1967-69 right hand mirror location

[Steveh]

I have a 67 and lucky enough to have a nos right hand mirror. I could have sorn that the door was pre-drilled / marked and its not. The ford box contains the instructions but does not list the location.

Can one of you measure the exact location / and send pics on on the 67 to 69. I dont want to to be slightly off.

Big thanks in advance.
Steve

[action]

Any chance you would post the instructions?

>>>Action

[Dan Szwarc]

Isn't it a mirror image of the driver's side? Doesn't the trim dictate where it goes?

[action]

I think he is adding the right mirror to a vehicle that did not have that option.
So the existing trim would have to be cut. (Or purchased if one could find OE trim.)
Likely removing the existing trim reveals little under the original RF door peak trim

I would think all you need is one measurement. Say from the front door leading edge to the front of the mirror that is above the peak trim. All of the other measurements would key off of that one.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[JAB]

I have two 67 parts cars in stock. If they have the predrilled hole, I can measure it tomorrow.

John Brewer

[Steveh]

Big thanks! I can post what is in the box for an info sheet tomorrow.

The 67 does not have the right hand mirror so i am adding it and will be cutting the chrome to fit.

It will not be in the exact same spot as the drives since it will need to be a bit further back on the door so you can see it as the angle to the drives position is different.

Thanks again!
Steve

[Steveh]

Here is what there was for instructions in the box. Note is was for a 68.

Steve

IMG_0001.pdf

(92.99 KiB) Downloaded 108 times

[LithiumCobalt]

From what I recall, there should be detents under the peak molding in the door skin where the screw holes need to be drilled.

[TonyC]

Actually, it doesn't matter that the instructions were printed specifically for a '68 model. The doors, door trim, handles, and mirrors were unchanged from '66 through '69, so those instructions will apply to all four of those years. I suppose whoever sold you that mirror (VERY lucky find, I must say!) did not also sell you the trim parts that went with it. If not, then I must say that I was lucky I also got the pre-cut trim with the mirror I bought 14 years ago for $300.

But, there is a way around that. First, measure the forward trim on your driver's door from the very edge of the door to the base of the mirror, on BOTH sides of the trim (there is a difference). Next, measure and mark your passenger's door trim using exactly those figures (but flipped, of course), and make a straight-across cross-mark. Then measure the length of the mirror base from trim edge to trim edge; take that figure, mark it on the door trim, then carefully cut the trim between those cross-marks. As for mounting the mirror itself, what I did was make accurate guesses where to drill holes, by removing the original trim and placing my mirror with the forward trim attached to it on the door, and shifting it to just the right spot where there was no overhang of the forward trim past the leading edge of the door, then marked the rear mounting hole. That done, I took the trim off and then marked the front mounting hole, determined the size of drill bit I'd need by the mounting screws, drilled the holes...then measured the size of the adjusting mechanism (3/4" if I remember correctly) and drilled a third hole centered between the mounting holes. Of course, I must admit again that I had the advantage of having pre-cut factory trim to go by; I didn't have to cut Frankenstein's original trim.

Of course, in my case, I had additional work to do, because I also replaced the original adjuster, which was designed to fit on the passenger's door, which makes that mirror useless to the driver (who is the person that mirror is supposed to aid). I retrofitted a later, longer cable assembly from an early-'80s Ford organ donor to the mirror, so I could mount the adjuster in the center of the dash, where I could reach it. Luckily, the color-coding for the cables remained constant from the '60s into the '80s.

---Tony

P.S. Just to make sure everybody is clear, I have not abandoned my aspirations to reproduce and improve on these mirrors. One day, I will get a 3-D printer, and I will eliminate that design flaw in the OE mirror, and I will take the Suicide market by storm with my new and improved models.

[Steveh]

Thanks for your comments

I think the mirror package i got was a 68 replacement unit and not a 67 option... and you are right all those years are the same.

