[66GTO Jim]

Just read Tim John's response in this thread about a loose mirror mounting and how to remove the mirror to repair and it got me thinking.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=601966

Many years ago I installed a Factory Mirror on the passenger door of my 66 and hate it and really do not adjust it for driving use anymore. Basically, I am used to the wide angle RH mirrors that have been installed on newer cars for years. When I try to use the 66 Factory mirror while driving, the next car looks magnified and like it is right on top of me. I know it's just an optical illusion from being used to the wide angle mirrror but it still sucks.

Using Tim's method of removing the mirror, has anyone swapped in a new style wide angle mirror into a factory housing? Or does anyone know where to get a round wide angle mirror thaty would fit and mount in a factory housing?

Jim

[Greg Reid]

Not a bad idea. Got me to thinking...If you found just the right size convex mirror...the kind that sticks on the surface of your stock mirror...I wonder if you could modify the housing so that you could actually mount it in the chrome housing...?

[Tim john]

What about taking a "wide angle" mirror and cutting in to size, actually grind the O.D. to fit and taper the sides / edges down to fit behind the snap ring. We have a glass lab here at work so I will bring in a spare test piece and see what they can accomplish and report back.

I use to have a neat little sticker that was on my outside rear view mirror lens that read: "Objects in this mirror appear to be losing"

Tim john---

[6 Grrrs]

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[66GTO Jim]

Originally Posted by Tim john

What about taking a "wide angle" mirror and cutting in to size, actually grind the O.D. to fit and taper the sides / edges down to fit behind the snap ring. We have a glass lab here at work so I will bring in a spare test piece and see what they can accomplish and report back.
Tim john---

Hey Tim, just looking for an update. Did you ever get a chance to trim down a convex mirror? What car was the round convex mirror from? This siunds like the best way to go.

Jim

[Blue '66]

Watching this also....

[mzbk2l]

I don't know if Cutlass mirrors are the same size as GTO mirrors (so this may be useless information), but when someone tipped over my '81 Honda CB650 and broke the mirror stem, I noticed that the glass was the right size to go in the passenger side mirror housing on my '67 Cutlass. The motorcycle mirror was more of a gradual convex like a car than the steep convex of the cheap stick-on mirrors. It has worked out nicely.

[66GTO Jim]

Thanks Mike. That is good info. I removed the 66 mirror glass and measured it at 4 5/16". Not sure if the same sized mirror glass is used on the 67 GTO (or 67 Cutlass).

Jim

[Tim john]

Here is my response to the other link:

Guy's

To fix your mirrors with the rivits / strap retainer is also a simple fix. Remove your mirror from the vehicle and take it to the bench top to work on. Very slightly press down on the mirror lens and carefully slip the retainer ring / snap ring out, now remove the glass lens and the three little springs (careful not to loose the springs). Take a small ball peen hammer and with good accuracy I want you to whack the rivit heads a few times, say two to three times on one then the other then come back and hit the first one a time or two then do the second again. Do this while holding the mirror head (back side) in the palm of your hand this way some of the hammer impact is adsorbed within your hand and not the mirror head. You will feel the swivel joint tighten right up. Do not get over zellous with the hammer, just be accurate and firm. Do NOT hit the center of the strap for the will loosen the mirror even worse, you want to hit the rivit heads only ! This works very well guy's so give it a try and you will be all set. This whole procedure takes me less than ten minutes to accomplish. If you need additional details just drop me a line.

As for installing a newer style lens it was a piece of cake. I used an old 1995 Chevy Pick Up truck replacement lens and had our glass lab cut it to size, trim / grind the outer permiter down to fit in the housing and install and it fit excellent, I even kept the script in the mirror finish as to "objects in mirror are closer than they appear" however I am going to keep my original date coded lens in my assembly but the new style lens exercize was sucessful.

Tim john---

[66GTO Jim]

Thanks for the detailed response Tim. Just what I was looking for. Jim