Electrical problem

[buster23]

I have a 1962 morris minor. It has had much bodging done on the electrical circuits prior to my ownership and I have now rewired to the spec in the original manufacturers handbook as far as I can tell. However I have a problem with the front indicators. They are of the combined type with the greater part being indicator and the smaller part being side light. with the lights switched off the indicators work front and rear but the front indicators bulbs don't flash the front sidelight bulbs do.If i switch the sidelights on only the rear lights illuminate but the front sidelights don't and at this point I get no indicators front or rear. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[nigelr2000]

sounds like the front units are missing the earth return to me. With indicators on it finds an earth through the sidelight filaments which being lower wattage illuminate easier than the 21 watt indicator fillaments. with the sidelights on there is no earth return as the indicator circuit will be isolated (both sides of the bulb positive). Hope that makes sense. Easy way to test it is to identify the earth wire on the sidelight unit and put a temporary link in direct to the batery earth connection then try it.

[mike.perry]

If you have the white sidelight/amber indicator units they were fitted from 1964 on, the same with the red stop/tail light/amber indicators. The 62 car I believe had combined white sidelight/indicator and red stop/tail/indicators. When you indicate the stop light flashes and this is controlled by a relay.
If you have fitted the later light units then I would check to see if the relay has been disconnected

[beero]

My 62 has been wired with the new later lights and a later flasher unit but it is a dogs dinner and I am not looking forward to sorting it out later in the restoration. If yours is like this you are going to have to try and wire them the same as the later Minors (or go back to original)

[mike.perry]

When the wiring gets like that then the only answer is a new loom which you can get custom made to include wiring for all the extras.

[RogerRust]

When the wiring gets like that then the only answer is a new loom which you can get custom made to include wiring for all the extras.

No it won't be that bad -just sounds like a bad earth.

If its not the connection to the body as above I bet it will be rusty behind the lights the solution is to take the plastic cover off (it just rotates and pulls off) and make sure it connects to a good earth.