Greetings,
I think the confusion lies in the fact that MGAs used 2 different styles
of parking light. The 1500s used a "beehive" lens, which has a small
ridge around the bottom edge. This ridge is held in place by a rubber
lip on the edge of the socket assembly, sort of like a windscreen seal.
The chrome ring is held in by another part of the rubber lip, and once
the ring is in place it acts to stabilize the rubber and prevent the
lens from falling out. The problem is that the rubber deteriorates to
the point where the chrome ring falls off, then the lens drops out.
Lucas strikes again!
The 1600 and MkII MGAs used a larger parking light assembly that was
shared with the MG 1100 and the Austin Westminster. These had a
combined plastic lens and chrome ring, held in place by 4 plastic tabs
on the inner edge of the lens. These tabs were designed to be inserted
into 4 slots in the metal socket assembly, and the lens then rotated
into a locked position, sort of like a bayonet-base light bulb. The
problem is that the assembly relies on a 1/4" thick foam gasket and two
thin plastic rings between the lens assembly and the socket to exert
tension on the lens and keep it from rattling or dropping off. These
foam gaskets crumble away quickly (or as they say in England "become
perished"). If your lenses rattle, replace the gasket and rings.
Hope this helps, PK
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