I am going to start using my 66 Dart GT as a tow vehicle for our small camper trailer. Rear vision will be impaired somewhat when towing and given that I live in New Zealand and we drive on the left side of the road I wanted to fit an outside mirror to the right hand door. I have managed to pick up a mirror from an Austrailian right hand drive Valiant but I was wondering how common the extra right hand side mirror was originally. I have Googled pictures of Darts and it seems very few cars are fitted with the mirror on the right side.
Outside mirror
- Thread starter Alf
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1970Duster
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Having one on each side didn't really pick up till the 70s. That said I always add one because it looks better to me.
In the 60s very few cars had the non- driver side mirror.
But it was a dealer installed option.
I always put one on for my cars, even the vintage ones.
But it was a dealer installed option.
I always put one on for my cars, even the vintage ones.
i'm thinkin the twin post mirrow is the same right or left????? maybe a member that knows will chime in. me personally, I like as mirrrows on both sides as I drive them ( once they get together !!) LOL I have 3 early a bodies i'm putting together, of course they all came missing the mirrow!!! been getting some off ebat , driver quality for like 30-35 each, I will see pair gor for anout 60-65. if they are tight and decent looking for 50 yrs old, that seems fair. shippin is what urks me.
2manymopars
AKA mopar_daddy
The twin post are not side specific and can be used right or left.
slantsixdan
=..=
On an A-body, the driver side mirror (plain or remote-control) is better than nothing, but only just, and the passenger side mirror (whichever style) is useless because it's far too small and the flat glass gives much too small a field of view. There are self-adhesive convex mirrors you can paste over the flat glass, but then you just replace one problem with another: the field of view is too distorted to give an accurate sense of where other cars are. There are some recent developments in side view mirror optic technology (see here and here); unfortunately I don't foresee anyone making them any time soon in sizes to fit an A-body.
You probably right about them being useless. I have fitted off side mirrors in the past and they often cannot be adjusted to the correct angle for the driver to see. I will usually have a passenger when towing so at least they can keep an eye out on that side. I am also fitting a small wireless rear view camera but I don't know how good the picture quality will be.
Because the Dodge sits lower than the window line of the trailer view through the trailer is limited with just the interior mirror.
I will post some pics of the car and trailer together.
The one I have just brought has the remote with cables. Came from a right hand drive Aussie Valiant.
I have one of those right hand drive door mirrors. It's just a shelf ornament conversation piece though. It will likely be worthless on your car. If it would adjust far enough to provide a helpful view, the wind would get behind the glass. The correct right mirror for left hand drive has a deeper outer edge on its bowl.
I suppose it could be mounted on a different position. My advise, Don't drill any holes in your door before you finger this out.
Hope this helps
Thanks for the advice. Appreciate it.
The mirror will be used mainly for the passenger to view.
I am hoping the rear view camera will help.
I have also seen 'periscope' type rear view setups that may be suitable.
Once again. Thanks for your reply.
valiant1966
Well-Known Member
Actually the twin posts are not side specific. I have two of them on my car. These are twin posts. Hard to find and expensive if you find a good one. Dennis
valiant1966
Well-Known Member
By the way, slantsixdan is correct. The mirror on the passenger side is just shy of being useless. I just like the "look" of it on the car. Dennis
Driving left hand drive cars in New Zealand you really need a good passenger at times. My wife has done many thousands of miles as a passenger and has often had to use the mirror for me. As you say, it does have the 'look' if nothing else..... :glasses7:
This is reference to a 67 Dart that comes to a local cruise-in sometimes...
There is a place to mount the mirror you have where it can be used but,
cant open that wing window.
This might provide insight as to why Dusters do have dual sport mirrors and don't have wing windows.
There is a place to mount the mirror you have where it can be used but,
cant open that wing window.
This might provide insight as to why Dusters do have dual sport mirrors and don't have wing windows.
