Interior light/lamp plastic lens

[BookerME]

A shot in the dark (no pun intended) but I wondered if anyone knows where I could source a couple of interior light lenses for my 420 please?
It would seem they’re a standard fitting across various models.
The whole part is C22304, the plastic lens is stamped SPARTO Ref No. 5911. It’s the plastic lenses I’m after.
The holes that take the pins from the lamp fitting are all damaged where the plastic has broken away, probably just due to it getting brittle with age. I’m also missing a couple of the tiny metal spring clips that hold it all in place.

The alternative is I try and bodge a repair myself, like someone else has done on one of them in the past it seems, so if anyone has got any ideas on how I might go about this instead, I’d be happy to hear from you.

Mac.

[piman]

Hello Booker MG,

have you tried SNG Barrett, or any other Jaguar spares specialists? Alternatively Holden Classic and Vintage is worth trying?

Alec

[BookerME]

Thanks Alec, good idea.
A bit of a search found a part number 10184, superseded by 10184-A.
It's not available online, so I'll give them a call. I'll also have a trawl around the other parts people now I've got a part number.

I'm not sure but from my seaches, it would appear that the complete fitting may even have been used as a number plate light on an MG!

Mac

[Dave_W]

Hi, there are a couple of companies on Ebay that sell brand new light fittings for around the £12 mark.

[BookerME]

Thanks Dave, I did see them there but was a little bit unsure about the wiring connections and if they'd work or not with the door switches.
The lenses themselves weren't in stock at Barrett's so I opted for Martin Robey instead once I'd identified what I was looking for and got them to confirm we were talking about the same thing.
I'm now awaiting delivery.

Cheers, Mac.

[BookerME]

Sadly, Martin Robey can't supply just the plastic lens on its own, if you want one, you have to purchase the whole light unit at £17.95 each.
Part number 10184 is actually the chrome cover, which they do supply and sent me in error. To be fair, they’ve offered me a refund.

So, I'm still looking for a couple of lenses, otherwise it’s a DIY Barry Bucknell repair to the damaged ones.

(You have to be at least as old as me to know who Barry Bucknell was. I found out today he served his apprenticeship with Daimler. Good lad!)

[BookerME]

As an aside, I’ve found another version of the lens. It has the same reference SPARTO No. 5911 but a slightly different design.

The one on the left has a rebate in it, though that’s not visible when it’s enclosed within the lighting unit. Also, instead of having shaped holes to take small metal spring mounting clips, it has round holes that fit directly on and snugly around the mounting pillars of the lighting unit.

All to no avail in my case as if you look closely at the lens on the left, you’ll spot that one of the mounting holes is also damaged. I tried it on my light fitting and sadly, because of the damage, one side is loose. The other side fits like a glove.

[JagTony1966]

Hi There,

I've just searched a few retailers for the part I think you are looking for (assuming its the same as the Mk 2 which I believe it is as in my Mark 2 parts manual the whole unit is shown as C22304 which you reference). If I'm right then the lens you want is part number 10184 and Martin Robey has them on sale for GBP4.50 excluding VAT. Check out https://www.martinrobey.com/search?q=10184 . I'm pretty sure this is what you are looking for . Hope this helps.

[BookerME]

Thanks Tony but 10184 is the chrome cover (see earlier in the thread).
I’m going to have a go at repairing the plastic myself on a spare I have and see what happens.
Push comes to shove, I’ll just have to buy complete light units.

[JagTony1966]

Oops - sorry. That will teach me not to speed read. Robey need to amend their website . Best of luck. One other thought though - have you tried Black Country Jaguars. They have been breaking Jags for years and might just have the lenses you are looking for. Worth a punt if you’ve not tried them already. They’ve helped me out with unavailable parts in the past.....

[BookerME]

A result of sorts. I repaired the old, damaged lenses.

I carefully filled in the damaged areas with 'clear' epoxy resin being careful not to spill any on the area that’s exposed when fitted.
Once hardened, I carefully drilled out the holes that are needed to sit around the two mounting pillars.
I used a very small drill bit to make pilot holes then found a drill bit that was the right size to make full-size holes in the correct place.
I tested the fit by clipping just the lenses on to the pillars, they fitted with a slight push.
I then re-assembled all three parts (the backing plate, the plastic lens and the chrome cover) and popped them back on.