OT 80s ford power mirrors....

[Jeff_H]

I finally got my '86 tbird uncovered for the "season", haha. I figured I had better make sure no mice got in there and also drive out the fuel and refresh it before another winter.

I then remembered that when I filled it up last Oct 30th prior to winter storage (per receipt on the console) that the car wash somehow broke the passenger side mirror. The glass "fell" out and I managed to notice it right away and get the attendant to go look in the grate in the wash.

I just tossed it in the car at that time.

So, now I am looking at it. I do have some spares down at the farm but this one seems like it could be repaired.

There seems to be a missing spider or cross bar item that must have got knocked out at the car wash. Not sure if it was metal or plastic, if anyone ever had one of these sorts of ford mirrors apart before. I would expect they were all similar in those years.

Wonder if I could make something from 2 pcs of the correct dia thick wire or rod, etc somehow welded or soldered together. Dunno if this is "flat" or the 2 wires would overlap so the ends are not on the same plane??

Fortunately, the plastic tangs or snaps don't seem to be broken! This car is developing a lot of brittle plastic bits now that are unobtainium even 10yrs ago and 'yards no longer have any. I did get stuff back in the late 90s and early 00s so I am not totally out of luck on a few spares of some items.

Thoughts?

[Bordeaux Daytona]

I work on used cars at a Ford dealer. I have a large collection of mirror parts and probably have one. They were metal. Maybe you could measure how wide it could be. I'll check tomorrow.

[jclary]

I work on used cars at a Ford dealer. I have a large collection of mirror parts and probably have one. They were metal. Maybe you could measure how wide it could be. I'll check tomorrow.

Sounds like a great plan to me!

Otherwise...change your first name to "BUBBA" and DUCT TAPE IT!

[Bordeaux Daytona]

I found two this morning. I'm thinking the smaller of the two might work. I'll try to post a pic somehow.

[8E45E]

Sounds like a great plan to me!

Otherwise...change your first name to "BUBBA" and DUCT TAPE IT!

Have you tried to use duct tape to repair a broken RV mirror? How long does duct tape last exposed to the elements in the first place, not to mention, standing up to a 70mph or more wind going down the highway? Me thinks its NOT a such a fantastic idea at all!

Craig

[Jeff_H]

Thanks!

Seems like the end to end on the mirror head slots would be around 0.9" to 0.97". The other slots on the motor are a bit longer but I've not measured it. Its drizzling rain out now or I would go check. The ID of the clips on the mirror head would indicate that the wire/rod was maybe around 0.12". I get about 0.118" with my calipers.

Looking at my picture above I can see that a tab on the motor side right hand clip is broken off. That would prevent the cross from sliding left/right. Maybe that is why it came off if the cross pc was not centered when the brushes at the car wash whacked it.

All else fails, some 1/8" dia rod soldered into a + shape may not be too tuff to make.

I've spent time searching online for any pix of diagrams of the guts of these mirrors to no avail. Maybe my search terms are the problem.

[Jeff_H]

Hmm, now at least I know what it looks like. Found a NOS mirror head for sale on ebay and they had a picture of the back showing the missing spider:



IF my car was mint/show condition (and its NOT!) I'd possibly go for the $45 they want for this. There was another one for $34 but missing the spider. As it is, my car has totally shot/baked off clearcoat/paint so not worthy of a $45 mirror repair.

Looks like it was made of pot metal or die cast Al. Answers the question if the rods overlapped or on the same plane. I am sure 2 appropriate dia lengths of rod ground out in the middle then overlapped at 90 deg and soldered together would work but take some hours to fab up (depending how hard to find the stock).

[Bordeaux Daytona]

This is the one I found.
1.17 x .97
.12 - .11 diameter. it's rounder in the middle, maybe it could be ground down if it interferes.
So that might be good. Must be someway to fix the tab. I might have motors but not sure about connectors and condition.
I could probably throw the crossbar in a regular mail envelope to you.

[Jeff_H]

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[Bordeaux Daytona]

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