care for door top mount mirrors?

[Guest 50Plymouth]

Does anyone care for door top mount style mirrors? I understand its not original but, my car isn't. I thought it looked more interesting than the front side clip-on.

I was looking at this one at JCw but wonder if its too cheapy (1 bad review on it with complaint of no gasket and it fell apart) Are mirrors even supposed to have gaskets or anything?

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-Browse/s-10101/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2008325/p-2008325/N-111+20004560+600003213+4294967004/c-10101

Ryan

[Plymouthy Adams]

I had these on the 49...it was a bit getting used to looking high to see behind yourself...the passenger door is just for show as size and mount position rendered it next to useless at best...kinda like when I bought my King Cobra golf clubs..did't help my game..but damn I looked good on the T-box

[Norm's Coupe]

I bought a set of clip on mirrors from JC Whitney back in 1995 and they are still good on the car. Mine are the longer ones for further down the door. They do not come with gaskets and neither do the ones from the street rod vendors that charge a lot more for them. Guess they feel you don't need a gasket since you are not putting holes in the car. However, I cut a piece of inner tube rubber to fit under them to serve as a gasket. So, if you do buy them you can make your own gaskets.

That said, JC Whitney may have changed suppliers since I bought my mirrors. Don Coatney bought the same type of mirrors I have recently. I noticed in his picture that the backs of them are different from mine.

[Ed Griffin]

You can always get a set like these for close to original if you have deep pockets.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOS-1946-47-48-49-Plymouth-swan-accessory-mirrors-P15_W0QQitemZ200106224206QQihZ010QQcategoryZ42606QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[bob westphal]

Not only does this guy think his mirrors are made of gold he must use a limo service for shipping! The oblong mirrors I ordered from 'I don't remember who' cost about $7 to ship and they came with gaskets.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Ed..mighty deep pockets for those....

these I picture I had been looking at from a number of seller listing from as low as 85.00 to 120.00 a set....and right nice looking mirrors...I lucked upon my set for a whole lot less and am happy to have them...I was ready to shell out 90.00 at the swap meet just to have them in hand...got them for 34 the set...nibwith blue protective plastic film on the mirror head.

[Guest 50Plymouth]

You can always get a set like these for close to original if you have deep pockets.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOS-1946-47-48-49-Plymouth-swan-accessory-mirrors-P15_W0QQitemZ200106224206QQihZ010QQcategoryZ42606QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I bought one of the cars for less than that I'd really like to meet whoever bought them, maybe their generous and will help pay for grad. school

I think I'll stick to under $20 thank you very much, cheapy mirrors for a far from concours car. I think I may splurge the extra $7 and try the door top style - they look cool on chopped cars at least.

[Normspeed]

50plym, I tried them for a while. I liked the look but couldn't see that well with them, and the ones I bought for $12 each at the swap kinda chewed up my door edges. That's on a 53 but earlier doors might have more clearance with the jamb. I went back to the ones that came with the car, probably a dealer installed option.

[mackster]

50plym, I tried them for a while. I liked the look but couldn't see that well with them, and the ones I bought for $12 each at the swap kinda chewed up my door edges. That's on a 53 but earlier doors might have more clearance with the jamb. I went back to the ones that came with the car, probably a dealer installed option.

I have used them before and they look good however you really can't see that great out from them. also like Normspeed says they tend to chew your paint and dig into the inner door frame, I bought the ones with a little rubber that help but still bit the frame, I would use them again because they look so call.

MKSTR!

[Normspeed]

For a chopped custom like Mackster's I'd find out the best spot, then weld or epoxy them in, grind off the inner flange and not worry about them digging into my paint later. Mackster is serious about this car. He's gotten way past this early chop. PS, Mackster, I have a pair of peep mirrors for you when you get to that part.

[BobT-47P15]

I think some mirrors come with a gasket and some don't. That mirror Tim showed is the same style that Robin in the UK is using.....i think. Not sure if mine is aftermarket or came off some car. It works fairly well but is not perfect.

[Guest rockabillybassman]

An alternative source for peep mirrors is www.thenightprowlers.com

They have 3" and 4", and have two levels of quality. I'm going to run one on the drivers side as an aid for reversing, because my body is none too flexible for twisting round these days!

[Don Coatney]

kinda like when I bought my King Cobra golf clubs..did't help my game..but damn I looked good on the T-box

Tim;

I would think the T-box looked good. And I would think the club head looked good. Hard to conger up my imagination for the rest of the statement.

[mackster]

For a chopped custom like Mackster's I'd find out the best spot, then weld or epoxy them in, grind off the inner flange and not worry about them digging into my paint later. Mackster is serious about this car. He's gotten way past this early chop. PS, Mackster, I have a pair of peep mirrors for you when you get to that part.

I will take you on that offer! I am going to finish the door welding this week after work, a little bit here and a little bit there. thne I have my manifolds arriving this week as well so here we come, sorry to have high jack the thread I will back out quietly now.....

