MGA coupe 1600 / 1500 rear light swap & LHD to RHD conversion.....?

[size=small]Am still searching hard for my MGA coupe and struggling to find anything that ticks all the boxes or even close too;

an older restoration that is a weekend driver but would benefit from some light maintenance and in a few years a strip down and proper job doing on it, that’s planned for when the kids come along, somewhere to escape to and something to swear at – lol.....

Anyway on with my questions :

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[*] I love to crisp simple lines of the rear end of the 1500 but these seem to be thin on the ground so what’s the views of people here on replacing the bulky 1600 lights with the single unit of the 1500.....?
[*] I have seen a couple left hand drive to right hand drive conversions for sale, are these wise, what are the pitfalls, or is it just best to stay clear.....?
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Many thanks and if anyone here in the UK just happens to have a spare coupe sitting in there garage or they want to pass their show queen onto to a great home, contact me ASAP.....!!!

All the best, Matthew.

Hi Mathew, welcome to the forum.

Two good questions! The problem with switching to the 1500 rear lights is that there is no separate bulb for the indicators. So the wiring system is quite different as the indicators work by flashing the brake lamp and side light. As usual there is some good information about this conversion on Barney's great site:
http://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/electric/ts201a.htm

If you haven't had a good look at this site yet, I recommend you spend a few evenings (and the rest) on there! As you will find when you get the car there is very little that is not covered!

Regarding the LHD to RHD conversion then this is very straightforward as the shell and chassis are identical (not a single hole to drill or even tap). So normally there are no more issues with cars that have been converted than you will have with any car that is over 50 years old! Again the differences and every part needed to switch is covered on Barney's site. Obviously the RHD steering rack is quite scarce and consequently demands quite a high price as it has never been reproduced. You are less likely to find a converted coupe though as the majority of cars exported were roadsters.

One of the guys on the mgcars website (http://www.mgcars.org.uk/index.html - recommend you show your interest there too - click on "bulletin board" under "your input" and "MGA") sold his coupe last year, sounds like it would have been ideal. Anyway he still spends a lot of time scouring the net looking at MGAs for sale just for fun!

Neil

Neil

Thanks for the reply, reading the suggested web pages does thankfully widen my search a bit. Had been on them before but only briefly, need a car to really be getting into that much detail.....

The swap between 1600 & 150 lights looks not to be that big a change; am fine with wiring but more worried about the bodywork, viz. the holes left behind after changing the lights over and removing the 1600 badges.....

Am online daily, searching all sales everywhere, missed a coupe the end of last year that was a convert to rhd.....!

http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:X6xM96RnQBUJ:www.carandclassic.com/car/C111451/+mga+coupe+island+green&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

the hunt continues and may be this year I'll be a silly silly boy and buy one.....

Ta, Matthew

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Finding a RHD Coupe dashboard is going to be difficult. And if you find one, make sure it has the chrome bottom strip. If it's not going to be a show car, using an MGB steering rack is doable. Everything else should interchange although I'm not sure about the cylinder lock and internal locking mechanism for the driver's door. On LHD cars, the cyllinder lock was only on the driver's side. The lock mechanisms are definitely handed so you may have a problem there too if you want to do a conversion. Best of luck. Basil

Matthew,
The RH door of a converted LHD car could be drilled and a door lock fitted, I believe. I have a '58 LHD Coupe with the doors off at the moment, and it appears that the door mechanism in the RH door has the same tab that the lock would act upon to prevent it being opened by the door handle. The lock and keys are still available, I think.
The strip under the dash is stainless steel, I think, and not essential if you are not concerned with "originality".
Good luck with your search for a car
Peter.

Dashboard and doors no problem, there are plenty about as a lot of coupes were parted out over here to convert LHD roadsters. Finding a LHD coupe here is more difficult!

Hi Matthew this one might be a candidate seems cheap enough


http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C122597/

or for deeper pockets


http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C120034/

and for even deeper pockets

http://www.oselli.com/items/227?back=%2Fstock



Gordon

Gordon

Thanks for the links, had seen these before and not overly keen on the colours (pernickety, yes I know!) am after old English white (black or dove grey) with a red interior.....

Was surprised to see a sunroof on the first, is this put in for cooling or was it an original factory option.....?

Matthew.

Hi Matthew, fussy aren't we lol

it's the escape hatch,

gordon

how about this one



opps sry sold it last year lol


gordon

Hi hold on

and again

and the boot, the bonnet was done when I bought it, maybe helped to keep things cool under there, I sold it for £8000 it was sold a couple of months later for £12,500 doh!!!


Gordon

Great looking coupe. We were in your neck of the woods last spring, Bath, Portwrinkle, Plymouth, a lovely part of the UK.

Hi Wray long gone I'm afraid as is my roadster photo attatched, Plymouth only about 55 miles from me and where I was brought up, photo was taken a few years ago before I had the car but it is still as nice now only living a couple of miles from me.


Gordon

Hi Matthew this one any good for you

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C137705/


Gordon

Is a bit far to travel, think there are two for sale abroad the now.....and as it's LHD it is lowly on my list, places just infront of the worng coloured ones you've suggested - lol.....

As you still see your car about, could you pop a note on the window and see if they fancy selling her......?


Before you post it - this is ideal, but costly ~ MGA 1600 (column 2 - row 6) not sure what it is though; 1500/1600/twin cam.....

hi it is the red roadster that lives near me , no idea where the coupe is now, the white coupe in that advert is a twin cam i think


gordon

hi matthew here is another site


http://www.stolzeclassiccars.nl/


gordon

Yes Mathew, that is a twin cam and with the early 1500 lights too is about as good as it could possibly get on your must have check list! This looks like a fantastic car, but you certainly have to pay for it!

Just so you know, the twink was produced during both 1500 and 1600 build and so is available with both electrical systems (easily identified from the rear lights). Just about everything else stayed the same as it already enjoyed a larger (1588cc) engine and its'own (Dunlop) disc brake system, easily identified by the centre lock "knock on" steel wheels. There is a high cost penalty when buying a twink compared to a pushrod car and some additional required expertise and care. Needless to say there are plenty of other ways to increase performance if it so desired!

I suppose you are also aware of the "1600 MkII" and "deluxe" versions of the MGA?

I have owned a few coupes. My least favourite rear light arrangement is the 1600 - overly fussy. The 1500 is simple and elegant, but the wiring is fussy.

Consider the Mk 2 for a different but compact smooth fendered look.