'74-'75 Rectangular Mirror Problem Question

[Dan in Pasadena]

I've got a '76 that I mini-backdated to look more like a '74. Stainless mirror, fog delete, narrow bumperettes and metal grill, etc. One of the things done was weld the square hole for the flag mirror shut and install a '74 rectangular repop mirror.

The problem is that even though the installation looks right you cannot adjust the mirror pointing down enough to actually be albe to use it. I am 5'-11" so nothing unusual about my size. I'd post a picture but there is nothing to see. The curve of the body line in a longitudinal plane before and after the mirror mounting location is EXACTLY consistent. I can sight down it and there is no waviness, nothing.

The mirror I bought wasn't available from Pelican at the time so I think I got it from Oklamhoma Foreign (possibly Parts Heaven) and the guy told me it was a foreign made repop and the quality was so-so. I bought it anyway because my body shop had to fit it before paint. Before realizing it wasn't just an adjustment problem I tried adjusting it down so much the internal half spherical plastic bushing split...but it is still useable.

Anyone else had this problem? Is it likely a poor quality reproduction part and something inherently wrong wit hthe geometry of how they cast it? or do you think it is something in the installation? I hate to spend another $75 only to find it wasn't the mirror in the first place. I have taken it on an off a few times, there seems to be nothing to be done to make it adjust to an ordinary usealbe field of vision. Also, I want to install a right side one but finding those is tough. Anyone have either or both in good condition for sale at a reasonable price?

[Grady Clay]

Dan,

Can you disassemble it off the car? I assume the in-out is properly adjustable.

Best,
Grady

[ventana]

Dan;
Jack Olsen runs the '74 rectangular mirrors on both sides of his Black Beauty II. I was looking for a passenger side mirror for my '74 Coupe and saw a picture of his car. I asked him today where he acquired the passenger side mirror and he directed me to Einmalig Porsche in Huntington Beach, CA. Their website is einmalig.com. I wrote to them and Brian Farmer wrote back and said they have reproduction rectangular mirrors for $125.00 each. You might email Jack Olsen and ask him if he has any problems with his mirrors? Please post what you find out because I really would like a passenger side mirror to work on my Coupe.

Ventana

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ventana, thanks for the source....I think! I paid $79.95 if memory serves for my driver's side mirror. Of course, that price difference alone either represents a heck of a mark up or...how crappily made a mirror I bought :>) But I'll look into it nonetheless

Grady, Yeah, it can be miassembled and I have done so but basically it is just a cast base and an arm. The arm has a bolt that runs through it into the base that is surrounded by a spring. The arm "rides" in the plastic semi spherical ball I mentioned and though I have studied it I haven't found anything that looks "modifiable" to accomplish what I need. Namely, being able to make it point upward so I can see traffic behind me. I'll call Einmalig and see what they tell me. Incidentally, I saved a picture of Jack's Black Beauty I - one of my all time favorite cars. It shows BOTH mirrors and I think they balance the look very nicely.

[ventana]

Dan;
Here are a few more possibilities in your search for a mirror. In my searching for a rectangular side view mirror I came across a listing in Excellence for Foreign Intrigue (foreignintrigue.com). I contacted Michael Grishman about their mirror #911 731 014 01 and he said "Yes, the 911 731 014 01 is the correct right side mirror for your car. Original mirrors have not been available for over six years. The one we carry is a reproduction." Their price is
is $80.50.
I was thinking that you may want to try removing the attachment screws from your mirror and then using some duct tape to temporarily hold the mirror to the body while you sit in the driver's seat. Have an assistant make small changes in the mirror's position until you can actually see a usable image. This may be a way to discover if the problem is the mirror or the position in which the mirror is mounted. I used this procedure to mount a passenger side mirror to my '57 Chevy which was not equipped with a factory mirror.
Hope this helps;
Ventana

[fintstone]

I believe that I have the same repro mirror as you for the right side. It does not adjust quite as well as my original left one, but enough to use. I believe that you have mounted your mirror in the wrong spot. It does not go in the same place on the door as the left one does. It mounts higher and more to the front of the door.

[Paulporsche]

Dan,

That is one killer looking mid year!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally posted by Paulporsche
Dan,

That is one killer looking mid year!

