Mirror mounting for late style bugs

[Steve C]

Hi

I posted this info in answer to question on Volkdents project build, he thought that it was a good idea to repost it here.

On my old 1302 I cut the stock mirrors down to just a stalk drilled and taped the stalk and bolted modified Ford mirrors to the stalk. The great thing about doing it this way is that you can change mirror styles without drilling more holes.

I've sold the car, but I kept the mirror stalks. I've attached a photo of my old yellow 1302 with the mirrors, they were used on local Ford Falcons (same model Falcon that Mel Gibson drove in Mad Max/Road Warrior) down here in the 70s, they had section on them that I cut off and glassed over where they bolted to the door.

The orange mirror is random mirror I found on eBay to show how they look with Ford attaching section still attached.

The two black mirrors are the sort I'm going to be using on my new car, again from an old local Ford Falcon.

Steve

[Steve C]

One photo didn't load

[ricola]

Really nice/neat job Steve. Were the Falcon mirror shells plastic? Any problems getting the 'glass to stick and give a good strong mounting without cracking? I may well try something similar on my cab...

[Steve C]

Hi Rich

Thanks for the compliment.

The ones on the yellow car were plastic, the glass stuck pretty well to the plastic, I also had a big washer fibre glassed on the inside where the threaded part went through make it stronger.

The ones I have for my new car are alloy repos, same shape as the black ones above, they're plastic repos

Steve

[Steve C]

Hi

I just had my new alloy mirrors welded up by a friend, my car is at the painters now getting ready for a coat of Porsche blood orange.

Steve

[Gerrelt]

Thanks for posting Steve, that's nice work.

I plan on doing something similar, but then with a pair of Vitaloni California mirrors.
I got a pair of those for cheap, because the "stalks" are screwed up (someone heated and "readjusted" them).
I plan on removing the entire stalk, smooth it out, and then attach it to a cut of standard VW beetle stalk.
A lot like you did on yours.

I know Joel didn't like the vitaloni because they are useless, but I hope that positioning them further away from the body makes it better.

[Steve C]

Hi

Thanks Gerrelt for your comments. These mirrors aren't very big so they maybe a bit useless, but at least they look good, lol

Steve

[Gerrelt]

I finished my vitaloni California on standard mirror stalks mirrors..

I took the vitaloni's apart:
http://www.gerrelt.nl/mirror/vitaloni_california_mirrors2.jpg
See the twisted mirror base?

Took the base off with a saw, and smoothed it a bit:
http://www.gerrelt.nl/mirror/vitaloni_base_removed.jpg

Then I dismantled a standard mirror. I found out that there's a bolt behind the glass!
So, they came apart very nicely:
http://www.gerrelt.nl/mirror/standard_mirror_unscrewed.jpg

Now that makes a great new base for my Vitaloni mirrors:
http://www.gerrelt.nl/mirror/vitaloni_on_standard_base.jpg

I pointed the standard stalk forward instead of up.

On the car:
http://www.gerrelt.nl/mirror/beetle_with_vitaloni_california1.jpg

I am happy with it! :)
I allready did some test-drives, and allthough they are a bit smaller then the standard mirrors, they are still usefull.

And I don't even have to paint them, the sawn-off bit is hardly visible.

[SilverBullet]

Thats nice work! I like that pillar deflector just like on the RUF cars!
Very nice.

[Gerrelt]

Thanx! :)

I am thinking about producing these things, and sell them.
I call them raingutter fillers, but pillar deflectors sounds a lot better!

[oasis]

Mad skills. Very nice indeed.

[Steve C]

Hi Gerrelt

Nice work and the best thing is no holes to fill later on if you change your mind on what mirrors to use.

Steve

[al_kaholik]

Thanx! :)

I am thinking about producing these things, and sell them.
I call them raingutter fillers, but pillar deflectors sounds a lot better!

I'd be interested in a pair if the price were right. And a rear spoiler too!

Nice work with the mirrors too, I'm leaning back towards some Matiz ones with a lick of filler...

[Gerrelt]

Thanx!

Yeah Matiz mirrors are nice too, that could come out very nice.

The rear spoiler is almost ready for (small number) production. The pillar deflectors will take a little longer. I am thinking of vacuum forming them.

[Xellex]

I have seen a bug with matiz side mirrors and I can say it looks awkward and cheap. I think I took a picture of it, to place in the "not to" folder :P
Now, maybe some of the new Fiat 500 mirrors would fit and look better as they are made for a small car also and they are door-mounted. And the shape is much more refined than the matiz ones.

[al_kaholik]

Hmm, I dunno. I did look at early MX5 mirrors, they bolt straight to the body but the issue that I want to get away from is the adjusting of the whole unit rather than the glass.

Every time I walk up my road I compare the profile of newer MX5s parked on there, Fiat 500s and a Matiz, and it seems to be the best bet...

The 500 mirrors, along with the new Mini ones just look huge and IMO would look cumbersome on a beetle. Mazda ones are nice, but they need some fab to make them look nicely, think someone did a thread on here not so long ago...

These are the matiz ones I'm looking at
http://www.hopviettravel.com/upload/car/daewoo_matiz1.jpg