'74-'75 Rectangular Mirror Problem Question

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Originally Posted by crashr

By new nose to you mean, not the long hood? My 75 had doesn't have the long hood and side vents. It did however appear to come with the driver side chrome mirror. I had bought flag style mirrors and was going to mount them but now am having second thoughts and think I want to stick with the original chrome mirror. In this case I would need to add the RHS mirror, which I can't find any documentation on placement/positioning of this mirror.

Same with my '74. AFAIK, the "correct" configuration for my car was the short hood (no side vents) and the single chrome side mirror. I've been told that only the Carreras had the option of the passenger's side mirror also, but I honestly don't know if I buy that entirely. I suspect that with enough $$$ you could have had nearly any option you wanted back then, maybe the dealer would have even put a pass. side mirror on for you. Dunno.

I believe the '74/'75 cars are also supposed to have the chrome surround "sugar scoop" headlight surrounds, not painted to body color. Pretty sure on that one.

[f3nr15]

Originally Posted by crashr

Also will a factory driver mirror and reproduction right side mirror be all that different?

Here's a right-hand side mirror I bought on eBay from German Auto Dismantlers:



I also have an original left side mirror, and side-by-side the two mirrors are perfectly matched.

If I didn't know better, I'd swear that the right side mirror was a factory item (part of me suspects that it still may be that, or a very good "reproduction" if Porsche really didn't ever make the right hand side mirror)

[Jay Laifman]

Either that or you've had a BMW mirror on your car all these years and never realized it!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

The stainless steel ones available here on Pelican aren't bad, if not 100% original.

[chrisg252]

I have a '75 S which obviously came with only the driver's side mirror. I've long wondered if the right side mirror from a British/Australian/South African spec car would fit on the right side of my car. Are the mounting holes on a RHD car in the right place for an passenger side mirror on a LHD car? And are there junkyards in England full of chrome exterior mirrors for middie 911s?
Chris

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Stupid question, but can you chrome-plate stainless steel? If so, I might eventually send the ones I got from here out to get dipped, which will look a bit more "correct" than the brushed stainless. The brushed finish doesn't look bad, but it's technically not "right" either.

Haven't decided on the pass. side mirror or not. The P.O. of my car put on the 80's style power "flag" mirrors which are admittedly more convenient for use, but they're not correct for the car, so I'm backdating to the correct ones.

One thing I've noticed (I think Dan alluded to this already) is the mounting holes for the flag mirrors don't work at all with the earlier rectangular manual mirrors that are "correct" for the mid year cars. The holes are in all the wrong places, meaning you either have to find mid-year doors or weld the holes shut. I'm pretty sure my doors are from a later car, either that or someone cut the holes in. Either way, it's something that will have to be addressed.

[crashr]

I think I am also going to move forward with the chrome plated mirrors, and was curious also whether these can be dipped/refinished.

Also can someone who has mounted the RHS reproduction mirror give me an idea of its general positioning. I know it can't be in the same place as the LHS. I have seen templates for the flagstyle for a RHS but never for the chrom/reproduction style.

[TRE Cup]

crashr:
the driver and passenger mirrors have the same mounting base dimensions. So installing them is the same, but position is NOT ! As with all left and right mirrors, the passenger mirror has to set back and up on the door so it is useful to the driver.
If you mount it in the same position as the driver side, your passenger will enjoy the view but you won't be able to see anything

The best way to position the passenger mirror is to sit in the car, have a friend hold the mirror along the upper part of the door in the corner wing glass area. Have the friend run the mirror fore and aft slightly till you get the best view from your normal driving position.
Now, an important mounting note: You will have to remove the door panel for access to the inside of the door so you can mount the mirror. Put some masking tape on the door , center punch where the holes go, then drill. As you are drilling into a slightly curved surface, the punch marks will help guide the bit so it does not skip and ruin the paint .

And finally some nit picking: There NEVER was a rectangular factory mirror made in chrome or black for the passenger side that matched the driver side. Never, ever, never ! Even when Porsche was making the RHD models, the cars would get round mirrors on 73 older and a plastic VW mirror on 74 up

[Jay Laifman]

Originally Posted by chrisg252

I have a '75 S which obviously came with only the driver's side mirror. I've long wondered if the right side mirror from a British/Australian/South African spec car would fit on the right side of my car. Are the mounting holes on a RHD car in the right place for an passenger side mirror on a LHD car? And are there junkyards in England full of chrome exterior mirrors for middie 911s?
Chris

RHD cars did not come with rectangle mirrors. They came with round Durants.

If you specially ordered a passenger side mirror, the factory fitted two round Durants and the passenger side had a convex mirror.