LED Tail, Brake, and Turn Signal Lights for MGA 1500, 1600, and 1600 Mk II

The LUCAS L549 tail light is fitted to the MGA 1500 and MGA 1600. On the 1500, the single two filament bulb serves as the tail light and brake/turn signal light. On the 1600, there is one twin filament bulb for tail light and brake light, while the turn signal bulb is in a separate red or amber lensed housing. On the Mk II, a different style rear light has separate bulbs for tail light/brake light and the turn signal.

The L549 housing has the twin filament 1157 bulb hanging downwards with a lens on the cover that aligns with the filaments. However, the light produced by the 5W/21W bulb is pretty poor, and somewhat inadequate for modern traffic. The result is that brake lights or turn lights can be missed by following car drivers. Some MGA owners have tried to improve this by installing LED bulbs to replace the filament bulbs, but the orientation of the LED bulb in the vertical plane means that many of the LEDs are facing the wrong direction.

One system currently available in the North American market is successful, but involves the original lamp holder being destroyed, and a board with LEDs mounted on it being fitted. The result is effective, but not very attractive when the LEDs are lit up.

Now there is a different solution from Better Car Lighting in the UK. They have developed a large Chips On Board single LED onto a backplate. This LED has a wire tail fitted to it which simply plugs into the original lamp socket. The single LED is about 1.5” square, and uses just 5 watts on braking and about 2 watts on tail light, yet it is extremely bright. It an be used on both negative ground and positive ground cars – just reverse the in-line connector.

Installation takes only a few minutes per light. The details of this COB LED, reference L549LEDkit, can be found on the company’s website, and they cost about £40 (US$58) per pair, plus shipping charges.

This single LED light for tail and brake lights is all that is required on the 1600 cars. However, 1500 cars require additional LED lights for the turn signal function. This is achieved by fitting 2 additional yellow LEDs each side which fit into the existing holes at the top of the light housing. These give an orange flashing light when the turn signal is activated.

The installation of these additional turn signal LEDs requires a twin wire to be run from the rear of the car to the firewall, and an electronic flasher relay to replace the existing mechanical flasher. A kit of 4 LED bulbs (2 per side) with a flasher relay costs about £45 (US$65), plus shipping charges.

Details of this kit, ref L549flasherkit are on the Better Car Lighting website, and are suitable for +ve and –ve ground cars.

Also available for the 1500 front lights is a dual colour LED bulb, reference 380Wwh/orange. The bulb is warm white for side lights, and orange for the turn signal. They require the electronic flasher relay to be installed, and are only currently available for negative ground cars. They cost about £26 (US$40) for two bulbs.

On the MGA 1600 MkII the 1157 twin filament bulb is fitted horizontally, i.e. it does not hang down, so these can be replaced by an LED bulb. The Better Car Lighting bulb ref 380UHPcreeWhNegPr, is suggested. These cost £30 (US$43) for a pair.

For the separate turn signal single filament 1156 bulb on 1600 and 1600 Mk II, the LED bulb, ref LED748, at £20/pair (US$29/pair) can be fitted.

NAMGAR Chapter Clubs could get a 20% trade discount by ordering 10 or more kits for their members. NAMGAR.com will be testing these kits on an MGA1500 in the coming weeks, and a report will be posted on this website in due course.