Moss Motors, Ltd

Hello Gang!

Here's an odd one for the group to ponder:

Not sure if you can see it on my "avatar" photo, but if you look closely @ my passenger side front fender, the gap between the bottom of the headlamp and the top of the turn signal fixture is different (greater) than that of the driver's side.  I do know that this car has had the passenger fender replaced due to a wee fender-bender many years ago.  My initial research is pointing to the replacement fender coming off an older model car.

My question to the group is:  what are the reason(s) for the turn signal fixture location changing (becoming higher in later years)?  Is this related to something to do with U.S. requirements to change (increase) bumper height?  Could it be related to the adaptation of the rubber bumper in later years?

Looking forward to your thoughts & ideas....

ciao,

Lou

---

Lou
'76 MGB MKIII

Lou, the front fender was changed due to the change from the older wide bumpers to the narrower bumpers used on the MKIIIs.(1970) It was changed again with the introduction of the RB cars, there entire area where the lamp would have been mounted is cut away for clearance for the bumper mount and the arch of the front tire opening is lowered a bit as well so that the tire would look right with the higher ride height. The early fenders had the lamps mounted about 1" higher than the MKIII fenders. Since the lower mounted lights were only used for about 3 1/2 years these fenders are not as easy to find used, but are still out there and you can still buy new ones if you want.

---

'73 Midget (V6)
'59 MGA (I6) under construction

"There is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness"

Interesting info as always Bill - thank you!  It sounds like, if i were to guess, my passenger fender is that off a MKIII sprite and the drivers side (presumed original) is the correct, MKIV fender.

So, if you were to so opine, what year fender would you guesstimate my passenger fender is (the one with the "lower" or, closer to the bumper turn signal fixture)?

that's interesting - if i locate a MKIV fender and replace it, that means this earlier fender would be rare and worth some mooolah?  Could equate to a lot-o-guiness!  haha.....  I'd even share some with Norm.... for medicinal purposes of course, just to expedite the healing of his finger....  :-)

---

Lou
'76 MGB MKIII

Lou, my useage of MKIII was for Midgets, which would be the MKIV sprites. It's the MKIV sprite units that are a bit on the rare side even if used on Midgets of the same era, still only 3 1/2 years of those.

The lower lamp is from the MKIII Midget/ MKIV Sprite with the narrow bumpers. The higher lamp was on the MKI and II Midgets/MKII and III Sprites. Older but more produced. If I remember correctly you have a 69 MK IV Sprite so the lower lamp fender would be correct for your car. If that's the only oddity on your car consider yourself lucky, could be like Jim Danielson's "Boar's Head Sprite" which is a box Sprite body with a Bugeye front and both a round and square arch rear quarters. That one will cause you to take a second or third walk around before you get it.

---

'73 Midget (V6)
'59 MGA (I6) under construction

"There is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness"

Geezes,

This is gettiing confusing. You'd have to have a horse in this race to even try to follow the logic!! It'd take some Guiness for me to get into it. Come to think of it, Lou, that's my advice. Knock back a few and you either won't even notice the difference or you'll start to think the "assymetrical look" is kind of cool. It makes a statement. Let's see, what kind of statement does it make?

---

Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

aw shucks - here i thought i was sitting on a ton of guiness via eBay!  haha.

well, mine is a '67 MKIV -- and the tidbit of history i have says the car was in a fender bender on the passenger side - you got me wondering now which one is original.... my gut (and scarce history on the car) tells me the drivers side is original and that passenger side was replaced after the fender bender.... 

Yes - after all the posts I've read, I DO consider myself VERY lucky!   (shhhh, ALL my electrical items are STILL working!) To be perfectly honest, i doubt i'll put much energy into replacing the passenger fender b/c it really, truly doesn't bother me nor does it take away from having a total blast driving this little honey!.... the oddity makes for good conversation too..... 

I was mainly curious on the evolution of these little changes to spridgets.  some of those changes seem rather weird, but then again, they're still great little cars!

 

---

Lou
'76 MGB MKIII

I would chime in here, but I'm having one too many with motorbill!

---

On their death bed, nobody ever said, "Gee I wish I'd spent more time at work!"

i just love this forum!!!!   yous guys crack me up!         there's one for each of you.... ha!

---

Lou
'76 MGB MKIII