Mirrors

[Oldguy48]

I realize this is a bit OT, but while at Hershey today, I spotted a 1948 Desoto that had side view mirrors attached where the cowl moulding is located on a

P15. Looked like they were factory stock, and took the place of the stock trim.. Were they? If so, I'd be interested in finding a pair for my P15. Anyone seen these before?

[RobertKB]

I realize this is a bit OT, but while at Hershey today, I spotted a 1948 Desoto that had side view mirrors attached where the cowl moulding is located on a

P15. Looked like they were factory stock, and took the place of the stock trim.. Were they? If so, I'd be interested in finding a pair for my P15. Anyone seen these before?

Yes, those were an option for Plymouth. They occasionally come up on ebay and usually go for big money. I am not sure but someone out there may be doing a reproduction.

[greg g]

while they are visually pleasing and cost bunches of money they are virtually useless for thier intended purpose. the drives side is only marginally effectiv and you need to move your head to use it and the pass side is invisible from the drivers seat.

I had the opportunity to sit in a convertible equiped with a pair of them and they might as well not be there.

Edited October 11, 2009 by greg g

[Jim Yergin]

Jay Fisher reproduces them. Not cheap but high quality. His contact information can be found in the links section of the main forum under the "Body" listings. He had a space at Hershey. Too bad you missed him.

Greg is right about the passenger side mirror. I have them on my '41 P12. I find the driver's side useful but the passenger side is just for looks. No way to use it from the driver's seat.

Jim Yergin

[Plymouthy Adams]

passenger side mounted mirrors were pretty much an outside attractive feature on Mopars though the start of the 60's not sure when they truly become functional...the mid 50's for sure were useless...

[maurice wade]

My drivers side is functional, the other side mirror is just for looks as you stated. If you have good rubber in your neck one can bend until you can see somewhat on the left side. M

[Norm's Coupe]

As mentioned, Jay Fisher sells reproductions of the cowl mirrors. I haven't checked a price on those since about the late 90's. Back then they were about $150 each. But.........as others mentioned. The right side is useless.

[randroid]

Folks,

Considering that those stock mirrors are useless, does anyone have any suggestions for a pair that are functional yet look periodically correct? After Pigiron is painted and rewired new mirrors would be the last item on my list but useful.

-Randy

[Frank Elder]

I used peeps that hook to the door, I put a object is closer than it appears mirror over the passenger side mirror.

[BobT-47P15]

What's that brand of mirrors that Robin has.....and some others have them too??

They seem to be both nice looking and functional.

[Plymouthy Adams]

the problem you will encounter with about all the mirrors is the wing vent and the windshield post followed next by the operationof the hood.

placing them along the door for the operator is hard enough..getting one for the passenger is rougher..the vent takes lots of room to swing its full travel making a mirror havine to have a failrly long standoff base..moving it into a position on the passenger side to be anywhere near funcitional will be in the way of the vent..place it for operationo f the vent and now the windshiled frame has you. Go forward a few years and pick up the 56 and up matching factory mirrors that are super nice looking and you have to forward mount these puppies..again however function of the the hood comes into play..that is why these are more for looks that functionality.

Peeps solve a lot of mirror mounting problems..however the small face of the mirror again restricts passenger side as ovserved from the drivers seat..the swan neck mirrors thatare after market have a bit of an advantage as they do allow mounting mear the vent and let the vent remain operational..if you got this route, two holes per mirror and removal of the door panel to install..the second hole is for anti-rotational purposes..

I have about 5 different matching sets of mirrors here and even at that I am not happy with how/where to make them mount just to get the drivers side functional..

[Norm's Coupe]

As mentioned, the peep mirrors work good if you pick up a stick on mirror to give more depth and area of vision. I had those on my coupe until installing the modern type mirrors you see on street rods.

There is a trick to installing mirrors on the doors like I have now. Don't just put it where you think it should go. You should sit in the car with your seat adjusted to driving position, and have someone hold the mirror to the door. Have them hold it tight for you onto the door. Then sit in the driving position as you would normally and adjust the mirror to see if you can then see good with it. Once you have that location, mark the mounting position. Measure where that location is on the passenger door. Then hold the mirror on the drivers side in the same location as the passenger side. Then adjust that one. Once you have them evenly located on the doors so you can see, then mount them onto the door. You can also test to make sure the vent wing opens prior to mounting in those positions. I can see out of both mirrors very well, and, they do not interfere with the vent wings.