To those that really use the side mirror it was also common to mount them where they would work. Most of the time that meant that the right side mirror was mounted more forward to on the fender. Today I would look into a side mounted camera built into a mirror as a better alternative. Giving looks and function in one unit.
slantsixdan
=..=
My '71 Dart came to me with side view mirrors installed far forward on the front fenders, in a location commonly seen on Japan-market cars made until the early '90s (and sometimes in Europe); see the car here. Those mirrors, with or without the stick-on convex glass, were completely useless. The next owner of the car wisely removed them (see this photo from this article).
As for stock mounting locations: the side view mirrors on a 4-door A-body got properly mounted just outboard of the divider between the leading edge of the roll-down window and the trailing edge of the vent wing. On a square-body 2-door, the mirror got properly mounted just ahead of the leading corner of the vent wing. Mixing up these locations means you're gonna have a bad time. Use the 4-door location on a square-body 2-door and you don't get to open the vent wing (which is larger on a 2-door than on a 4-door—obvs this doesn't apply to '73-'76 without wings). Use the 2-door location on a 4-door and you don't get to use the mirror without hunching down in your seat and edging your head over towards the window.
Even mounted properly, they're still too durn small.
As for stock mounting locations: the side view mirrors on a 4-door A-body got properly mounted just outboard of the divider between the leading edge of the roll-down window and the trailing edge of the vent wing. On a square-body 2-door, the mirror got properly mounted just ahead of the leading corner of the vent wing. Mixing up these locations means you're gonna have a bad time. Use the 4-door location on a square-body 2-door and you don't get to open the vent wing (which is larger on a 2-door than on a 4-door—obvs this doesn't apply to '73-'76 without wings). Use the 2-door location on a 4-door and you don't get to use the mirror without hunching down in your seat and edging your head over towards the window.
Even mounted properly, they're still too durn small.
2 Darts
A-body Addicted
You actually saw twin mirrors in the US as early as the late 20s, usually topping dual side-mounted spares. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 111 (1993) sets performance standards requiring the ability to see both sides of the vehicle from the driver's seat. This means that dual outside mirrors have been required since 1993. I have had twin mirrors on every new car I purchased beginning in 1983. They were standard IIRC.
I agree with Dan that the mirrors are rather small. The other problem with them is that they are mounted close in to the body. As such, it is hard to see past whatever I was towing. They do have some utility value, however.
You may have something like this where you are. http://www.truckntow.com/p-18945-universal-strap-on-towing-mirror.aspx
I've driven a pickup pulling a camper trailer with something like this on it. Good rearward vision remained clear to 75 mph (120 kph). Can't attest to faster because of vehicle was drag limited, would not go faster.
http://www.truckntow.com/p-18945-universal-strap-on-towing-mirror.aspx
I agree with Dan that the mirrors are rather small. The other problem with them is that they are mounted close in to the body. As such, it is hard to see past whatever I was towing. They do have some utility value, however.
You may have something like this where you are. http://www.truckntow.com/p-18945-universal-strap-on-towing-mirror.aspx
I've driven a pickup pulling a camper trailer with something like this on it. Good rearward vision remained clear to 75 mph (120 kph). Can't attest to faster because of vehicle was drag limited, would not go faster.
http://www.truckntow.com/p-18945-universal-strap-on-towing-mirror.aspx
2 Darts
A-body Addicted
The mirror on the passenger side of early A bodies- the placement allowed for passenger to view- not the driver- the 60s viewpoint-
I have had people tell me that the remote mirrors were only 66 up, but my 65 Signet has one
slantsixdan
=..=
1964 was the first year a remote-control driver's side view mirror was available on A-bodies. The 1964 mirror is similar but not identical to the 1966-'76 (plus '66-'70 B-body) mirror. The 1965 mirror is similar but not identical to the '64 and '66-'76 mirrors. The differences are cosmetic: slightly different housing shell circumference contour, a couple of different control knob shapes, a couple of different control knob nut shapes -- the overall size, shape, and mounting are the same '64-'76.
People saying the remote mirror was only '66-up are guessing (incorrectly) what it means that they see listings for reproduction '66-'76 mirrors.
People saying the remote mirror was only '66-up are guessing (incorrectly) what it means that they see listings for reproduction '66-'76 mirrors.
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