Vintage Minor Register

Good point Toby, but ssuming you are getting 6 volts to the bulbs, but the earth side of the circuit is suspect, then you could try attaching a length of heavy duty wire to the earth side of one headlamp bulb (or running a wire between them both perhaps) and then touching the other end on the earth terminal of the battery direct. You may find a considerable brightening. If so, then you know you have stray resistance somewhere between the bulb(s) and the battery. You can do the same for the power side to check for voltage drop through the switch panel and power wires.

A cheap voltmeter would also help, as you could measure the voltage at various points in the circuit to see if you can isolate a drop (when compared with the respective terminal on the battery), which will indicate resistance - either on the power or earth side of the bulb. For example, you might find that the wire from the battery to the ammeter and panel seitches is too thin - if so, then you might only have 5 volts or so at the switch, and everything that runs off it will be starved of power.

Ian re your earthing. Whenever I have restored a vehicle regardless whether it be 6 or 12v I have always fitted earth lines to individually to all lamps and fittings where required. I learned this many years ago when old cars were normal daily transport and as often as not any electrical problem came down to bad earthing. I have in fact put one earthing point on each corner of the minor. I find drilling a hole and facing of the metal either side and putting a bolt through with serated washers either side leaving about an inch of thread to bolt one or two earths onto. I think I mentioned this on and earlier forum question when someone had mention bad earthing. It is well worth the trouble.Mike.

One thing I did not mention regarding earthing lights. I take the earth wire from the bulb holder direct to the chassis.As Ian said do not rely on rusty painted wings or lamp bodies. Mike.

Mike Stubbings wrote:Ian re your earthing. Whenever I have restored a vehicle regardless whether it be 6 or 12v I have always fitted earth lines to individually to all lamps and fittings where required. I learned this many years ago when old cars were normal daily transport and as often as not any electrical problem came down to bad earthing. I have in fact put one earthing point on each corner of the minor. I find drilling a hole and facing of the metal either side and putting a bolt through with serrated washers either side leaving about an inch of thread to bolt one or two earths onto. I think I mentioned this on and earlier forum question when someone had mention bad earthing. It is well worth the trouble.Mike.

That's a very good idea Mike - better than running wires all the way back to the battery. I think I have two at the front and one at the rear on the Semi-sports.

This has also got me thinking that we should perhaps assemble a list of simple, subtle but very useful mods for our cars - I have mentioned a couple of others recently - like putting screwdriver slots on the vertical dynamo holding down bolts, replacing the studs for the oil return pipe in the head with bolts, screwdriver slots on the cut-out and coil bolts, etc. If there are any others, let's start a new thread and I'll collect all the mods up for Tech Topics article in the next Mag.

Hello,

This would really help all of us
Excelent idea.

Halbe

Is a starter still required?

I'll check with James. Might take me a bit to sort stuff today - some sort of celebration going on over here today - been invited to a party.

Hope you get some respect, we did let them have their own way, if we'd have kept it we'd have called New York Little Chittingfold on Sea

Well that was an interesting exercise. I now know I don't have a working spare! If anyone needs a complete unit for reconditioning I can help!