[JIPJOBXX]

I used double back foam tape between the locking mechisim and the door. Works! NO nicks! Jon

[Guest 50Plymouth]

I think I'm going with these peep mirrors from speedwaymotors:

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/1703,,_Smithys-Glass-Pack-Muffler.html?itemNo=91013108

Their cheaper still, smoked glass, possibly a little better quality, and their shipping is unbelievably low even when I add a 30" Smithy into the order - $6 UPS

[Norm's Coupe]

Just picked up this pair of Sally Hill Mirrors this morning. Will give them a try tomorrow by having the wife hold the passenger side up for me to check it out. Think it will be ok though. They are a little over 7" long and the passenger side is convex like modern cars. Also the mirror housing and the mirror are completely adjustable. The small black part laying in front of one of the mirrors is an extension you can use if the mirror needs to be moved out further from the car. The housing is ABS and the mirror glass and mechanism is held in by two screws on the bottom of the mirror. That allows you to remove the whole mechanism so you can paint the housing to match the car. By removing the mechanism you can also adjust the tightness of the movement of the mirror glass if needed at any time. The small plastic bag has the stainless screws and also caps to cover the screws so the mirror housing shows no screws in it after it is installed. Can't wait until tomorrow to try them out. Will let you know how they work out.

[Don Coatney]

Just picked up this pair of Sally Hill Mirrors this morning. Will give them a try tomorrow by having the wife hold the passenger side up for me to check it out. Think it will be ok though. They are a little over 7" long and the passenger side is convex like modern cars. Also the mirror housing and the mirror are completely adjustable. The small black part laying in front of one of the mirrors is an extension you can use if the mirror needs to be moved out further from the car. The housing is ABS and the mirror glass and mechanism is held in by two screws on the bottom of the mirror. That allows you to remove the whole mechanism so you can paint the housing to match the car. By removing the mechanism you can also adjust the tightness of the movement of the mirror glass if needed at any time. The small plastic bag has the stainless screws and also caps to cover the screws so the mirror housing shows no screws in it after it is installed. Can't wait until tomorrow to try them out. Will let you know how they work out.

Norm;

It will be interesting to see how well they work. Any vent wing clearance issues? Where did you find them and what is the cost?

[Guest 50Plymouth]

Just picked up this pair of Sally Hill Mirrors this morning.

Those will look great and be more practical Will look forward to a final picture when installed and painted.

[Norm's Coupe]

It may be a week or two before I get these painted and installed in between the Honey Do list. However, wife held up the passenger side mirror for me while I adjusted it. Can see great with that one. Just like the modern cars. What a difference between it and the peep mirror. (Keep in mind my peep mirror is a full 4" convex type too.) Then held up the drivers side mirror (flat glass) and it worked just as good. Finally, a pair of mirrors that actually work like they should. I won't even need that little extra extension piece for the passenger side of the car.

Don,

Brother in law won this pair of mirrors in a drawing at the local NSRA meet last year. He didn't like them because he said they are too modern for him, so didn't want to use them on his 36 or 38 Fords. He said I could have them if they worked for me. So keep in mind I got these for nothing. I'll figure out someway to pay him for them though without money exchanging since he won't take it from me.

That said, on the box they came in, the printed price says $79 for the pair. With that kind of price I probably would not have bought them to try out, not knowing how nice they work. Since I now know how well they work I would recommend them and pay the cost if I had to.

I think the secret to these is the fact that they are completely adjustable, and the passengers side mirror is convex. Another thing could be that they are oblong instead of round. Glass surface is 5" long x 3" high at the highest point of the mirror. If you have them mounted about an inch or so from the front edge of the door, with the bottom of the mirror bracket sitting at the top edge ridge of the rounded part of the door, there is no interference with the vent wing, visual or in opening the vent wing. I'll be able to give better measurements there once they are installed.

I was looking at various similar California Style mirrors on ebay and in the catalogs. None of the lower priced ones mentioned all the features these have and most were flat glass on both sides. Don't know how those would work out. Think you'd really need the convex mirror on the passengers side, if nothing else. However, you may be able to come up with a nice used pair for a few bucks at the bone yard or swap meet. Salvage yards can get greedy on parts though since new parts for newer cars are expensive. So you might want to scout around a little.

P.S. Forgot to mention. These were made in the USA.

[Norm's Coupe]

Don asked were to get the Sally Hill Mirrors. Still not sure because the shipping label is torn off. However printed on the box it says: Sally Hill Industries. Phone Number 843-346-3847. Part/Model number 1420.

Thought I would post that in case anyone wanted to call them about where to buy. Did not have an address on the box.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Just type in Sally Hill mirrors in your search..Yogi's is one that I remember listing them.....I think this is the site you lifted the prior posted picture when you told us that you were getting these from your in-law...