MGA lighting changed more than any other area of the car's specification during production, with substantial revisions to both the front and rear lamp clusters across the 1500, Twin Cam, 1600 and 1600 Mk II variants, and with many market-specific differences between home-market, European and North American cars. Correct lighting parts selection depends on the variant, the chassis number, and the market the car was originally supplied to. This section covers MGA lighting across four sub-categories: exterior front lamps, exterior rear lamps, bulbs, and fog and driving lamps.
Headlamps
Most MGAs were fitted with Lucas F700 Mark VI headlamps. The F700 with tripod front glass often seen on cars today is a P700, never original fitment for any MGA, but a common retrofit. Several headlamp variants were fitted according to the export market the car was supplied to: home-market and right-hand drive export cars generally had dip-left standard lens; Sweden from chassis 72040 had dip-left asymmetrical lens; non-European LHD export cars had dip-right standard lens; LHD European cars (not France or Sweden) had vertical dip to chassis 58917, then asymmetrical lenses; France had yellow bulbs with asymmetrical lenses from chassis 60340. North American cars were originally shipped with Mark VI headlamps without light units, using Ward and Goldstone adaptors for locally-fitted sealed beam units; from 1600 chassis 70222, US cars were fitted with Lucas SB700 Mark VIII headlamps with factory-installed sealed beam units.
Home-market cars from chassis 105362 were fitted with a new integral skirted gasket and dust excluder.
Sidelamps and front indicators
The original sidelamps (incorporating the front flashing indicators) were type 539 with all-white lenses and a single bulb, fitted to all 1500 cars and to Twin Cams until chassis 2192. On Twin Cams from chassis 2193 and on all 1600 models, the larger type 632 lamps were introduced, with separate bulbs for the sidelamp and the flasher, and with lenses carrying four triangular lugs in a diagonal cross formation around the edge. The upper indicator part of the 632 lens was amber and the lower sidelamp part white on home-market and many export cars; LHD cars for the USA, Canada, Italy and Switzerland had all-white 632 lenses.
Rear lamps
The rear lamp specification changed twice during MGA production. The original rear stop/tail lamp with built-in reflector is type 549, fitted to the 1500, Twin Cam, and 1600 (Mark I). On 1500 cars and on Twin Cams to chassis 2192, the 549 lamps also served as flashing indicators.
Later Twin Cams and the 1600 Mk I had separate rear flashers (type 594) mounted alongside the 549 stop/tail lamps on new plinths, amber lenses on home-market and many export cars, red on USA and Canadian cars. On the 1600 Mk II, the rear lamps changed completely. New type 647 units were fitted on horizontal plinths on the rear panel below the boot lid, similar to those on the Austin/Morris Mini Mark I of 1959 to 1967. The 647 combines stop/tail lamp, reflector and flashing indicator in a single assembly with two bulbs.
The indicator lens section could be amber or red depending on market. The 647 units are handed, left and right sides are not the same item.
Number plate lamp
Most MGAs used the type 467 number plate lamp with a chrome-plated shell. The original specification had a single 4-watt bulb; from 1600 chassis 88844, a two-bulb version was fitted (sometimes known as 467-2). Cars for Switzerland from 1600 chassis 92679 had a different lamp, type 469. All number plate lamps had chrome-plated shells.
Fog and driving lamps
A Lucas SFT576 fog lamp with chrome-plated shell could be specified as an optional extra from the factory, normally mounted on the nearside (kerb side) of the car. For cars destined for the USA and for France in the later production years, two fog lamps were fitted together due to local regulations. Two lamps could also be ordered for other markets on customer request. Fog and driving lamp items, along with general auxiliary lamp options, are covered under the Fog & Driving Lights node.
Bulbs
Factory MGA bulb specifications vary by lamp type. The Bulbs node covers the full range of incandescent bulbs in the correct wattages and bases, headlamp, sidelamp, stop/tail, flasher, number plate, instrument panel and interior.
For cars running LED or modern upgrades, alternative bulb specifications are covered under Upgrades & Alternatives.