Here's the mirrors I have on the car now. They did come with an extra spacer to push the mirror further out from the door on the right side, but I did not need it. You can do the original style 50's/60's door mirrors the same way.

Added the picture of the mirrors prior to painting. This is as they were out of the box. Note the extender piece for the right hand mirror in the picture.

Edited October 11, 2009 by Norm's Coupe

[HughForrest]

I'm using old school VW hinge pin mounted mirrors adapted to my Chrysler hinge pins. I've heard tell of a Mopar version of same, but never seen one.

Here's a pic. VW also does a round one if you prefer that shape, and the passenger side can be had with an extended arm.

[Young Ed]

There are the mirrors Robin has I believe. From the SoCal speed shop. They are kind of a pain to get adjusted right but I can see both sides when they are right. I just need to stop bumping them Also suggest you put the mirrors on before paint to make sure you like them. A lot easier to repair the hole before paint if you change your mind etc

[Plymouthy Adams]

the mirrors pictured by Young Ed are the ones I was talking about that have the two holes per stand..one for mounting the other to prevent the base from rotating..these can be had from sale of 35.00 a set to the average 65-70 a set..marketed as swan neck mirrors..

[Robin (UK)]

Good call, Young Ed.

Mine are indeed from SoCal Speed Shop.

As Tim says, they are called swan-neck mirrors.

Nice items, and very useable.

Because we drive on the 'wrong' side of the road in the UK, I have had to fit a stick-on convex mirror onto the passenger side as I have to use that for checking the HUGE blind spot when the top is up on my convertible.

I think you probably wouldn't have so much need for that upgrade when driving in the US.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I could just se me driving a big US car in England..be just like Kevin Kline in A Fish Called Wanda...

[Norm's Coupe]

Good call, Young Ed.

Mine are indeed from SoCal Speed Shop.

As Tim says, they are called swan-neck mirrors.

Nice items, and very useable.

Because we drive on the 'wrong' side of the road in the UK, I have had to fit a stick-on convex mirror onto the passenger side as I have to use that for checking the HUGE blind spot when the top is up on my convertible.

I think you probably wouldn't have so much need for that upgrade when driving in the US.

Robin,

The peep mirrors are just as bad here for blind spots. When I had the peep mirrors on my coupe, I had the convex stick-on's covering the whole mirror on both sides.

[P-12 Tommy]

I used peeps that hook to the door, I put a object is closer than it appears mirror over the passenger side mirror.

I did the same thing. Works for me.

Tom

[BobT-47P15]

I've been using this one, purchased used at a swap meet for a couple

bucks. Had one similar to it previously, but was a bit hard to see

around the "bulge" in the side of the body. The current mirror stands

out just a little farther from the car and works better. None on the

right. I suppose if I looked real hard, I might find a mate to the current

one....but not such a big deal without a right one.

[mackster]

I'm using old school VW hinge pin mounted mirrors adapted to my Chrysler hinge pins. I've heard tell of a Mopar version of same, but never seen one.

Here's a pic. VW also does a round one if you prefer that shape, and the passenger side can be had with an extended arm.

Thats a hell of an idea! I bet price is good too being that most vw parts are being re pop... It looks good, i know that they sell this threaded insert for the hinge pin, kinda like threaded inside and out.

[Norm's Coupe]

I've been using this one, purchased used at a swap meet for a couple

bucks. Had one similar to it previously, but was a bit hard to see

around the "bulge" in the side of the body. The current mirror stands

out just a little farther from the car and works better. None on the

right. I suppose if I looked real hard, I might find a mate to the current

one....but not such a big deal without a right one.

Bob,

I've seen some similar looking mirrors at the auto parts store. Also in the JC Whitney catalog. Don't know about the ones from JC Whitney, but the ones in the store felt like they may be plastic due to the weight. Were in a sealed package so couldn't really tell. But........if they are and you didn't like them, you could take them back easily.

[HughForrest]

Thats a hell of an idea! I bet price is good too being that most vw parts are being re pop... It looks good, i know that they sell this threaded insert for the hinge pin, kinda like threaded inside and out.

The VW pins are totally wrong for our Mopars (way too short and too fat) so I cut the threaded top off the VW hinge pin and welded it onto the Chrysler pin.

BTW- does anybody know what diameter our hinge pins are supposed to be? Mine didn't match.

VW mirrors are pretty reasonably priced, but be aware that the quality can vary widely. As you'd expect, the best are the old "Hecho in Germany" ones.