TA_C10: Stage 1

[TA_C10]

And for anyone interested. Here are pics of the original style mirror.

[1971Stepside]

Too bad the metal "ball" inside the original mirror isn't the same size as the plastic one in the new mirror. Would be too easy, right?

[siggyfreud]

That's interesting. I haven't seen an original mirror that mounted that way and had a plastic/leather texture cover. I'm used to seeing ones that look like this (picture not mine):

[TA_C10]

couldn't help it. took it apart. the ball inside old style is close but it's a little too small. I was thinking you could buy 2 of these mirrors and take ball off and use on other end welding it to other end bracket... Hopefully siggy can hook us up!

[siggyfreud]

What's the wiring routing look like? Would you run the wiring between the roof panels?

[TA_C10]

Well I went and figured it out. The OE mirror has the small pivot ball with bracket that attaches to the long arm. I loaded .030 mig in my welder and made 3-4 rounds of welds around the ball. Flattened the far end and drilled a hole for wire. I later enlarged the hole at flat end and used die grinder to enlarge the opening like a funnel. Real smooth for the wire to move around. Works great. So siggy if you can make the ball with little adapter like this we can simply open the new mirror and swap it out like you see below. Above post shows ball size.

Ripped ball out of mirror. It's tiny, like .04, need it to be. 08".




Round 1 of welds. I grind them down between each layer.



Round 3 half done.



Drilling the hole at an angle to miss the bracket. Broke the dam bit off inside.



Getting there. Next I opened up the hole bigger.






Here I have it installed in the new mirror.







Will need to get this chrome plated or powder coated so it doesn't rust, unless siggy can come through for us with his plastics. This needs to be pretty stout siggy, it's tight in the mirror and adjusting mirror and it getting bumped from time to time it needs to be able to hold up to the abuse.



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[1971Stepside]

I knew you could do it!!!

[siggyfreud]

Can you give me the diameter of ball, the holes, and the rough length and width of the mounting tab attached to the ball?

[TA_C10]

Here you go!










Keep in mind this hole has a little metal bracket in it for the screw that goes in it. So it's more like .20




This bottom hole, I shaped it like a funnel so the wire could move around when pivoting. It's similar to the new mirror bracket, but new mirror bracket was a lot more hollow.



This is the top of the hole in ball. It too is funneled just a little bit. Beveled I should say.



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[siggyfreud]

Perfect. I'll see if I can whip up a design. Does that hole in the square piece need to be a squarish shape to support whatever style screw goes in, or does round work?

[TA_C10]

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

Perfect. I'll see if I can whip up a design. Does that hole in the square piece need to be a squarish shape to support whatever style screw goes in, or does round work?

The hole is round, the little metal clip inside it is squareish.

.

[siggyfreud]

Is the clip removeable? Should I be designing it round so the clip can be inserted into it?

[siggyfreud]

Design #1

[TA_C10]

That looks perfect. My suggestion for the holes is that they are beveled so there are no sharp edges for the wire to get cut over time. Or is that something that would have to be done after printing?

And the hole in bracket, it needs to be round, the little square clip just inserts into that. And I have no idea if it's really needed or not I have not looked into what that clip serves just yet. But it will come with your reproduction mirror anyways which I assume were all going to be buying so we can re-use that clip.

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[TA_C10]

Here is a picture of the clip in round hole.



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[TA_C10]

And here is a pic of the original piece before I went to town on it. Just in case this helps.



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[siggyfreud]

Beveled

[siggyfreud]

Do you think it needs the bend in the arm coming from the sphere? Just noticed both your modified one and the stock has a curve to it.

[TA_C10]

Yeah, I think it does actually, the way it enters the mirror from rear it needs to curve like that a little to get the angle right for adjustments. Without the curve the "stem" might hit the mirror and act as a stop too early and not allow adjustments.

Stem length needs to be = .4"
Stem radius would be = .2"
Stem angle is around = 140 degree

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[TA_C10]

And check this out. LMCTruck has the mirror broken down into parts. So if your printed part works Siggy your customers would only need to buy #3 in this catalog!

https://www.lmctruck.com/1967-72-che...ar-view-mirror




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[TA_C10]

And here is an example of the angle being used in a truck I found on this forum. It's a different arm from the roof mount but the angle and ball is the same as our application. You can see how it helps with the necessary angle needed so it doesn't hit the mirror and stop too early.

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[siggyfreud]

Perfect, will work on iteration #2 here between meetings.

[siggyfreud]

[1971Stepside]

Very cool stuff guys. I appreciate you working on this.

[TA_C10]

spin the stem 180, the bracket needs to be "over" the hole, or another way of saying it is the stem should curve "over" the hole.

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