Hello, I've got a 56 Belair that needs the driver side mirror located and mounted. I know there is a template available but my printer is dead. If someone could give me three simple measurements from their car I would appreciate it. What I need is distance from lower reveal molding to the screws and from the front edge of the door to the front screw. Thanks.
If you have a good scaled eye. The most important is to be sure wind wing opens other wise 1/16" off here or there isn't as important.
Mine measures 1-3/4" down from the bottom of the belt line moulding and 2-3/4" from the vertical line that makes up the vent window post and windshield post. The door is curved at the point that you indicated so if you draw a line vertically down from that door seam/line/gap that is my 2-3/4" Pat
I wouldn't count on other people's cars having the mirror in the right spot! Like Johnny said, make sure the vent window will open, make sure you can see where you want to with it when sitting in the driver seat, etc before drilling holes. The side mirror was mostly a dealer installed accessory back then...
I've got to put one on my '57 yet but I'm waiting until I have my front seat in to check positioning, I don't want it to interfere with the vent window and I want to make sure I can see clearly out of it. When I got the car it had a mirror on the front fender which wasn't ideal for functionality. I have no measurements to offer, though.
My '55 Delray was a radio delete from the factory and the mirrors are mounted on both fenders not on the doors. They offer unobstructed views.
I know this doesn't help one damn bit, but I'm leaving mine off! I can't bring myself to drill hole's in the new door's. Besides, I like the look without them. JMO.
Scotty - I bought the good mirrors from Danchuk. If you don't get an answer by tomorrow, Ican dig out the template or measure my car.
Still hard to see no matter what due to wind wing. I scratched my head for a long while putting my side view on. I have one piece windows in the doors now. Do I put mirror so I can go back to wind wings or not. Well I put them forward. Now when I drive the other 56 it bugs me. But I love the air from those wind wings. Can't have it all.
Remember too that if you try to put the passenger mirror in the same spot on the door you probably won't be able to see out of it.
Hey Scotty, I measured up my car: 1 1/8 down from molding front and back 10 5/8 back from the TOP of door at beltline. My vent window does not hit. Good luck!
Just use the heavy duty velcro Mr. Taylor, that way you can keep moving it if you need to, and you don't have to drill holes in that new paint!
Stick a conical mirror on the lower edge of the windwing, I'd do both sides. Personally I could not live without a left side mirror. In 8 years I still haven't put on a right side one but get closer everytime I back into my garage... You could put a decal on the outside of the glass.
I talked about installing side mirrors for 10 years. I finally did it yesterday. Decided to mount them where I can see them both and the don't interfere with the vent windows. Any further forward and the view is obstructed. I was worried I wouldn't like the look but luckily, I do! Edit - additional info; * I drilled a 1/16" pilot hole instead of using a center punch and used high speed and light pressure. * Then I drilled the 1/8" holes and dabbed some paint in them to cover any bare metal (even though my car never gets wet lol). * I used the rear screw supplied taking time to get the height just right but I tapped the front hole to #10-32 and used a polished stainless machine screw. * Fit them then for final assembly I put a tiny dab of blue loctite to keep them still. * Once in place they are very solid even though the door is convex there and the mirror base is flat. The mirrors came from Summit. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/UPD-110745
Good on you for including measurement pictures. It's stuff like this that people searching the internet will find for years to come. I don't know how many times I've been saved by someone posting a picture on a forum years, if not decades before, that answers the questions I have and saved me a ton of time.
Old thread but that mirror looks like it left the factory in that spot. I'd have to agree with the 4 year old post that said that most of the outside mirrors were dealer installed and some times those make ready guys didn't seem to know how to read a measuring tape. State law here says that all vehicles will have two mirrors with one being the drivers outside mirror. My daughter got pulled over by some cop that then noticed that she didn't have the inside mirror. He went on about having to write her a ticket because she didn't have the inside mirror and she explained that the law reads "two" rear view mirrors, she had one on the passenger door. End of discussion.
Thank you. I searched for info and didn't find much. This thread was one of the best ones. I'd do the install the same if I were to do it again. Thank you. The cops I grew up with were not like these new militant clowns that just want to harrass kids. Hard to have any respect at all for them when they treat kids like that.
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