Paul and Fintstone, Thanks for the compliment. I'm sure Jack Olsen says thank you That's his old BBI, not MY car. It isn't a Mid year anyway. I posted the picture to show the kind of mirror I am having a problem with.

Paul, The mounting bolts coincide with the factory through-the-inner-door-skin holes so I have been assuming it is in the right place. What I am MOST worried about is that the mirror is correct but the painter finished the curvature of the door skin incorrectly when he welded shut the flag mirror square hole.

I don't THINK that's the problem because the curvature of the door profile is exactly consistent all around where the hole was welded shut, but I can't be absolutely sure unless I buy or borrow a true factory mirror and attempt to mount it in the holes to see if it CAN be adjusted properly. If it can, I'll know my door is fine and the mirror is repro crap. If I cannot then I know the painter finished the door skin incorrectly....and getting him to redo it will be tough, though I WILL make him do it!

Anyone have a factory rectangular mirror (even with broken glass) that they will loan out? I promise to return it asap!

[Wangrande]

I used the BMW mirrors that go on a 70's 2002. PN 51-16-1-821-793 driver and 51-16-1-822-076 passenger. Get them from the dealer. The mounting base is SLIGHTLY different fron original, but the flag and stalk are identical. They are really nice. About $110 each. Not the best pic...

[Dan in Pasadena]

Wangrande, I've got to ask - why did you go with non-Porsche mirrors? Were you having trouble finding the factory ones or what?

P.S. Thanks very much for the part numbers. Any chance for a closeup picture?

[Wangrande]

Easy fix for a matching pair. Many driver side correct options, but passenger side is rare item. This option was suggested by a friend of mine Mr. Schmidt on this forum (known to build great engines) and I am happy with the quality. Mounting base is, like I say, not exact in the outline compared to the original, but the brushed finish of the stainless, the tinted glass and the overall profile is great. Matching pair is your answer. I will try to post close up pic soon. These are dead on.

[gulf908]

Dan,
There were never any OEM right hand side mirrors made to match the lh flags.
The ones on Jack's car are a little larger than the original lh flags.
That said,the ones on Jack's car look pretty good to me !

Cheers,
Dennis.

[fintstone]

The BMW mirrors work and look great...but tyhey are just slightly different that the stock Porsche ones. I saw them on one of Henry's cars and would have done the same if I had not already bought the repro for the right. The BMW ones are better quality and a bit more adjustable than the repros.

As far as mounting position for the right, the factory mounting spots are not correct for the '74 repro mirror. It mounts higher and farther forward.

Jack's mirrors are the larger, more useful '74-'75 type instead of the correct, smaller '72-'73 mirrors. Note in the photo that his right mirror is mounted a bit higher than the left.

[Jack Olsen]

In a head-on shot you can also see the slight differences in left/right position.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks Jack, et al. At this point I am most interested in getting ONE friggin mirror to be useable. After that I wil worry about getting a right hand side and making it work. My question remains, do I have a poor quality repro mirro that cannot and will not ever be able to be made to work in the factory location? Or did my painter somehow mount it improperly which will necessitate me taking the car back to the painter for grinding, welding, re-drilling, etc? Does anyone have a factory left side mirror they could loan me for a day to trial install it on my car? If it then CAN be adjusted to work, all I've got to do is buy a good mirror. If not its a LOT of work to get things straightened out.

[Scott at Pelican Parts]

Dan,
I believe that there is only one manufacturer of these reproduction mirrors. Pelican now has them in the online catalog. Our price is $72.95 each.

[fintstone]

My factory left mirror has one more adjustment than my reproduction right one. It adjusts at the top of the short shaft (at the back of the mirror) and at the bottom (where it meets the base). It makes all the difference. I wish I could find a similar one for the passenger side. I believe the BMW ones also adjust at the top and bottom.

[crashr]

Does anyone have a template on where this style of mirror should be mounted on the right side? Any suggestions? Also will a factory driver mirror and reproduction right side mirror be all that different?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Totally unrelated - didn't the '74/'75 have the "new" nose instead of the early-style nose with the two side vents/grilles between the hood & sidemarker lights? I thought this was changed in '74 with the other body changes, but if I'm missing something please edumicate me before I head off in the wrong direction with my restoration.

[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.