Outside Mirrors

SanoDano · 2014-10-08 10:37

My '57 Courier is now road worthy and I need to put on some outside mirrors. I know the original mirrors were a dealer installed item and
that they were sometimes placed on the door, sometimes on the fender, and sometimes attached to a spotlight. Sometimes mirrors were on both sides and
sometimes driver's side only. I know some guys are now using "peep mirrors" as well. My Courier has a huge blind spot, so I want to put on both a
passenger and driver's side mirror and I want to be able to see out of them. I also want to be very careful before I drill into this nice new paint.
I am not a small guy and the seat is all the way back. I sit in the seat and have messed with various mirror placement and none if them seem right.

My questions are these:

1. Can anyone say from personal experience that they are happy with the visibility with any particular mirror location? I am especially
concerned about the passenger side and that huge blind spot I have. I have read several posts that say the passenger side mirror is worthless.

2. Do those of you using peep mirrors like them or use them just so you don't have to drill holes in the body? (Which I totally understand!)

3. I find lots of pictures of original 57's back in the day that had no side mirrors at all and I see lots of pictures of new customs (meaning modified) that don't have
outside mirrors. What's up with that?

I appreciate any help before I get out the drill.

Thanks.

Dan.

Zapato · 2014-10-08 11:26

Can't help you much on the blindspots but the ''peep'' mirrors are more ornamental than useful. Or the ones on my 51 serve more to satisfy the state mirror requirement. Have you tried a more forward position on the right fender as is common on early British cars?

Zap-

gasman826 · 2014-10-08 12:52

I have driver side only peep mirror on a Custom Tudor. I'm big and have moved the seat back. I have no problem with the peep mirror. It is close so a little movement of my head gives me a fairly large view. The farther away the mirror, the smaller the rear view. I've driven quite a few miles with no right side mirror with no issues. The last trip, the wife packed everything and it filled the back seat to the ceiling. I could NOT change lanes. So the Courier would be much the same. There are convex peep mirrors for the right side. Good enough to see if the lane is clear but suck when backing a trailer. My peep mirrors are the clamp on type. They did not scratch the paint and did not loosen or fall off. You could start with peeps and if they don't work for you, you can take them off, sell them on eBay and move on with no holes to repair. With the wrap around windshield the best place is the fender location but too far away for a large rear view. Putting mirrors on the doors requires the mirrors to be located near the center of the door to clear the vent window and give you an unobstructed view of the mirror. Unfortunately with the location so far back on the door, there is huge torque on the mirror head every time the door is slammed shut...eventually loosening the mounting hardware and cracking the paint. The passenger will usually be in the line of sight for the right mirror.
Others have used these mounting locations with success. These are just might thoughts on the subject.

RICH MUISE · 2014-10-08 13:40

This will be a struggle for me also in a year or so. Kind of a side thought on this rear view thing.... I plan on installing a rearward facing camera because of my rolled pan, but I also plan on doing some thorough research on rear facing camera systems in general...may also be able to have a system that gives view to adjacent traffic lanes, chevy's trying to catch up,short skirts, etc.

hiball3985 · 2014-10-08 19:10

The previous owner mounted mirrors on the doors, wish he hadn't, but the passenger side is worthless. I can see alright by turning my head and looking out the back window on the Ranchero but with a Courior I just don't know what to suggest.. Sorry.

ragtop · 2014-10-08 19:52

had peep mirrors on my courier and took them off to hard to see even to make a lane change I put mirrors on the doors now I can see to back it up and drive it

junior58 · 2014-10-08 20:15

I have the factory RH mirror that mounts on top of the fender but where it is positioned makes it hard to really see much as it is too far inboard, half of the mirror is filled with a view of the windscreen and pillar, and you need to lean across to see any more.
Here in NZ, we drive on the LH side of the road so that the RH mirror becomes quite important as that is the side that vehicles overtaking you are coming from. Fortunately, being a nice wide open 4 door hardtop, there aren't too many blind spots so i can live with it.

clusterbuster · 2014-10-08 20:50

The round mirrors were on my Custom 300 4 door when I bought it. They are fender mounted and not much good. My son bought me a pair of round mirrors for Christmas last year, so I installed them this spring after I painted the car, but I think the rectangular mirrors would be your best bet out on the fenders. Our 57 back in the fifties were rectangular, and were better than the round ones.

John Palmer · 2014-10-08 21:26

On my Ranch Wagon I have the round mirrors mounted on the doors (by the vent wings) just like on Ragtop's Courier. They are OK, not great, but they do work in that location.

The problem I have, is that I will be towing 17' travel trailer and need to figure out a way to mount a couple of temporary towing mirrors on the fenders to allow me to really see around the trailer when towing. I've been collecting swap meet parts and will be fabricating a pair like my buddy uses on his '57 Chevy Sedan Delivery. They clip over the fender, and are held down by only a bungi chord.

Limey57 · 2014-10-09 06:49

Quote from: Zapato on 2014-10-08 11:26
Have you tried a more forward position on the right fender as is common on early British cars?

Zap-

The problem with those was always vibration with the cheaper mirrors and the other pain was trying to get the adjustment "right", you either need 6 feet long arms or an assistant!

hiball3985 · 2014-10-09 09:16

Quote from: hiball3985 on 2014-10-08 19:10
The previous owner mounted mirrors on the doors, wish he hadn't, but the passenger side is worthless. I can see alright by turning my head and looking out the back window on the Ranchero but with a Courior I just don't know what to suggest.. Sorry.

I forgot to mention that the moron previous owner mounted mine of the doors where you can't fully open the wind wings

I've been looking for a different style that will mount in the same location but provide more clearance. Be sure to check that clearance if you door mount them.

Zapato · 2014-10-09 13:52

Quote from: Limey57 on 2014-10-09 06:49
The problem with those was always vibration with the cheaper mirrors and the other pain was trying to get the adjustment "right", you either need 6 feet long arms or an assistant!

True enough, or if you were by yourself and someone moved it for you it was in-out of the car a few times till they were right. Had a couple of TR3s and an XKE and the OEM mirrors stayed on position really well.

Limey57 · 2014-10-09 14:14

Quote from: hiball3985 on 2014-10-09 09:16
I forgot to mention that the moron previous owner mounted mine of the doors where you can't fully open the wind wings

Genuinely panicking now and about to go in the garage and check mine, I only fitted them on Monday and gave no consideration to that........

Limey57 · 2014-10-09 14:23

Quote from: Limey57 on 2014-10-09 14:14
Genuinely panicking now and about to go in the garage and check mine, I only fitted them on Monday and gave no consideration to that........

Ooops.

I fitted them in roughly the same place as the old ones before I fitted the vent windows..... They can stay where they are now I'm not welding the holes up and repainting the doors. That'll teach me to rush the job and think before I drill!

BP57CUSTOM · 2014-10-09 14:45

I think Lucas Doolin got by ok with just the inside mirror!

News:

Outside Mirrors