Question for the guys with OEM 71-72 sport mirrors

[Steve Cole]

I mounted a good quality aftermarket sport mirror on my passenger side in the factory location and i can't see anything with it. The mirror head doesn't turn far enough (it hits the base) to be usable.

My question is: is this just what you get in the aftermarket world or are the original (OEM) mirrors the same way? Thanks.

[leddzepp]

Sport mirrors suck for visibility, they are more of an accessory IMO

[leftybass209]

Like Leddzepp said, they are more for looks than function. The originals aren't any better.

[YBNORML]

Agreed! I have never been able to adjust the passenger side in my 72' to see anything. Sadly they are the best looking mirrors though

[bigpaul]

It seems to me that I read that the passenger side mirror is mounted
a different distance from the edge of the door to correct this. Is that right?

[DeadheadNM]

Originally Posted by bigpaul

It seems to me that I read that the passenger side mirror is mounted
a different distance from the edge of the door to correct this. Is that right?

Agree with above - IMO these are terrible for visibility that's why guys do things like shown in the pic below on a truck I just looked at. The owner must have swapped them out so fast the OEM paint isn't even slightly faded where these were mounted.

The RH mirror is installed sightly further back than the LH mirror IIRC.

[YBNORML]

Originally Posted by bigpaul

It seems to me that I read that the passenger side mirror is mounted
a different distance from the edge of the door to correct this. Is that right?

They are mounted e little further back, but it doesn't really help.

[davepl]

You need a pair of these new Soviet Micro Mirrors I've invented. Great visibility and almost undetectable.

[wreckedchevy]

glad I read this I was going to get replacement sport mirror's for the daughter's truck guess we'll have to figure out something else then

[Already Gone]

Originally Posted by davepl

You need a pair of these new Soviet Micro Mirrors I've invented. Great visibility and almost undetectable.

Nice mirrors and you have serious chrome on them.

[davepl]

Originally Posted by Already Gone

Nice mirrors and you have serious chrome on them.

Thanks! It was a stupid amount like $1000 because there are something like 26 individual pieces and there's a minimum charge per piece...

I know there were stainless West Coast JR mirrors and I have a vague memory of stainless SR mirrors on the larger trucks. But no chrome in the real world...

[Already Gone]

Originally Posted by davepl

Thanks! It was a stupid amount like $1000 because there are something like 26 individual pieces and there's a minimum charge per piece...

I know there were stainless West Coast JR mirrors and I have a vague memory of stainless SR mirrors on the larger trucks. But no chrome in the real world...

Yes I remember those West Coast mirrors as stainless but never chromed like yours.

[jlaird]

Guys, has anybody had visibility issues with the mirror arms that were used on the 67-68's with round mirror heads? I'm working on some arm designs and want to be sure to make any length/angle corrections if needed. I haven't heard of any issues with them, but want to make sure.

[Aussie Ol' Blue]

I found exactly the same issues with the uselessness of the sports mirrors! Made more frustrating because I'm driving a left hooker on the left side of the road, I really NEED that right hand mirror. I was looking at the long 67-69 arms with a square mirror but can't find any down here. I found repop mirror heads from a 69 Holden and with a little ingenuity and a blob of JB Weld, fixed them to my original arms! Now I've got some practical mirrors that don't look too dramatically out of place with plenty of angle adjustment.

[Steve Cole]

Originally Posted by jlaird

Guys, has anybody had visibility issues with the mirror arms that were used on the 67-68's with round mirror heads? I'm working on some arm designs and want to be sure to make any length/angle corrections if needed. I haven't heard of any issues with them, but want to make sure.

Would you consider re-designing the 71-72 sport mirrors for better visibility? Since I already have holes in my doors, I'm (like a lot of people) stuck with this style. If there was a mirror that looked like the sport mirrors but allowed you to actually see what's behind you, it would be a big seller.

[leftybass209]

Originally Posted by Aussie Ol' Blue

I found exactly the same issues with the uselessness of the sports mirrors! Made more frustrating because I'm driving a left hooker on the left side of the road, I really NEED that right hand mirror. I was looking at the long 67-69 arms with a square mirror but can't find any down here. I found repop mirror heads from a 69 Holden and with a little ingenuity and a blob of JB Weld, fixed them to my original arms! Now I've got some practical mirrors that don't look too dramatically out of place with plenty of angle adjustment.

That's a cool idea! It doesn't look out of place, we just everything about our trucks so it's easier to spot!

[jlaird]

Originally Posted by Steve Cole

Would you consider re-designing the 71-72 sport mirrors for better visibility? Since I already have holes in my doors, I'm (like a lot of people) stuck with this style. If there was a mirror that looked like the sport mirrors but allowed you to actually see what's behind you, it would be a big seller.

I would consider it. I've actually already had the same request from others. The issue with the sport mirrors seems to be in the length/angle of the arm. I will put some thought into it.

[joeydurango]

All the factory mirror set needs is a small change to the angle of the ball joint on the passenger mirror. Just a little more inward adjustment would be primo... until then, I'm just using a dumb-looking (but functional) convex mirror stuck on the passenger side sport mirror.

[Steve Cole]

Originally Posted by jlaird

I would consider it. I've actually already had the same request from others. The issue with the sport mirrors seems to be in the length/angle of the arm. I will put some thought into it.

The arm could be re-designed, like you said but another idea would be move the mirror head mounting point to slightly off center, (more of the mirror to the outside of the arm) this may allow the mirror to rotate more before it contacts the arm. That's the problem, the mirror hits the arm before it's rotated enough to provide visibility. Slide the mounting point over half an inch and that may fix the issue.

[Lee H]

Is the problem it won't adjust far enough toward the door to see the rear quarter?

[Steve Cole]

Yes. The mirror contacts the arm before it moves far enough to be of any use.

[Lee H]

Originally Posted by Steve Cole

Yes. The mirror contacts the arm before it moves far enough to be of any use.

OK, at the risk of being booed off, I’ll offer this. If you can see your quarter panels, or close to it while seated your blind spots are not covered. To adjust the mirrors to get the blind spots covered, sit in driver’s seat and lean your head to the left until it just touches window, adjust mirror until you can just see the rear edge of the rear quarter. Then lean inboard about the same amount, should be about centered in the car, and adjust the passenger’s side mirror. When viewing all three mirrors you want the smallest amount of overlap possible. This method will all but eliminate the blind spots.

[slow-1]

I have found that if you rotate the mirror slightly clockwise the mirror will miss the arm and you can adjust it in enough to see a little bit, but its still limited as the mirror is flat and needs to be convex.

[slow-1]

Originally Posted by jlaird

I would consider it. I've actually already had the same request from others. The issue with the sport mirrors seems to be in the length/angle of the arm. I will put some thought into it.

You would probably solve the issue by just using a convex mirror on the same product...would have to experiment with it to see.

[mcbassin]

Does it do any good to reposition the mirror location forward or back to change the center of mirror rotation? I haven't drilled my doors for these mirrors yet but am close to doing it.