MGB: Panel lights

I keep looking for the rheostat on my 70B and cannot find one. The dash lights are DIM at best. Catologs show the part but I guess it was optional? Anyone out there dealt with this issue before?

Bypassing the rheostat altogether why mg used a rheostat in the first place....? Even bypassing it you will still have trouble seeing the gauges unless you are on a very dark road. There should be a bypass wiring diagram in the search or someone will post one ...

My 70 Gt does not have a rheostat, just a slide switch on the left side of the steering column to trun the dash lights on or off giving you the choice of dim or dark. My eyes are old enough that it is a problem driving at night.

Gavin
1970 GT
1976 Roadster

West
Look on the left side of steering cowl. There should be a little slide switch, or you should see 2 holes in the cowl where one would go. I have an extra one if you need it. I would think you could by pass it as well, as with newer models that was done quite often. If you have a Moss catalog look at page 93 part # 31.
Ken

It wasn't optional, it was a standard feature 'til the end. Possibly a previous owner removed it...? It should be a little round knob on the righ-hand side of the dash panel adjacent to the gauges and switches.

One of the most common complaints about the B is that the dash lights are too dim. Commonly, folks remove or bypass the rheostat just in order to bypass the internal resistance.

Edit: Oops. "70 B".

When I got my GT, the panel lights never worked. Some DPO idiot had removed all the bulbs from the gauges! Anyway, since then I thought about replacing the slide switch on steering column. Pointless, since when I first got the car back, they'd modified the circuit...to come on with the headlights. Flip the headlight switch to the first position, and there they are :)

[quote=costerhus]
Some DPO idiot had removed all the bulbs from the gauges!:)[/quote]

Good idea to remove the torment of dim dash lights

[quote=Dinghyboy]
My 70 Gt does not have a rheostat, just a slide switch on the left side of the steering column to trun the dash lights on or off giving you the choice of dim or dark. My eyes are old enough that it is a problem driving at night.

Gavin
1970 GT
1976 Roadster[/quote]

Same with my '70 GT

The pillow dash cars (68-72) didn't have the rheostat, just the slide switch on the side of the column.

Mine have never worked. There is a knob for adjusing the brightness, but it's seized in one place. Frankly, it doesn't bother me too much since only my tach, oil pressure, and temp guages work anyway; with the amount of time I spend driving at night, I'm not super worried about it.

Both of my 71's have the rheostat.One is November 70 production and the other is December 70.As far as I am aware they are both Canadian production,might be the difference.
John

my rheostat works great - now I can go from dark to darker. :bouncing:

I by passed my rheostat and got a little improvement in gauge lights. I use the rheostat hole for the manual choke cable. I plan on putting an inline fuse in the circuit where the rheostat was. (The gauge lights are not fused, and if they short, there goes the wiring harness.)