Year correct mirrors

[shearjs]

I've looked but haven't had much luck finding a concrete answer. Were there certain mirrors offered on different years of trucks? I'm having a little trouble deciding between round or rectangle mirrors for my truck. It's a 70 GMC. Thanks for the help fellas.

[LockDoc]

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I don't know if this will actually help but some good info anyway.

http://www.pattson.com/maych/67_72_chevy.htm

http://www.pattson.com/maych/67_72_gmc.htm


LockDoc

[shearjs]

Thanks Leon. I appreciate the links.

[SS Tim]

The correct base mirror for a 70 pickup is the single arm rectangular head version. The round heads are 69 down. Tripod and camper below eyeline mirrors were commonly selected options.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=565861

[jmj4]

I've seen this answered and wondered if the square mirrors SS Tim is refering to was a chevy thing only. My 70 GMC had painted round mirrors which are original. Like I said, I know there has been a lot of research and many know way more than I do, but not seeing it as an option on the SPID and knowing the complete history of the truck I can't see how this is an absolute. For reference by truck was a May 1970 build in Atlanta.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by jmj4

I've seen this answered and wondered if the square mirrors SS Tim is refering to was a chevy thing only. My 70 GMC had painted round mirrors which are original. Like I said, I know there has been a lot of research and many know way more than I do, but not seeing it as an option on the SPID and knowing the complete history of the truck I can't see how this is an absolute. For reference by truck was a May 1970 build in Atlanta.

Have you owned your truck since it was new? If not, the PO's wife could have been backing out of the garage in the 70's, and got her beehive hairdo caught on something, which was just enough to destract her... As she broke the mirror off on the side of the garage. The PO may have then bought something else from the local Chevy dealer that fit, used something laying around, etc.
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[SS Tim]

Good point. There are really no absolutes. But then are you positive your was delivered with round head mirrors? The heads are often replaced over the life of a vehicle. Plus the square heads tend to vibrate more the round heads this alone could induce replacement.

Each of the assembly plants had their quirks most of which will go undocumented because they are not apparent to most people.
All I can do is give the general normative build information if specifics are not provided that may indicate a unit/plant variation.
But without a build sheet it would be impossible to say with 100% accuracy what mirror it was built with. Even the build sheet is only going to have the RPO code for the mirror and this will not indicate a round or square head. Nor does it cover production cleanup/buildouts that use up surplus parts (as jmj4's truck may be). Thus you need to fall back to a known normative build and example comparsion. Now it is a matter of the OP's assembly plant and if he has a build sheet.
Of note is the fact that the GMC literature reflected the 70 MY head change (as shown) where as most Chevrolets were still sporting the round head 69 MY mirrors. Given the long lead for literature production redressed previous MY vehicles or pre-production vehicles wrre often used by the art department.

[jmj4]

yes, the mirrors are original (with as much certainty as i can give since i was only one when he died). The truck was purchased by my grandfather in 1970. he died in early 74 and my grandmother parked it until i put it in the barn in the mid 80's. I pulled it out in 1998 and have had it since. I have photos with my grandfather and the truck when purchased (or shortly thereafter). I will concede that he may have had them changed by the dealer when purchasing but it wouldn't seem plausible as the square mirrors SS Tim shows would actually function better for visibility (switching out the little sport mirrors would be much more of a possibility due to their limited visibility).

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by jmj4

yes, the mirrors are original (with as much certainty as i can give since i was only one when he died). The truck was purchased by my grandfather in 1970. he died in early 74 and my grandmother parked it until i put it in the barn in the mid 80's. I pulled it out in 1998 and have had it since. I have photos with my grandfather and the truck when purchased (or shortly thereafter). I will concede that he may have had them changed by the dealer when purchasing but it wouldn't seem plausible as the square mirrors SS Tim shows would actually function better for visibility (switching out the little sport mirrors would be much more of a possibility due to their limited visibility).

I have a '69. When I bought it, the truck had square mirrors on stock arms. I replaced both with factory correct new arms and round heads, knowing that I wouldn't be able to see as well, and that they'd vibrate. Both of which are true, but I'm pleased with the original look, and happy with my decision.

You build a good case, but it's really hard to say what he did the first few years of ownership
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[asolde]

1969 K5 Blazer (original) Hope this helps and I like to post pictures of my blazer whenever I can.

[cericd]

Originally Posted by asolde

1969 K5 Blazer (original) Hope this helps and I like to post pictures of my blazer whenever I can.

Would you post some close up shots of your mirrors and mounting arms? My 70 C/10 needs new mirrors and I'm thinking of going with the rectangle instead of the round (which I currently have). I've seen some repro 5.5 x 7.5's but they have different backs.

Thanks

[Spartan]

Mine are rectangles. Black. Mount and arm are 514 red.
Pretty sure they are original but then like Tim said it could only be a beehive away from actually being OG. And in fact the owner probably changed them out when he had the camper wiring installed.

I likem so they will probably stay and come in useful when I put the camper back on
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[SS Tim]

Again there can be a number of reasons. Enjoy what you have and the history behind it. Be it a round head or a square the both went on the same arm. Yours as a late production may have been a cleanup build and received round heads in preparation for the change to the near useless DG6 style "sport mirrors" in the 71 MY.

BTW: If you have delivery or early ownership pictures I would love to see them. There are often treasures to be found in them.

[asolde]

I just look at the brochure for my 69 blazer and it shows both styles round and rectangler in the photos.