V8 Roadster Conversion Jack Spencer joined the V8 Register earlier this year as one of our younger members, graduating in 2018. In March 2019 he mentioned he had inherited an MGB Roadster in 2015 and as part of a comprehensive restoration he included a V8 Conversion. He mentioned in 2019 that the car had been treated to a bare metal restoration and that he was looking forward to the completion of the rebuild. He then wanted to use it as much as possible. Over the winter the comprehensive restoration continued and he felt "a big build up in excitement for how much more fun it would be when finished". Now Jack has contacted us with photos of his V8 Roadster Conversion and says "I have used it a lot and discovered all the niggles that occasional use doesn’t elucidate…". Positioning of the Factory front side and indicator lights You will see from the photos alongside the side/indicator light units were originally fitted with the amber indicator lenses outboard whereas the Factory arrangement when MGBs and derivatives were built was to have the side light outboard. The photo (bottom RH corner alongside) shows the lamp unit was changed to conform the Factory set up but Jack says he is not sure when they were switched back at some time in the last twelve months. Posted: 200708 Positioning of the Factory front side and indicator lights The side/indicator lamp unit was fitted with side light outside and indicator inside. The rationale for that layout at the time (MGBs in the 60s/70s) was the prime safety issue was to ensure the limits of the front of the car side to side were marked by bright (by the standards in the 60s/70s!) side lights and that the additional function alongside those lights was an amber lamp indicating an intention to turn off or across the road. The shape of the two lenses for those light units is also a factor – the face of the indicator and side lamp unit slopes back towards the outside of the car so when the lenses are viewed from say 90 degrees to the side, you can still see the amber lens (particularly when it functions) as it protrudes in front of the side light lens. That is safer than the other arrangement Jack had above where the side light would be partly if not almost completely covered from a side view by the amber indicator lens. Jack is not sure when the change was made during the rebuild.