Where to buy Outside Rear View Mirrors for Stepdowns

Rob Fayette

I have been looking for side mirrors mirrors for my Pacemaker convertible with no luck so far.

I'd like them to have:

1. Round Mirror

2. Vertical part of base that holds the round mirror should be at least 4".   I think it needs to be this tall so you can see the mirror from the drivers seat.

3. Passenger side mirror should have a convex, (wide view) lense so it is actually usable.  I could be wrong, but I'm thinking that if the passenger mirror isn 't convex, then it is pretty much useless from the drivers seat .  It would be useless because the field of view would be  so small.  So far I haven't found a single round mirror that is convex, except what they call peep mirrors that have a curved arm and clamp to the edge of  the door.

4. Base made of metal and not plastic.  It seems like about 80% of the mirrors I have seen online so far are made of plastic.

I don't know much about mirrors so any advice you can give me is appreciated.

Thanks

Rob

Jay_G

Try Jay at Vintage Coach.  It seems to me Bill has some that he was selling before he passed away.

Jay

53jetman

Also, try Paulargetype in Pittsburgh.  He has a nice metal reproduction style mirror, but as you mention, the passenger side offers a very limited field of vision.

RL Chilton

Both Jason (at least Bill before him) and Paul do not have 4" mirrors (3", actually).  Peep mirrors with the curved neck might be your best bet.  

53jetman

I don't think "Peep Mirrors" are adaptable to convertables

RL Chilton

Yeah, probably not.  

Rob Fayette

I inquired about Jasons' mirrors at vintage coach.  The vertical leg that holds the mirror is only 2.5 inches tall.  I'm not sure how well that would work on a step down.  I'm not sure you could see the mirror very well from the drivers seat.  The woman I talked to said they do work on step downs.

Rob

Rob Fayette

I found these convex mirrors from Summit Racing.  They also have the same mirror in the non-convex form for the drivers side.  I am hoping the 55-57 chevy mirror has a long enough vertical part to work well on a step down.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/upd-c555728-cvx/overview/

Rob

RL Chilton

I inquired about Jasons' mirrors at vintage coach.  The vertical leg that holds the mirror is only 2.5 inches tall.  I'm not sure how well that would work on a step down.  I'm not sure you could see the mirror very well from the drivers seat.  The woman I talked to said they do work on step downs.

Rob

I have an identical set of those on my sedan.  Look nice, completely useless on passenger side.  

keithfullmeryahoocom

So, Russell how 'bout a picture of your car with the mirrors.   I haven't seen enough pics of your car anyway...k

hudsonjeff

Check National Parts Depot mustang parts.   1965 mustang mirrors they have a couple different types and also sell a right side with convex glass.  i have them on a couple cars and they are nice quality.  i do not have a right side convex i beleive that is a new item they are selling but i think i am going to try a pair on my 50 conv

RL Chilton

These are nice, just not very functional.  Driver side o.k., Passenger side, not so much.  Which, with a closed car (especially a '52 or '53), not a big deal as there really is no blind spot.  The convertible, however, has the small back window and a good passenger mirror was a must.

Rob Fayette

Russell,

What did you use on the passenger side of your convertible?

Rob

RL Chilton

Funny you should ask.  I was really in a quandry as to what to do about side mirrors.  Pretty much the same thing you are going through now.  I was sure I didn't want to use the ones like on my sedan and was periodically looking for something taller, if not bigger around, when pure chance happened upon me.  

I was at Wildrick's scrounging around for odds and ends and after some unsuccessful searchings for the last item on my list, the Dr. decided he would help me look.  At one point he reached up high on a shelf for a box, tilted it down and lifted the flaps just enough to peek inside.  I, of course was on my toes doing my best to see inside the box. I'm sure I was like a kid in a candy store searching for the latest sweets.  When I saw some shiny bits in there wrapped in plastic, my containment was over-run. 

"What are those?  They looked like mirrors!"

"They are.  NOS", he said.

"What do they go to?!", I said.  I could hardly contain myself.

I don't even remember what he said but it was something along the lines of, "Later, Senior Step-Downs", or some such comment.  I just knew that it went to my car.  

"Well, HEY, I know a guy that could use a couple of those.  Will you sell me one . . .  or two?!"

"No, I've been holding onto those.  I don't want to get rid of them".  

 

And just like that, the flaps were shut, the box went back to it's resting place and the conversation was over.  At least as far as those mirrors were concerned.  

Fast forward a couple of months and I receive a box in the mail with a "Merry Christmas" message attached.  Sure enough, inside the box was one mirror, driver side.  Apparently, there's a Left and a Right for each side of the car.  Beautiful piece.  Art-Deco-ish, stylish, couldn't be any shinier or prettier.  I call to Doug to thank him and I was told that he only had driver sides, no passengers.

O.k., now I told you that story so I could tell you this one:

Fast forward another 18 months or so.  My family is over at my house one Friday night for card night when my uncle (who is my Dad's brother) informs me that we was cleaning out his shop and came across some of his Dad's (my grandfather) old stuff.  He said he found a side-view mirror that his Dad had bought for one of his Hudson's (he had a '49 and a '51 at different times) and never got around to installing it before he sold the car.  You guessed it, he produced an exact match to the my Driver door mirror I got from Dr. Doug.  Wrapped in plastic and had been in a box, inside of a house since the 50's. 

So, I've got two NOS side mirrors for the convertible, one of which was a present from a great friend, and the other belonged to my grandfather that never made it's way to his car.  

 

Rob Fayette

Wow that is an amazing and wonderful story Russell.  You have certainly put a lot of effort into your car.

Thanks for sharing your story.

Rob

keithfullmeryahoocom

Great story.  Beautiful set of mirrors, too...k

Nevada Hudson

Contact Paul Schuster.

JasonNC

I was at the Lowe's Motor Speedway car show a few years back and ran across this guy that was selling side view mirrors that looked a lot like the old worn out stock mirrors on my Hudson.  The only difference was that these mirrors have the LED directional lights that are attached to your signal lights.  Now I turn on my signal lights and the corresponding mirror lets people behind me know that I'm turning left or right.  The nice part is that you don't see the direction arrows until AFTER you give the signal to turn, otherwise they look like regular mirrors.    

Park_W

I worked this problem with a pair of the mirrors Paul S. has, but after I installed them I looked in truck stops for a round wide-angle "stick on" mirror of the right size.  Found one that was just perfect.  Works fine, been on the car for three years or so and many miles.

Lee ODell

The other day I decided to see what was in the HET Gallery. A lot of neat photos and useful information.

If you click on Gallery at the top of this forum then click on Richard Dryman Hudson photo it shows a right side mirror with angled stick on convex mirror.

There are 120 photos so you will need to scroll down a ways. There are a lot of other neat things he has done with his car with photos and diagrams.

Lee O'Dell








LikeComment

Tag Photo

Lee ODell

Sorry I was not able to transfer photo of Richard's mirror..

Lee O'Dell

Park_W

Here's mine.  Outer rim and glass can be rotated to optimum position.

RL Chilton

That looks good, Park.  I think that's a great option.