastic you can see if the lights are on (which they according to law have to be all the time in Norway). Not so with glass, as the edge of the lens is covered by a rim. In broad daylight I have forgotten the lights quite a few times, even with the plastic and more so with glass. But luckily no flat battery so far. So therefore the red dot as a tell tale showing that the lights are on. Being the neurotic perfectionist I am I might get just the dots from Holden, drill the sidelights and put them in. But you have got the chance to fit hem completed...

I would suggest the newer version but I have no idea how the wing stay is fixed now. On cars with factory fitted units they use the hole in the wing for the stay as one of the bolt holes. I did some photos for someone else on here.
Here is the underside of the wing

And the positioning

As always, many thanks for the responses and John for the pics - perfect.

I have the newer style that were fitted after I had the car for a year or so. I have never been entirely happy with the position as I think that they are a fraction out of place and that the side light look upwards by comparison to the headlights. I just find that it offends my sense of symmetry. If they had been mounted further forward it would have been better.