Hare-brained idea?

[FISHBREATH]

I have been developing an idea in my feeble brain of late. I would like to have remote control motorized side-view mirrors on my '68 'Cuda down the road. I have a set of manual mirrors from a '72 'Cuda. I like the style of the newer mirrors. Here is the idea:

How difficult is it to make a plaster mold of the newer shells and cast new ones in aluminum (metal from old pots, etc.). Would plaster molds survive the heat of molten metal? I noticed the motor mechanisms inside the newer motorized mirrors in junk yards and they are quite compact, so the master part will need modification to hold the mechanism.

Is this feasible or have I completely lost my mind?

 

[cudaspaz]

Anything can be done, but I'd use a factory housing and put the new guts in it.

Or find a couple decent junkyard mirrors to play with until you get it right.

 

[FISHBREATH]

Thanks, Spaz,

I was scrounging junkyards to find some motorized mirrors, but it seems that none are mounted on stalks - they all mount to the A-pillar nowadays. I will look into mounting the motor units into my '72 housings. If anything, I would probably need to modify the stalks to sit properly on the older style doors.

The idea of casting new units is intriguing to me. I dunno, there might be a market for such conversions out there.

Thanks for the input.

 

[RedFish]

Not electric mirror mind you but cable remote.
Here's how... You should have a left door mirror that is a glass in bowl ( like my avatar ) cable remote already. The mirror for the right door is made different but the remote glass assembly from a left donor mirror will mount in it.
In my 67 I have cut a second ignition switch bezel into the dash right beside the original. Thats where the right mirrors control wand will be mounted. In a 68 model the practical alternative location would be in place of that cig lighter well in the dash.
The long cable assembly needed comes from a mid to late 80s Grand Fury or Fifth Ave.
Complete details and pics of completed installation are about 2 months away.
Same but different idea. Food for thought.

 

[oneway71]

Yes Plaster should be able to handle the heat from the pour. But if you want you can add wallpaper glue to sand and make a mold that way. They also make glue's for sand molds but wallpaper glue is also used.
This info is not coming from experience but from a book that I have on pouring metal. If I remember correctly there are also some videos on utube doing pours.

 

[scampy72]

i think this is a good idea. if i were you i would see about RC car servos. i built a gas car that has some pretty small ones that i think would work. i could get you the brand this weekend when i go home if you want. you would need two for each mirror as they are two ways and im not sure if there are four way ones