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MG Midget and Sprite General - Driving, spot, fog lamps etc

I have in the cupboard 4 spot lamps (simple 55w ones) from a while ago that I have thought about fitting to the midget. I've installed 2 x 17a runs of wiring (from a relay) to allow for this when I get a mounting bracket made.

I was going to have 2 spots angled outwards to throw to light round dark corners, and 2 forward facing.

Then I started thinking about whether I should have 2 fog lamps and 2 spot/driving lamps, operated independently? Can't remember the last time I drove the midget in fog tho.

I have a relay with 2 outputs, so I could easily wire the spots to come on with the main beam.

What good setups do others have and found useful?

Matt
Tarquin

check out the MoT requirements, I can't think of them now but I think spots have to got out when on dip but what about as driving lamps(?) and fogs need a warning light in cabin(?)

I've never found front fogs to be of much use as there seem always the wrong type of fog for the lights but with the Spridgets being so low it might help(? or make worse?)

would four at the front interfer with cooling(?)

sorry only thoughts not answers
Nigel Atkins

Fogs or Driving is determined predominantly by the lens to give the right beam pattern. Then they need to be wired accordingly. A fog beam is much lower and wider with a crisp cut off and wired with side lights or dip/main. A driving light is what most would call "spots" with slightly longer range than main beam and wired for main beam only. An actual spot is typically a long range narrow beam also with main beam only.

I used to have some very nice cibie true long range spots. When I had to replace them recently only the driving version was available. So I now have halogen mains and a pair of driving lights. They are in total excellent and much better than our modern cars.

I have a personal hangup about front fogs in that they are genuinely useful in very very few situations. The modern habit of flicking them on in light drizzle is imho pointless. They offer so little range that they're not helping at the sorts of speed people now seem to use them at. Probably only really useful in true thick fog or driving snow - when to be honest 30mph is probably excessive.

If I were going to go for 4 - I would have 2 driving and 2 long range spots - but you'd be lucky to have those in your existing 4- and few ranges seem to have all the options these days. Mine are Cibie chrome Tangos - nice but expensive. As I've replaced singles over the years I've always stuck with them.

http://www.eatworms.org.uk/album/Midget-Rebuild07/PICT0064B.JPG
Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

This link has more explanation etc.
http://www.piaa.co.uk/lamps/lamps.htm
Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

As Nigel suggested it's worth checking out the construction ands use rules - they are a bit of a can of worms. I don't think you need a warning light for fogs which as, Dean says are rarely much use and there are severe restrictions on when they can be used - less than 100M visibility if I recall correctly. The attached link may be useful.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/part/II/made
Ray Rowsell

Have had both driving lights and fog lights and find that foglamps are useless 9 times out of 10.
Most of the times you are not allowed to use them and when the fog is thick enough less light is usualy better.

I now have just 2 drivinglamps (big old lucas) relayed and switched with the mains.
Lot's of light when I need it
Onno K

Agree with Dean and others - fog lights need to be mounted very low to cut under the fog; you must also use them without dip or main beam, which just light up the fog and destroy forward vision.

IIRC on my dad's 60s Mercs, you could either have the headlights on, or the fogs on, not both.

And although light from them better for use in fog, you really don't want to drive at more than 30, as said.

If I made the law, cars would automatically be speed-restricted to 30 with use of fog lights... I've used mine only 2 or 3 times in 20+ years.

A
Anthony Cutler

Chatting to my Dad last night who did a lot of road rallies in the 60s and apparently for getting the best view "round corners" they used to have the left most driving light angle inwards to the opposite (right) side of the road and vice versa (rather than outwards) - Not sure that gives too much on a car as narrow as the midget but ....

Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

Dean,
I used to rally a mini in the early 70's and we angled the fogs like that. You need to see the verges/gutters for rocks and to see round corners. But their main use was to see straight ahead when you were going sideways!

Modern cars with "fog lights" built into the bumpers are useless anyway. They are just there to boost the driver's feeling of power and self-importance. I like Anthony's idea. It would be easy to link the fog lights to the "limp home" mode on the engine ECU. That would restrict their use!
Guy

Thanks chaps. I will leave the fogs for now and think about whether to have 2 or 4 spots. I like the look of 2 on top and 2 below.
Tarquin

This thread was discussed between 03/01/2012 and 04/01/2012

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