Does anyone have a drawing on exactly where the dual side morrors are to be mounted on the fenders?
Somebody may have more info on it, but if I remember past discusions.... dual mirrors were not installed at the factory. They were a dealer installed option and varied a bit as to where that specific location was. Some of the factory restoration/oem builders may have more/different info. Biggest problem with mirrors on our '57 is where to put them so they actually are useful. I've got dual mirrors, haven't installed them yet...leaning towards door placement. There was a recent thread on the subject.
I installed regular 4 inch round mirrors on my doors and the r.h. one was completely useless. My new ones are going on the fenders. I have even looked at model cars to try and get a perspective of where they go in relation to the fender rib. I will probably end up laying down some tape and have someone try holding it in various positions until I can see through the thing from the drivers seat. Then install the drivers side to match. Right hand mirrors have been a pain on almost every car I've built. Since this ,hopefully,is my keeper, I want to make both mirrors are useable.
I put my 4" round one on the door as well. I wanted it adjustable from inside the car and I put it where it doesn't hit the vent window. I would put it on the fender if I were doing it again. The mirror vibrates too much on the door, a cheap copy. I would think it would vibrate less on the fender. I can see on the fender where a mirror was at one time as well.
Mike, you are welcome to come over and check mine. You are only about 15 minutes away. Mark
On the topic of side view mirrors --- Does anyone have dual unity spotlights? Can you comment on whether these make for useful side views?
I have a set that I have been contemplating, but it just seems like they are more for the spotlight functionality, rather than for the rear view.. i'd hate to to cut holes in my fenders and then find out I can't see squat.
The Unity spots work very well as mirrors.
Be sure to use the Unity templates to drill the fenders.
In 1957 outside mirrors were optional (just like the heater).
Some dealers ordered cars w/o mirrors, heaters, radios ect. because they could make a little more profit
installing them in house and pay less to floor plan (inventory interest on in-stock cars). Ford put the
chrome dash trim on Fairlanes to discourage this practice. Too bad they didn't put it across the glovebox door like ch*** did.
The hooded style mirror was the most popular and fit both sides. (unlike the spotlights)
Goodluck,
Ron.
Ron is right about the spotlight/mirror combo working good plus you can adjust them from inside of the car.
Is the Unity the square ones or the round ones? I have been looking for the square ones
square, lots on ebay right now all kinds of price range.
Zap- :unitedstates:
You're right about the price ranges. I've picked them up for as low as $15 and seen them for as much as $1500.00
I knew they were something I wanted, so about 15 years ago I started looking for them and would buy them whenever they popped up. At some point I forgot my objective was to get a good working pair and somehow I now have about a dozen of these in various conditions from completely gutted to a pristine pair. I think its finally time to get them on my car!
The most difficult to find was the passenger side -- still very rare.
Going to use 1960 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser mirrors with cable control mirrors. looked for the best place and it seems to be just outside of the rib of the fenders, approx. where the hood ends.
Don't know if this helps for placement of the side mirrors but I can see everything on both sides. The passenger side takes a little getting used to because it's so far "out" there but once you accept that, it is what it is, it's good. I'm not near my car at the moment but like djfordmanjack says, just outside the rib and it appears that the upright is in line with the end of the hood.
This helps. Does the end of the mirror base line up with the end of the hood? Hows visibility?
I have the spotlight / mirror on the drivers side and it works well (the biggest problem I have with mine is that I can't get it tight enough to stop it flopping over and hitting the fender at highway speed when the wind hits it, have to either hold onto the inner handle, or fold it down onto the fender to prevent it smashing down, then of course it is useless). I have the square mirror on the passenger side, mounted pretty much on the centre line on top of the fender where it is next to useless as it looks straight back at the windscreen post unless I lean right over into my passengers lap.
yes the mirrors must be outside of the fender rib to get good backview.
FYI, 57-64 are the same spotlight head. Mounts and shafts are different for different years.
L&R are the same head but, there is a different mirror insert spacer on each side.
The spots can be tightened so they don't flop around. There is a clamping mechanism.
Ron.
If you decide to put the mirrors on the door, be sure to check out Limey's delima. He screwed his mirror in place , and then couldn't operate his vent windows. I did the same thing about 45 years ago on my first ranchero. Since I don't like to use the vent window, and have considered gluing it shut to eliinate wind noise....I'll most likely do it again, when I install a set of sports mirrors from a 79 Cougar on the present project. They are adjustable from inside the car also, via a set of adjusting cables, for both sides. :burnout:
The factory hooded mirrors work great because only the glass moves, the body is solid so set it
and forget it.
One of my cars has the factory mirror if anyone needs the measurements for the hooded one.
It does mount just outside the rib.
Ron.
Ron, I know it's an old post but I would like the fender mount mirror measurements. Thank you