Fog Lights?

[Rick]

While I still have a ways to go before I have to decide I was wondering what you guy’s thoughts are on fog lights….amber? clear? one of each?

My past experience is that fog lights are like the “close door” button on an elevator.  Seems to be an integrated part of the car but really has little to no real functional value.

Thoughts?

[Royal]

I have to agree that “fog” lights don’t do much for me.  MIGI has one 4″ fog light and one 7″ “driving” light.  I really like the driving light when I’m out in the country but it’s real bright so I don’t use it unless I can see about 1/4 mile of clear road ahead.  

[Paul Mossberg]

I agree.

I don’t have them on my TD, but my Volvo daily driver has fog lights. They don’t do much. Theory is they are low, with a flat beam and cut under the fog. The reality is they light up the road just in front of the car, but that’s it.

Maybe after market fogs will be better.

I would go with white. Anything else just seems to be a fliter, reducing the amount of light actually on the road.

Driving lights on the other hand will blow away your car’s high beams.

And for a completely illegal system (in all fifty states) wire in a couple of these babies…

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/teledynelandin glight.php  

PMOSSBERG40869.656724537

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[Royal]

Paul, I know that you are kidding about the aircraft landing lights but, crikey at $560+ each, they ought to light up the whole state you are pointing towards. 

[Paul Mossberg]

Yes. Kidding! Aircraft lights are not DOT approved for road use.

I changed the link to a cheap one, only $285 a piece! LOL!

Interesting to see what other guys have to spend on their hobbies, eh?

Burned out headlight, cough up almost $300!

This information is provided as a free community service. Feel free to use this example the next time the significant other questions how much you spend on your car(s)!

PMOSSBERG40869.6703703704

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[MGLondonRoadste]

I have amber fog lights on my London Roadster.  We don’t get much call for them in Phoenix, but it can get foggy maybe a few days out of the year. 

I don’t think mine are particularly bright, so I have them on when driving at night.  My headlights are not overly bright, so I like the additional lighting and visibility they might offer.

[Paul Allain]

I have amber fog lights, and I use them as driving lights. They’re on all the time day or night. Like driving a motorcycle, I want to be seen. For me they’re more for safety than for seeing ahead on the road.

[Bill Gould]

We do get some fog here in Houston, but if it’s heavy enough for special lighting it’s too dense to risk taking my little black treasure out. Way too many giant pickups on the road here. 

1981 Lafer TI
1600 cc Type 1 engine

[edward ericson]

Good point on being seen.

I myself have installed a vintage Lucas SFT 576, which is not yet wired in. My hope is that it will provide a little light, but what I really need to do is replace the old incandescent headlamps with some modern ones so i can see at night.

[Bill Gould]

I can see the road OK on a clear night. What I can’t see are my gauges. Still need to pull them and follow the excellent step-by-step instructions — posted by Ricardo (Calafer) in a thread on the Lafer section — on disassembling, cleaning and refurbishing them.

I am a citizen of the procrastination.

1981 Lafer TI
1600 cc Type 1 engine

[billnparts]

Most fog/driving lamp kits come with a 55 watt H3 bulb.
For greater visibility you can easily replace that bulb with a 100 watt H3.
This will be almost twice as bright as your existing high beam headlamps.
This change is not recommended for fog lamps but are a great upgrade for your driving lamps.

Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"

[Bill Gould]

Why are the 100w bulbs not recommended for fog lamps? (Just curious; I’ve never even switched my foggers on.)

1981 Lafer TI
1600 cc Type 1 engine

[Paul Allain]

When I bought my fog lights, they were 100 watt bulbs. I had to add a relay into the circuit because the fuse in that circuit got so hot I would instantly get burned when I touched it. Even so, I changed the bulbs to 50 watt. The fuse no longer gets hot.

[newkitman]

For those folks with fog lights on their TDs…dou you have the fog lights hooked up through a relay or just wired through the switch? Just wondering if I should add a relay in mine.

Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The Shack

[billnparts]

Adding a relay would relieve some of the strain on the circiut, but if it ain’t broke…

Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"

[Dennis Brock]

Used a relay.  According to ASA Master Mechanic son it will save the switch and some wiring from overcurrent.

[Author]

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