Could anyone please tell me; can one actually see anything with those Spyder rear vision mirrors mounted on top of the fenders on Speedsters? I really love the look of them but they don't appear functional or adequate. Thanks in advance. Photos mounted on a Speedster as well as info on a reputable seller of Spyder mirrors would be appreciated!
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I actually never put on convex mirrors as I trained myself to merge the image of the side mirrors and the center mirrors by adjusting them. The technique essentially elimininates blind spots... it is just a question of training yourself to do the same thing in all the vehicles you own and when you do the penny really drops after the technique proves itself time and time again to save you from hitting the guy who can't seem to realize he is in your BLINDSPOT. 
And usually that guy in your blind spot is trying to take photos of your car....While also trying to steer his own heap.
Hell no - I can't see back very well through either of mine although a convex add-on helps on the passenger side GT mirror. But they are the coolest mirrors you could ever put on your Speedster. My favorite of all possible options by alot. "What is the price of 
COOL? "
"What is the price of cool?"
If one must ask, it's unlikely to be affordable.
I have no problem seeing all I need to see with mine. As Ray posted, it's just a matter of setting all 3 up correctly...
And I sit low in my car with a turtle shell tonneau.
Good to hear that others find it handy
the price of cool, when you can't see the guy in your blind-spot, can be pretty high...
...body-shop time, hospital time, ticket, higher insurance premiums, fill in the blanks...
mirror adjustment procedure
I agree .... cool and also blind but more to my point for example when I gave this info to my son and daughters is if you do not use the system then you won't see the guy who is hidding in the blind spot ... then it will be your agony and your nickel
Error prevention requires a systematic plan that you repeat continually to train yourself then sometimes you just get a sixth feeling and then voila you got saved...
Hoping it convinces a few to try it out
Even better description of mirror adjustment.
NIce car Bill.
"Halakahiki Bill" Prout wrote: "And I sit low in my car with a turtle shell tonneau."
I guess you DO! I can't even see you in there!
Time to get into the Holiday spirit, too!
Now I'm even more confused! Thanks nonetheless for all the feedback.
al posted:Now I'm even more confused! Thanks nonetheless for all the feedback.
@Al How so?
On a side note, "Wink" mirror's are one of the best, but to big in a speedster...
Al: If I read all of the above posts right, NONE of the accepted, available (and cool-looking) mirrors for Speedsters (or Spyders, either, for that matter) will provide really good rear vision without adding some mods, like convex spot mirrors to widen your field of view (always a good thing).
I have Aero mirrors out on the fenders and a small-ish mirror on the windshield strut (it is an old Yamaha motorcycle mirror I had kicking around when I built my car) and I do what IamRay does - set the center mirror and then adjust the fender mirrors to pick up where the center one leaves off and provide some side view. They're not perfect, but they're what I have.
The Spyder mirrors you like, if mounted in the same places as, say, my Aero mirrors, will give the same field of view and would need the same upgrade mods (added convex mirrors ) to be most effective.
Where on the fender you mount them is up to you. Sit in the driver's seat and have someone move it fore and aft on the fender and decide where you most like them. All outside mirrors on the original 356 were dealer installed at the customer's preference so there is no "right" place to put them.
Al. I had 2 spyders. Those GT mirrors are useless. Get a nice windshield mounted rear view mirror and turn your neck to see blind spots. If you cannot turn your neck then get different mirrors. On my new spyder I will be getting a single drivers side GT mirror that I will completely ignore other than to admire its beauty.
Thanks everyone but I think I'll stick with the standard Speedster aero mirrors...visibility is bad enough with the side screen!
I would still put two as properly adjusted they work for me...
al posted:Thanks everyone but I think I'll stick with the standard Speedster aero mirrors...visibility is bad enough with the side screen!
FWIW - I also have the single Aero mirror on the driver door of my VS. Didn't want to drill more holes into the car for additional mirrors (with sketchy visibility) so McGuyvered this contraption to help with passenger side blind-spots when I have my board in the car (can be removed or attached as needed.
It also works with the top up and side screens in place. Hope you find this helpful. 
Added a small convex mirror (available at Pep Boys or most any auto parts store) with some double side tape to a suction cup phone holder...
...and position it on right side of windshield. It just lets me see if there are any vehicles in that blind spot.
Bruce's visor mounts (with a mirror) would make for another great option attached to the sides of the windshield frame...
That could be explored
Dunno if it's been mentioned yet, but you can get convex (wide angle) glass for the aero mirrors, from Sierra Madre (and others, I think).
If you already have the Chinese repop aero mirrors that VS supplies, this glass will fit them, so you don't have to buy a whole new mirror or drill any new holes. They used to be about $60, but that has now risen to $97 (yikes). This must be due to the current 50 per cent inflation rate we're all experiencing. There's some solace in the fact that these mirrors are much nicer quality than the Chinese repops.
I've got convex glass on both sides (mine are on the fenders). On the driver's side, it made a huge difference. On the passenger side, it's still pretty worthless, but does fill in some of what's usually called the 'blind spot'.
Small mirrors like these are really meant to be mounted close to the driver (on the door). If I had to do it again, that's what I do. The farther a mirror is from your eye, the smaller the angle of view. That's why cyclists can use those tiny eyeglass mirrors to see pretty well behind them - they're mounted about an inch from the eye.
I have the convex mirrors on my fender-mounter Aeros and they both really help. You DO have to keep in mind that things are a LOT closer than they look.
I think it's blasphemy putting Spyder mirrors on anything but a Spyder.
Outlaws rule!
Gee.....Blasphemy? How do you feel about rear reflectors? I've had a 356 reflector on my bicycle rack since the 60's... One like this and just the right size for my rack:
Like me, that reflector has survived four pretty good accidents and is still hanging in there. Tough little reflector!
It's always hard to tell whether an online contributor is compressing our spheres or not. You wouldn't do that, would you, Danny?
Regarding the mirrors, most catalogs that I have seen list them as GT mirrors, and show they are applicable to Spyders and Speedsters. For a tasty example, check out the GT Werks catalog online. He makes some really great stuff.
Gordon Nichols posted:Gee.....Blasphemy? How do you feel about rear reflectors? I've had a 356 reflector on my bicycle rack since the 60's... One like this and just the right size for my rack:
Like me, that reflector has survived four pretty good accidents and is still hanging in there. Tough little reflector!
The juvenile in me wants to say, "He, he, he,Gordon says he has a reflector on his rack." But the adult in me says I shouldn't be acting like a juvenile.
DannyP posted:I think it's blasphemy putting Spyder mirrors on anything but a Spyder.
Sounds a little harsh coming from a guy with a plastic car and VW engine, transaxle and suspension...
(plural spyders)
Like this? The Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder? With the door open?
I was thinking Toyota MR-2 Spyder
I actually love me some MR2.
It may be blasphemy to build a Fiberglas Snyder but it’s done. I have one Spyder mirror on my car and can see decently out of it but I wear glasses.
I used to wear near coke bottle lenses... couldn't see much..
Your legs are all successfully pulled LOL!
RE: the MR2
We had a guy over at Spyderclub that maintained his MR2 was essentially the same as a Lotus Elise due to the engine and transmission being the same source(Toyota). It was pretty funny.
