The 'E' Type Forum

I was wondering about buying a driver door frame mounted rear view mirror. They tighten on the door frame via a couple of grub screws I think. I was wondering if anyone has any experience of these. It would concern me that it may detach and fly down the side of the car doing severe damage.
Also can you still easily wind the window up and down or does it restrict the glass in the frame at all?

Thank you David and Happy XMAS

Andrew

If you're worried about the mirror falling off then buy a pack of sticky gel tabs. These are meant for sticking licence disc holders to windscreens. I found that if you stick one under the tip of each grub screw, the mirror will never fall off. It stays on even after I've regularly bashed into it when walking past in the garage. You'll find them for sale on EBay for buttons.

Cheers

Alan

Cheers Alan, Will get some of those on board. Now.....rectangular or round? Ummh

ALAN COCHRANE wrote:You'll find them for sale on EBay for buttons.

It's safer to sew those ... :-)

Bought some as well, and am having the same dilemma about install; can't seem to figure it out. I can't tell what it is that David cut off to make it work better, or why it would not interfere with window op.

Inside the window frame there is a rubber backed flock channel that the glass runs in. The mirror slides over the chrome frame so in order for the window glass to clesr the mirror mounting, you have to cut a piece, the size of the rubber channbel, out.

The silver bracket slips into the window channel but it is too wide meaning part of the U shape protrudes and does not butt up against the chrome. This in turn means the chromed mirror base is only partially seated on the curved window channel so any pressure pushes the mirror off. Offer the retaining bracket to the window channel, measure how much it sits proud and cut off the same amount on its inner lugs.

Hi,

It's my car being shown in Davids post and I posted some of what you see in the other references. Just to update:

The mirrors, both drivers and passenger, are both secure, with excellent visibility. They are prone to being knocked, but are easily re-adjusted. The mirrors originally moved in the wind-flow, so I had to tighten the screw in the stem (not the ones securing it to the frame) very tight to prevent this - previously the drivers mirror in particular would slowly move toward the car during driving, now they are fine. Contrary to another post (Angus I think?), I didn't need to trim the flock lined rubber channel in the frame, the windows slide perfectly and in fact leaving the channel intact means you can remove the mirror leaving no evidence it was ever fitted and also protects the glass from the bracket. just make sure the bracket goes in between the chrome channel and the rubber channel, not over both (and therefore adjacent to the glass when raised).

I started down the road of searching for mirrors because I could not find an original mirror (Series 3) which I could fit to both doors with good visibility and not look awkward. I failed so selected the TEX mirrors you see in the photo, available with three different heads. I chose the head based on the fact this was identical to the head used in the original Series 3 option mirror, albeit with a different stem. I continued to search for the right mirror, eventually finding the SNG mirror is correct in fit, visibility and style. However, I am so pleased with the mirrors I bought, that I have decided to stick with them - meaning I have no holes drilled in the door skim.
In short, a big success for me personally.

What David says about modifying the bracket is exactly correct (of course!), but is a little difficult to describe, much more obvious when you have the things in your hand. Remember the bracket is plated, the bit you cut off leaves exposed metal, I recommend a little paint to prevent rust.

Regards,

Simon