Correct mirror for early 911

Hi all,

I have a silly "Friday question". I'm stripping my car for a repaint and I am trying to figure out what the correct mirror for the vintage is for when I get to re-assembly.

The car is a '72 911T. In the interest of cost (since I already have the pieces and do not want the expense of replacing them) I am adding a ducktail and front rs spoiler. I realize that these are not correct for my car since they really belong on a '73, but I figure it isn't a huge crime and I can always replace them with stock bits later if I decide the rs look is overdone or I feel like a "poser".

The question I have is what are the correct mirrors for the:
a) 1972 911 TE
and
b) 1973 911 Carerra RS

The only mirror I have, I believe is from an earlier car. It is a stock round mirror with a chrome housing. Any chance this is vintage correct?

Thanks for any input.

Charlie

The stock mirror is a rectangular one. There are 2 kinds. One is smaller than the other. You want the small one-it is chrome looking. Tweeks sells them. Not sure if pelican does. There are also after mkt ones that are identical in black. This is what i just bought from automotion for my 72 which i'm having painted as i write. My car was in such bad shape that all the shops said either strip it down to metal or repaint for half the cost. Since this car is stored out side, i could not see spending $5,000-$6,000. One drip of sap or door ding and i would be pissed. So, $2,500 it is. I went with dupont products because i wanted dupont imron 5000 paint. Will post when done.
Have fun with the repaint

Yes, you want the rectangular 'bright' (brushed looking) flag style mirror. The round 'durant' style was only used thru 71.

If it's in good shape you can pop it up on ebay and get a few bucks for it.

The rectangular ones turn up used sometimes for $50-75, but condition varies widely - you may want to pop for a new one so it will look "right" with your newly painted car.

Good luck,
Chris C.

I picked up a '72-'73 mirror at the Pomona swap meet a year or so ago for $15. Also just bought one off of ebay for $55 plus $6 for shipping. The base is chrome, but the mirror housing seems to be stainless steel. I'm going to disassemble both, put the best parts into one & sell the other. They don't seem to come along too often.

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Marv Evans
'72 911E

The '73 2.7RS had a round mirror - driver side only. I've only seen chrome, but stainless is possible. I've done a little research on this as I'm building a '73 RS clone for street/track. Hope to unveil it in mid-June. Should be an interesting street machine with the planned Matini livery.

Oops... Sorry for the above typo. That's supposed to be 'Martini' livery. BTW - I've gotten some suggestions for plates: SHAKEN (looks whimpy for the track); STIRRED (I like this - as in the emotion one feels while driving such a car). Any suggestions (max 7 characters in Cal.)?

Any chance I could find out where you got this info. I'm not trying to dispute it. It is just that I've seen pictures and models and I know that I've seen some rectangular and some round. I'd like to find the documentation you're referencing, so my car can look kind of original too. That may be a bit hard since I guess none of the '73 RS cars had external oil filler doors like the '72s. Oh well.

Thanks,
Charlie

I am looking at a picture in a book called 'Great Marques - Porsche', by Chris Harvey, published in 1980, reprint in '81, by Octopus Books Ltd., pgs 34-35. Sorry I don't have a scanner (probably couldn't figure out how to use it, anyway). The particular car I see is RHD w/red graphics, ahhhhh.... The '73RS is a popular subject so you should be able to find some good pix. Another good source - check out real RSs for sale in Europe (Autofarm, etc...), you'll see lots of good pix. Good luck

Thanks. I'll try to dig that up at the local bookstore.

My problem is that I see various mirrors in photos. I guess the problem in the end is that there are so many different sources and so much time has passed that many owners may be running non-original equipment.

I'll check out that photo. Hopefully the mirror I have is the same one you're referncing. Wouldn't that be great!

Have a good weekend.

Charlie

The round mirrors were offered up to 1975 in the UK (and probably Europe?). The RS may have different mirror to US spec cars (which, I think, needed a bigger mirror to meet federal standards).

Matt Smith has a 1972 911TE and it had the rectangular brushed aluminium mirror on the drivers side only. It is very likely that his car is standard (from Arizona).

See piccie of his car below:



Cam

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Cameron Baudinet
1975 911S

I'm looking at an original Porsche magazine advertisement for the 73 Carrera RS. It has the small rectangular mirror - driver side only.

Thanks (again) for posting that wonderfully er, atmospheric shot of my car Cam! But sadly you are wrong. It's not brushed alluminium- looks like stainless or dull chrome.
I personally feel that the early 911's benefit from Kenworth mirrors each side. You can never be to complacent about what's following, especially when the voice of paranoia is breathing down your neck...
(This emotion is justified. I just got a hideous speeding ticket through the post, and this has curbed my enthusiastic driving- drastically......)

While at Cambria this weekend there was a real unrestored 73 RS(unbelievable) there with only 43k on it. While looking at the car the discussion of the correct mirrors just happened to come up. this particular car had the larger rectangular one on it that was seen in 74. Apparently if you wanted that mirror you could get it or even the round one. I think they usually came with the smaller retangular mirror however.

Hello

The RS came stock with the small retangular mirror. Only RHD, Sweden, Italy and some other markeds get the round unit. Some costumers just ordered the round mirror as they had been fashionable then ( Remember those Talbot mirrors ? ).

The retangular mirror came after Porsche needed to enlarge the rear visibilty but would also liked to lower the cd. The 914 unit showed the way but Ferry Porsche liked to have the mirror more forward to support smaller drivers visabilty.

They came in different looks. Standard was the brushed stainless steel with matched to the targa bar. There was also stainless steel polished and black paintet. Some cars got them in body color matched ( Wolfgang Porsches 2,4 S )

Standard was brushed for all. Some E and S recived polished versions also depending on body color. Black units came with the 73 year but where also used as replacement or upgrade for that fashionable "Shadowline" look back then.


I think the parts book or Brad Johnsons Book will light up that issue.


The very first 8 RS had the oil flap and where based on 72 bodys. However Porsche destroyed four of them ( The 000X series )and only two have known existance today.
Those cars get also the 360 VIN from the factory as they didn´t believed they will make the full 500 within the year. They would be hapy to reach the 250 FIA Factory special limit. Surprissingly after the cars where on display they got more fixed orders then cars to built and streched the RS to 1570 units making it to a standard production car homologation.

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