Technical When things start to droop

I've got an old Caddy, with an old passenger side mirror. You can see the mirror is pinched with allthread rod and what looks to be a softer metal to pinch the mirror with the base...

Have any of you successfully resurrected something like this? I'm afraid to apply too much pressure with the nuts on the threads, for fear it would pull that little bit of metal out of the mirror...potentially while driving down the street.

I also REALLY need that mirror, this thing's got a blindspot like you wouldn't believe.

 

You would not have to overtighten it if you use a thin rubber washer on that inner cone and another one between the mirror head and the mounting base. Make them from a thin tire tube or whatever you might find.

The rubber will keep it stable with very little pressure from the all thread setup.

Then use a chrome acorn nut and one of those nuts to lock the acorn after it is tight enough so the mirror can be moved but not loose enough to flop around.

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I've done that...it doesn't last, I'm afraid...I've used bicycle inner tube rubber, cork and O-rings...I was hoping for something more NOS/OEM

 

There are source of aftermarket and reproduction mirrors as well as the occasional NOS popping up. Look in Hemmings Motors News for ads. Also, with any luck, a good used mirror may be found at swap meets. The mirror you have looks like it would work on either side, and many were designed to do that, so you do not necessarily have to find a ‘right’ side unit. Best wishes with your search.

Ray

 

Thanks, Ray, I'll grab a copy of Hemmings. I found plenty of driver's side mirrors (It's a remote adjust that goes through the door) and while there are mirrors available, I've ordered 'close enough' enough times that what you end up with is often far from the mirror it's replacing.

 

Take some more pictures - some of us have boxes full of those things we took off cars to clean them up …. be very happy to match yours if possible !

 

It's from a 1966 Cadillac Fleetwood 75, the mirror is 4.75", and the base is about 7 3/8" long, the holes on the base are 5.375" apart (so 5 and 13/32?)

I'm guessing the hole to hole distance is probably the most important issue...followed by function...and, well, looks.