It would be easy to match the position with the drivers side... But im looking for some information that is more factual on what ford did. The driver side mirror is pretty much rear ward enough that by mounting the passengers side the same location may be unconstrained view from the vent window pillar - but tight. Only want top mount this once as i need to drill a larger hole for the cable.

The best info would be from the 68/69 location distance.

Steve

[Mike]

The instructions do say to cut the trim or obtain the different trim pieces so it doesn't sound like the kit ever came with the trim.
You'll probably find that it does match the drivers side. An obstructed view is better then no view at all and people would think there was something wrong if the mirrors were lop sided like that from the factory and one side was in a different spot then the other. Even if it's not right I'd probably still match the drivers side if it was my car because it would bug me to see something that looks so wrong.

[TonyC]

You'll be glad to know that, once properly installed, there will be no obstruction or interference from the triangle's frame; ask me how I know this.

The biggest problem with obstruction is with the inward twist of the mirror stem; because of that, the mirror has to be adjusted to its outward-most angle in order for it to just barely serve the purpose these mirrors are supposed to serve. Unfortunately, there is no way to remedy this without an outright reproduction (my aspiration). I suppose that, because people don't really know how to properly utilize starboard-side mirrors, that wouldn't be much of a concern on the surface. To me, especially since I know the NHTSA's guidance on how these mirrors are supposed to be adjusted, it is a big deal.

I find it rather funny how ridiculously expensive these mirrors are nowadays, because they are ridiculously rare. In '67, when they were first offered, even all the way to '69, these mirrors cost a mere $13 to $15 extra, according to price guides I had read over the years. But, because nobody back then even considered them to be that big an improvement aesthetically-speaking (to say nothing about the safety factor, which was not seriously considered or understood even by the government until well into the '70s), hardly any cars were ever fitted with them—making intact specimens well into a grand in average price! I was really lucky to get mine for $300, including the pre-cut trim...but that was because the mounting tabs on both ends were broken off (but at least I got those in the deal as well). Imagine the mayhem I'd cause in the OE market once I realize my aspiration to reproduce improved versions of these mirrors, especially if I could charge a quarter of the current pricing without taking a loss.

---Tony

[Dan Szwarc]

I found this via the FB:

66-69 RH Mirror Base

It's $349 plus shipping and does not include the two shortened trim pieces.

Here's the FB link, but I hate FB.
FB Link

[TonyC]

Yeah, that's the guy who stole my idea for himself, because of my poor sense of optimism that somebody with the hardware to realize my idea would partner up with me if I publicized my idea enough. No honor among soldiers . His listing is strictly for the stem, not a fully-assembled mirror, just to clarify to everyone here. At least he either forgot or dismissed my upgrade to the design (despite the above ad's claim ), and I don't know if his pinched product can allow for adjustment cables (if not, I'm not "donating" any more ideas to him!! ).

But, yeah, his hardware is what I'd need to make my own. I wonder how he can afford the computer program and a 3-D printer that can work aluminum on enlisted Army pay...at a rank significantly below Sergeant-Major...? "How do I know this," you may ask? I chatted with him well before he even recreated the dimensions on his computer, so I know.

---Tony

[mge825y]

Yeah, that's the guy who stole my idea for himself, because of my poor sense of optimism that somebody with the hardware to realize my idea would partner up with me if I publicized my idea enough. No honor among soldiers . His listing is strictly for the stem, not a fully-assembled mirror, just to clarify to everyone here. At least he either forgot or dismissed my upgrade to the design (despite the above ad's claim ), and I don't know if his pinched product can allow for adjustment cables (if not, I'm not "donating" any more ideas to him!! ).

But, yeah, his hardware is what I'd need to make my own. I wonder how he can afford the computer program and a 3-D printer that can work aluminum on enlisted Army pay...at a rank significantly below Sergeant-Major...? "How do I know this," you may ask? I chatted with him well before he even recreated the dimensions on his computer, so I know.

---Tony

What?!