MK IV Trafficators and LED conversion

The trafficators on my 1948 MK IV did not work very well, so I’ve stripped them down and successfully got them working OK. I’ve attached a few photos in case anyone is interested in how easy it is to work on them.

The main problem was years of dirt - so a good clean (to the orange plastic and inside parts), some fine sand paper, and electrical contact cleaner. Both trafficators now work perfectly all the time. However, before I fitted them back in I considered the safety aspect of these “old fashioned flags” and the fact that other drivers don’t seem to notice them when you are turning on the road. I therefore decide to fit Flashing LED bulbs as a simple alternative to the standard element bulb. There are companies on the internet that supply these festoon flashing LED’s - just make sure of the correct voltage and physical size. Mine came slightly shorter in length than the original Lucas bulb in the trafficator arm, but I simply bent the wire spring in a little to make sure the contacts were made OK. Remember to check the polarity of the LED when you fit it, as they can be damaged if powered up the wrong way.They work very well, are bright in daylight, and clear to see by other drivers, plus no modifications need to be done on the car.

Not sure how my last photo shows the flashing LED is “on” in the window reflection but “off” outside the car - but they flash nicely !!!

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Snap!
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=URAc2I8gCG0

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Great minds think alike !!

Then, at shows, signs on both, warning, DO NOT LIFT THIS DOOHICKEY UP BY HAND!!!***

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I had problems with mine due to years of no maintenance. These are typical RTFs - Run To Fail, then they stay out of service.

The wire that supplies the bulb can be a problem too as it can lose its insulation or break. It must remain extremely flexible as it goes through endless 90 degree cyclic bends. The problem is finding a small gauge wire with an array of fine strands. The multitude of fine strands are what prevents fatigue-breaking of the copper. This grade of wire is not always easy to find but I raided the rubbish left over from past electronic stuff and found the wire used in the earbud devices just right. Just be careful when determining the length that you ensure there is no trapping in the hinge and no stretching when closed.

Following on from my flashing LED rear lamps I have added flashing LEDs to the front. I never use the fog lamps so I have copied the 1950s Rolls Royce and Bentley cars by using them as indicator lamps. https://youtu.be/ojxUlLjZNiw

For the rears see: http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk/LED%20Lighting.htm

We manufactured a conversion kit to provide them with 2 lots of 12 volts the first lifted the arm out the second flashed the orange indicator.
It was very effective if you wanted flashing indicators for saftey tery