57 Fleetwood r/h door mirror

[Andy Green]

Hi everyone

I have a 57 Fleetwood and I have been looking for quite a while for a right hand door mirror. I have tried McVeys, Caddy Daddy and OPGI without success. They seem to be unavailable, does anyone know where I can get a repro one?
I have read the last posts on this going back to 2011 and can understand that vision from the right side is not good, however some vision is better than none and as someone has said before, it balances out the car. Although it is not law to have one in the UK here unlike Australia that someone posted, I would still like one on the car. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

Andy

[chris cunliffe]

There is a new one on  Ebay.com for $495 from Allcads

[Andy Green]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your help, I have been on Allcads site and a 57 right hand mirror is now not listed. 500 bucks for that mirror is a bit of a rip off I feel especially as you and I have to put shipping, duty and handling fees on the top. Search goes on. Have a great christmas in the situation we find ourselves in over in the UK.

Andy

[Andy Green]

Hi Chris,
I have found the mirror, thank you. It would work out to around $700 plus duties etc over here, so will have to think how important it would be especially as other guys say the vision from it is poor due to the positioning. Have a great Christmas.

Andy

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Andy,

If the '57 is similar in placement of the Right Mirror to the 1960, then it is a total waste of time.

I found that with my own '60 CDV, the position of the Factory Left Mirror was totally useless as the windscreen pillar was totally in the way.   The Factory puts the mirrors in the same position, left or right, for aesthetics and not for rearward vision.

At least my '72 is good, and if I ever convert it to RHD, the rearward vision won't be compromised on either side.

Bruce.

[Andy Green]

G'day Bruce,

Not sure if the 57 mirror is in the same position as the 60, I know the 57 and 60 mirrors are different from each other and from what others say, vision is poor, I need it for mainly getting out of my garage but it would be nice to see a little of traffic on the right side. Found one that someone else put me on to but it is $500 plus shipping plus duty and handling my end so not sure if  can justify the spend.

Andy

[BlackCads]

Years ago I bought a repro right hand mirror for my 1963 Series 62 convertible.
After installing it per the seller's instructions I found it was absolutely useless. It could not be positioned so that I could see anything on the right side of the car except the division post.
I called the seller and he said (quote) "Those mirrors were actually designed for passengers to be able to see what might be behind the car, not necessarily for the driver." Wish I'd known that before I bought the mirror and drilled the holes in the door.
I somewhat solved the problem by purchasing a circular convex "blind spot" mirror at Pep Boys that was roughly the diameter of my useless mirror and gluing it onto to the mirror. It had an exaggerated fish-eye effect but at least I could see bicyclists who might be creeping up on me on the right.
Neither of my current 1965s have right hand mirrors and I have no intention of adding them. Both have excellent visibility and driving them without extra mirrors, backup cameras, sensors etc. is part of the experience of "old-school motoring".

[Andy Green]

Quite a lot of guys seem to give the same opinion of the right hand mirrors. For my 57 it looks like the fitting on the back is the same sort of fitting as the left side which will probably mean that the mirror head will be around the quarter window rear channel looking at it from the drivers position. I still have my old remote drivers side mirror so I may see if I can see what angle I will get with that. It is not imperative that I have one but it would kind of even the car out looking at the car from the front. Thanks for your input Blackcads.

Andy

[Glen]

When I bought the right side mirror for my 68 ELDO, I disregarded the template for installing it and mounted it the same as the left side mirror.  WRONG.  The template mounts it a few inches toward the rear. 

My recommendation is to have a helper hold the mirror near the door and move it forward and back while you sit in the driver's seat and see how well you can see the mirror, and mount it there.  But also check the inside of the door to see if you would have access to the mounting hardware. 

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

My recommendation is to have a helper hold the mirror near the door and move it forward and back while you sit in the driver's seat and see how well you can see the mirror, and mount it there.  But also check the inside of the door to see if you would have access to the mounting hardware. 

I did the same when mounting opposite side mirrors.

But, from every vehicle that I have seen where there is not a Factory-fitted door mirror, there is no inside reinforcing like on the Drivers' door for the mirror.   It is just a couple of self-tappers to hold an outside bracket, then attach the mirror, or just screw the mirror straight to the door.

Bruce.

[Andy Green]

Hi Glen,
Thanks for your input and advice. The right hand mirror on the 57 has threaded protruding fixing studs like the left hand one. The door shape carries on past the quarter window frame and the mirror fits right there, it screws through the two door skins (inner and outer). Due to the shape of the door it wouldn't be possible to move the mirror backward as there would be no access to screwing it on.
Chris on this thread found a mirror which was $495 plus $191 shipping plus the UK duties and handling fees taking the cost to the best part of $900 and I can't justify spending that amount for that mirror especially as the benefits are very poor.
My 76 Mercury Marquis has a right hand mirror which is held on with self tapping screws and as it doesn't have quarter windows the vision is very good.
Have a great Christmas and be safe.

Andy

[Andy Green]

Bruce thanks for you input, I've just added a post to Glen dealing with this. Search goes on for a better priced mirror, if I don't find one then that is ok too as it is not a must have here in the UK. Just though it would balance the car out really. Perhaps I should look for someone to manufacture them over here and sell them to make my fortune :-D 

Andy

[TonyZappone #2624]

Do yourself a favor, and don't spend the money.  I forgot where I got the one for my '58 convertible, not only can't you see anything, you can't even see the mirror.

[druby]

I have a Factory right hand mirror installed on my 1958 Eldorado Biarritz, I can only see partially out of it. It was NOS when I purchased it years ago. I do have a spare one laying around in a box somewhere if interested. I’m not looking for a “gold bar” for it, but if interested let me know. Drubyflyaa@aol.com

[Andy Green]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the post, your car looks really nice. Probably a very small bar you want for it is it? :-)

Thanks, Andy