Morris Minor Owners Club

Dear all,


I'm mounting the electrical parts of my Minor and found out that there's a control box of some sort that I can't find in the wiring diagrams!

Can someone tell me what it is and what is it for? Is it original or a later addition?

The wiring loom is brand new and it has the terminal for this box... which makes me even more confused!


Thanks,
Pedro<br><br>

Certainly not original - may be electronic ignition - or possibly some form of alternator control unit for very early alternator. Any markings on it ? Does the top come off ? Maybe it's just an additional fuse box ??
BTW - your battery will do better if it can be turned round so the terminals are not at risk of shorting against the holding bar.

Looks like the flasher control box for the indicators to me - diferent to the flasher relay - It was for controlling the flashing brake lights etc on 61-63 models....

Ahhh - could be !

It's a "splitter" (my term) for the rear indicators, since (in the USA at least) the brake light bulbs did double duty as indicators.

If it has 4 connections on either side then it is the flasher unit. I have the same on my 62

Yup agreed!

Yes, if it has 4 connections each side, it's the Lucas DB10 flasher interrupter that was used with the first version of flashing indicators from around Oct 1961 to Oct 1963.

What year is your car Pedro?

NA export cars had these flashers from '57 - Not sure about other export markets though....

Thanks for your reply guys!

Let me give you some more info that may help sorting out this enigma:

- my car is was built sometime during January 1954
- it's a 4 door saloon, Series II, original LHD export model
- it has trafficators on the B-pillars!
- it doesn't have flashing indicators...

One thing that intrigues me is the fact that the wiring loom, which I bought new from ESM (Wiring Loom-1952-1954 Chassis Number Up To 286440 LHD Export Models, part number WRC101_450)

I clicked "submit" instead of "preview", sorry...

As I was explaining, the loom is new and it is correct (at least that's what ESM has on their catalog as such...) and, if you look closer to the picture I posted, you'll see that the necessary connections are there, both in and out of the box... and yes, there are four of them (four in and four out, that is!). I could check if the case has Lucas DB10 on it, as sugested by IslipMinor...

Does this ring any bells?

Regards,
Pedro

Oh, I almost forgot! The trafficators are operated by a self-cancelling switch with a white lever, on the left-hand side of the car, just beneath the dashboard.

The way the this control box works is that it flashes the side light on the front as an indicator and the brakelight for the rear. Its a complicated set up as it uses the original rear lamps and stop tail lights as thesidelight, when you brake and indicate it flashes the brake light on that side and the other side remains lit. It will need more than the trafficator switch to operate it though.

My '58 NA model has this setup...however, I have flashing indicators (operated by the lever on the steering column) and blanked-off trafficator openings in the B-pillars! Hard to know what is original to the car any more!

Dear DAVIDMCCULLOUGH,

You really had me puzzled! That's a feature I had never hear off!

So what your saying is that when the B-pillar trafficators are switched on (through the lever below the dash) the corresponding front side lamp (which is separate from the headlights...) should also blink AND, if the brake is being pressed, the correspondant brake light should also blink!?

Is that an original arrangement for '54 cars? Or is it a feature found only on export models? I must confess that it sounds to fancy to be an alteration someone made sometime latter on...

Regards,
Pedro


PS: dear bmcecosse, thanks for the advice on the battery position. That reveals a very sharp eye!

I have ordered an original look-alike battery but hasn't arrive yet, hence using a "normal" battery just for setting things up in the meantime. I have not yet assembled neither the bonnet nor the doors so as to provide better access during the loom instalation, engine tuning and interior mounting... but I already checked their fit previously!

I have these indicators on my '63.
if the side lights are off then when you indicate the fronts flash on/off
if the side lights are on then then you indicate the fronts flast off/on
if the brake lights are off then the brake light flashes on/off on the appropriate side
if the brake lights are on then the brake light flashes off/on on the appropriate side

I just cleaned the contacts with a file, wrapped them in masking tape. then I used adrasives on the raw ally to bring up a low level shine and then laquered over it to make the finish last.

It is basically a big twin relay being used to swap things around

(p.s. at the front I think ita a twin filament bulb so they might not turn off)

Thanks again for your answers.

I'll be back in case tgere are any news regarding this topic.


All the best to all,
Pedro