Morris Minor Owners Club

do any of you know if it is legal just to use the trafficators, and remove the (later added) indicators. from the rear it just doesn't look right to me, but i would like to get an MOT next year

I had no problem when I did this, but the car was last MOT'd in the '80s. I don't think the rules have ever cfhanged, though. As they are original equipment I don't see how they could be a problem.

True, I'm still in doubt though, I don't like at the back, but I do like at the front. Life's tough with these dilemma's

Yes, I have removed mine from my '52 and will be just using trafficators when he's back on the road..........

If it's original equipment then it's fine. Those are the rules for the UK.......... not sure about your equivalent to the MoT?

Have you considered alternative mounting points for the indicators (such as under the bumper?). Unless your car is going to be a concours competitor I'd strongly advocate keeping them. Modern car drivers are (for the most part) ignorant to even the existance of trafficators. And of course, they can often stick on or off...

There was an instance recently in Minor Matters of someone who had a rather nasty accident because their trafficators had stuck. And as someone who nearly had a but plunge into her yesterday on the M4 because the bus quite obviously didn't see my 1965 indicators I think you need all the warnings you can give!

Of course I'm saying this from the point of view of someone who uses her car 100% of the time. If you're planning to use the SII for short country trips then I'm guessing just trafficators will be fine... so ignore me

Valid point though, Nikki........

i sometimes think that the amount of attention most drivers take these days you could probably split a car down the middle and get each half to flash when indicating and they'd still not notice

Yes. I have never seen any mention in the highway code that you are allowed to plough into a car that has no flashing indicators!!

Drivers just seem to be in a daze nowadays..........

I'll keep em, if only for safety reasons, I live in the city, lots of buses and so on, my car is right hand drive, so that can be difficult, especially when overtaking, so at least the people will see my indictors and see that I'm overtaking by pure guess..........

mind you it was my fault for taking note of indicators on a car that got me knocked off last year. she indicated right to park, i went up the inside and she turned left! 'oh damn and blast' i said - after i head butted the bollard on the pavement. she did apologise - apparently it was exactly the same as the last accident she had a few months ago - that's alright then. as long as i got eight-balled by someone who practices regularly...

I would keep em, I would mount them under the bumper or onto the bumper irons. That way you cant see them if your close to the car but you can if your about 3 meters away. Not very good in traffic jams though.

Going back to regulations....
My 1949 BSA D1 Bantam has been made to have a brake light to get an MOT, even though it was not built like this originally, because the MOT guy (at a well respected motorcycle MOT place near where I live) says that it must have one to pass. I can't see this as being right as there is a couple of MG sports saloons driving around Herts relying on hand signals for breaking warning. I want to remove this light (I only bolted it on lightly to get the MOT, near concours bike, y'see) Where do I stand?



Break light not shown in pictures, this is how it sohuld look. Please excuse the sheep poo on the front tire

That just sounds like an ill-informed MOT chap...... a LOT of places now don't understand the regulations when it comes to old vehicles. I remember the stories of travellers being failed due to the aluminium panels not being welded to the floor!

Basically, if the vehicle has the original signalling equipment (or lack of) then it should have no problems. As long as this was a UK bike and made to UK specifications.

Hmm I think you must be right but the rules are not very clear and I dont knpw if this applies to motor bikes.
Vehicles first used on or after 1st January 1971 must be fitted with at least two obligatory stop lamps.

Vehicles first used before 1st January 1971 must be fitted with one stop lamp either on or to the offside of the vehicle centre line. If more than one stop lamp is fitted they must all work.

Vehicles first used before 1st January 1936 are not required to be fitted with a stop lamp.

Vehicles first used before 1st September 1965 are permitted to have a stop lamp incorporated with a direction indicator.
I think you need to enquire further
http://www.bobmckay.co.uk/Frame2.html

Thats really confuzed me. As the bike is a '49, its way after '36 - but this model range '48-'52 never had them fitted. Hmm. Sorry for bringing about a non-minor issue ;)

It does concern Minors, only not directly......

Hi,
I've just joined the MMOC and was interested to read this thread. I have a 1952 MM sidevalve...I have trafficators, but am seriously thinking of adding some 'real' indicators...mainly due to safety...
Does anyone have any information on the type of indicator that would be sympathetic and where Icould get this work done...I'm based in Cambridgeshire...
Thanks in anticipation
~ Chris (and Duncan MM1952)

Does anyone have any information on the type of indicator that would be sympathetic and where Icould get this work done

On the front there are a couple of options - you can convert the headlights to Mini style inluding the sidelight and then use the sidelight as the indicator (either with an orange lens or the nicer option of a clear lens and an orange bulb). You can also fit an additional indicator to the grille panel (sacrilidge) or mount one from a bumper bolt.

For the rear PLEEEEEEAASE consider any option other than the yucky orange blob on the rear wing. Not only does it look unsightly but it is also going to make a hole in the wing that you are stuck with forever. It's much easier to mount an indicator under the rear wing.
Another common option for the rear is to use the later Minor 1000 rear light cluster but that would spoil the rear end on an MM.

Obviously it's your car so choose your own preffered option, but bear in mind that other people are liely to comment on the aesthetics.

It occured to me the other day that Halfords and the like sell bike indicators (you know, lamps on stalks) that might work for under bumper mounting. Just a thought...

rayofleamington wrote:

You can also fit an additional indicator to the grille panel (sacrilidge) or mount one from a bumper bolt.

For the rear PLEEEEEEAASE consider any option other than the yucky orange blob on the rear wing.

Obviously it's your car so choose your own preffered option, but bear in mind that other people are likely to comment on the aesthetics.

Thanks Ray for your helpful comments...I would never add anything to the grill (other than the AA & RAC badges that are already there) and I certainly don't want to start drilling holes in the wings...
You've given me food for thought... has anyone any other comments?
~ Chris and Duncan 1952