Hot Rods Rearview mirror ~ revisited

Here's a simple cheap mirror I used in place of the small stock style thats easy to
mount. I believe it's off of a Jeep, only $10 :
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FQ22J6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

My Ford sits lower than most cars on the road. By rights I should use a sunscreen on the back of my neck at night. I'm going to dig out an old day-night Ford mirror that I have, machine up an adapter to fit the mirror mount it has.

 

Rear view mirrors can be art too

 

Here is the one in my coupe. I think it is from a dodge of some sort. Had the glass re-silvered as it is wedge shaped. Kinda neat and doesn't look out of place.

 

Another one I snagged for another project. No markings on it at all. One side is a standard mirror. rotate the knob and the mirror flips over to a smoked look.

 

Your right,that wouldn't be too bad in the wagon. HRP

 

Just put it away till spring when the clocks go back forward and problem solved.

 

That's EXACTLY the problem with newer headlights. Halogen (still used on the majority of new cars) is essentially the same color spectrum as the 'regular' lights, just a bit higher on the scale. HID and LED are monochromatic and your eye perceives them as brighter, even if they're the same lumen output.

 

Made for your '50 Ford, Danny......
Guide Mirror (2) by TagMan, on Flickr

 

That ain't going to happen. HRP

 

That would be the perfect replacement mirror, if only they were still in business. HRP

 

Quite a few to choose from here Danny.

https://www.ebay.com/bhp/glare-proof-mirror

 

Thanks Rick. HRP

 

Get 53 54 GM mirror they have a day /night function at the flip of a lever, try obsolete Chevrolet parts stores. Look good work good.

 

I had one of these beveled mirrors in my Model T Tudor for a while. Like you said, it was fine in the daytime, but at night if there was one car behind me, it would appear in the mirror as three cars. Very disconcerting, ditched after about a week.

 

Here's a patent Design Circa 1933 similar to what @TagMan posted that you could fab up for a project using plexi and some homemade bracketry...
and be inspired period correct...

I have also experienced the very distracting light that can happen at night as well......so maybe I should make one as well...


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Ironic that chrome backed mirrors were a ''problem'' that had to be discontinued in the 70's.
Driving at night becomes less enjoyable every year and those damn headlights on new cars make it so much worse.

 

I was considering this for my car, use a piece of smoked plastic and have it so it drops over the existing mirror at night. The hinge would be a good idea too. So far it looks like a repro '55-57 T-Bird mirror may work for my Ford since it uses the same mount, I have to see if I can live with the reduced width.

 

You can look at 58-67 VW bug and bus mirrors and similar vintage porsche mirrors...
very similar look.
also, check out Rodtiques mirror selection...like this one.
https://www.ebay.com/i/362158918417...5%26rvr_ts%3D64d674e11670ada54d00605cffeb6a25

Chappy

 

I had to work late last night and at 64 those bright lights are worse than the old high beams.

 

Hello,

When I got the first 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery in high school, the rear view mirror was an afterthought. Sure, it was aimed at the rear window, but that door window was so high, it did nothing in the way of warnings. Unless the following car was a huge diesel or 4x4 truck or nowadays, a huge SUV, nothing was able to be seen in the mirror. The window was clear, no scratches, no foggy corners or areas to block the vision. The vision was not there of other cars or trucks. The only time was if a diesel truck or a Greyhound blocked the sun from coming in the sedan delivery.

So, when we took out the rear window and put our long boards inside the opening, we did not miss not seeing out of the window. The outside mirror, as small as it was, did most of the grunt work about seeing what was next to us. Also, being careful teenagers, it did not bother us not to have the limited vision out of the rear window.

But, even as carefree 20 somethings, our second 40 Ford Sedan Delivery was a blast to cruise around and go to family functions. But, we were not finicky at just anything, but the lack of vision on that right rear quarter area was bothersome. All sedan delivery vehicles have this lack of vision, unless they have cameras or huge outside passenger mirrors. We tried to keep the look of the 60s modified stock look, a business style, not a chrome/mag wheel cruiser of the times.

Jnaki

What bothered us the most was driving at night. Those night time driving times called for driving in the right hand lane and on the freeway’s, the far right lanes. Otherwise, the 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery was the most fun and coolest looking car/truck on the road. Not because we owned two similar models, but, my hot rod influenced wife liked driving the second sedan delivery, until that blind spot drove her up a wall.


EXTRA: If anyone decides to get a fairly modern rear view mirror that looks traditional, do some research first, as there are incidents of silver liquid leaking out of some mirrors… on your seats, new carpeting, or plain floor board. (A word to the wise.)

 

that certainly explains things about British electrics

 

This subject has been out of sight ,out of mind while the old beater has been at my friend Daves shop since December for upholstery but the car is about ready to come back home and the thought of the laser beam headlights in my rear view mirror are once again being thought about.

I did purchase a day/night mirror for the ranch wagon that looks as though it's a original piece but nothing really looks correct for my old Deuce sedan.

I really would love to find a piece like Bob posted earlier, I believe it would be perfect for me as well as many of you that prefer to keep your original mirror. HRP

 

Here's another I recently picked up at an old antique store. Another one without markings, but is a day/night mirror

 

2) Pivot Day-Night rear view mirror, 1934- 38



GM 1938- 1948 Day- Night mirror, NOS



Two styles of rare '33- 34 Day- Night mirrors, Ford script clock mirror

http://www.classicaccessories.org/cgi-bin/items.cgi?q=15

http://www.classicaccessories.org/

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I'm watching some on eBay. Old Lincoln and Ford mirrors from around 1966 to 1972 or so. They have the width I need, all they need to do is go up to my mount. I was looking for the '55-57 T-Bird ones, mine is about 10" wide, the Bird ones I have to look up for the width, but anything 8.5" and up would be good.

 

You are right about things being brighter after cateract surgery. And no Halos around lights

 

just mounted this in my f1 50's GM day night repo . I think it looks to big .maybe I will get used to it. I don't think it will look right in my 40

 

My Studebaker had a dash mounted mirror. When the car was finished, it was on a slight rake so I couldn't see anything but the rear seat in that mirror. I made a new bracket out of a piece of aluminum I-Beam and problem was solved.

 

Try to meter that...good luck...but yeah they are getting brighter and brighter and may times not well aimed...