The Aero mirror on my 2015 Vintage Speedster came installed on an angle as you can see in the photo. While I know that these were a dealer-installed item, and open to variation, I’m not sure that this way was one of them. Has anyone seen a “real” Speedster with mirrors mounted like this? All I’ve seen have their base parallel to the ground. Why Kirk installed them on an angle is a mystery.
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Every time I've seen the aero mirrors mounted on the doors they've been done like that. When they're mounted on the fenders they're straight.
They're put on the door for better visibility...Angle is used for better adjustability I assume.
Plus I think that's about where the door section (inner and outer) moulded parts are located and you do want both mirror bolts fastened so they strattle the mould lines. It sure looks wonky.
My 2013 VS has the mirrors mounted parallel to the ground. Which may look better, but the actual visibility/usability sucks. In order to see what's in the mirror, I need to slide down and look. I've adjusted it to its max. capability, but no better results. Perhaps this is why Kirk angled yours?
Bill Prout posted:They're put on the door for better visibility...Angle is used for better adjustability I assume.
Simple answer, Bill is correct. Those mirrors have limited range of motion (adjustment). They are mounted at that angle to make those mirrors usable with it's limited adjustment. 
Looking at Kevin's mirror compared to mine, it seem that the issue is not the angle but that it is placed too far back.
Just found a South African club's file that specifies trim placement, including mirrors. Opinions, please. Hope you guys can open the file.
Ahhh, That’s Manny’s table. He compiled that a year or two ago and it is pretty decent.
The last we heard from him, he was over in Angola or something. His replica has been extensively reworked to look like an original with amazing details. I sent over a bunch of dimensions from original 356’s for him to include. Gary (flatfourfan) has used it, too.
Bill Prout posted:They're put on the door for better visibility...Angle is used for better adjustability I assume.
Likely right, Bill. I did mount my mirrors on the door parallel to the ground but had to mod the passenger side mirror itself ( a little grinding here and there buffered with a homemade rubber gasket ) to allow a steeper mirror angle inward for a useful view from the driver. Convex lens too.
Lane Anderson posted:Every time I've seen the aero mirrors mounted on the doors they've been done like that. When they're mounted on the fenders they're straight.
Which is the correct location with regard to a real Speedster?
Bill
At $440k must be real!
This one is $385K (No rudge wheels)
I found a few photos with different aero mirror placements. If you look closely at the group photo you can see three different placements. On the door, on the fender with the mirror right at the windshield post, and one on the fender toward the front of the car where you'd normally expect a GT mirror to be placed. There's also a GT mirror on the blue Outlaw.
Seems like period standard was having the base parallel to the ground. Yes? No?
Yes
Yes.
I never really gave much thought to the mirror placement, and never noticed the different locations for the mirrors. Mine are forward on the fender, and I don't like that location as much as the ones placed further back by the windshield.
slowshoes posted:I never really gave much thought to the mirror placement, and never noticed the different locations for the mirrors. Mine are forward on the fender, and I don't like that location as much as the ones placed further back by the windshield.
but can you see out of yours....are they functional from your sitting position ?
Wombat, you want something on your VS to be fully functional AND look authentic?
Wassamatta fa you?
VS had all kinds of practical reasons for building and finishing their cars the way they did. Most of those reasons involved saving money or production time. Or both. Some were just practical solutions that generated the fewest number of complaints from customers.
They tried to make their cars as original looking as possible, but the profit margin was pretty thin, and in the battle between authenticity and cost, cost usually won.
Look at their solution for the vinyl dash trim. Their 'signature' trim ends short of the doors by a noticeable amount. It doesn't look terrible - it's just nowhere close to original. They must have saved enough bucks in material or production time to be worth it at the end of the month.
I think the tilted mirrors are a similar thing. I've never seen an original mounted like that, but VS wasn't about to custom machine each replica mirror so it would adjust through a workable angle when mounted like the originals.
For some reason, if you ordered two mirrors (including one on the passenger side), they usually mounted both of them out on the fenders with the bases 'horizontal', like originals. Of course then they were too far away to be very usable and you needed to replace the lenses with convex ones if you wanted to see anything.
You can make a VS look almost as 'original' as any replica can.
Just add money.
David Stroud posted:slowshoes posted:I never really gave much thought to the mirror placement, and never noticed the different locations for the mirrors. Mine are forward on the fender, and I don't like that location as much as the ones placed further back by the windshield.
but can you see out of yours....are they functional from your sitting position ?
Yes - they are functional. If the mirrors aren't functional by the windshield, I wouldn't want them there. Since close to the windshield is where most cars mirrors are, it seems like there would be something that could be done to make them usable at the closer location. At least that's one thing I don't have to worry about with my car.
Bill
Just so you know. Vintage never did use a Left side and a right side mirror. They were both left side mirrors! Never can see out of the passenger side one bay hey---it looks great.
I tried some fixes that looked clever to make that pass. side mirror useful with never any success. Then I found that Sierra Magre sold real right side mirrors that you can actually use to see traffic and got myself one. It works perfectly---and if I remember correctly, it is actually slightly convex (bulges out---that IS convex--right?) Fine mirror.
A inop pass side mirror is a safety hazard---get yerself a good one that is usable!
It’s not just VS that does mirrors that way. I’ve seen them on Intermeccanicas as well.
Mirrors on the real deal were Dealer installed in various positions .. Yes VS and IM are on the door / angled...I do them that way too because the driver can then really see back yonder ~
I'm dragging myself through, literally, many hundreds of photos of original 356's looking at rear view mirror placement and none of them have the mirror base on an angle. Some are mounted higher or lower on the top quarter of the fender, like this, comparing a "B: coupe to my Pearl:
And some are ahead of the windshield corner post, while some are slightly behind. I make no judgement on which is a better position - it was totally up to the original owner/dealer as to placement. Here is a very high-point 1955 with non-areo mirrors (the Horror!) on the doors. Again, the base is horizontal and it looks like just about any placement was "correct"
Lane is correct, IM also angles door mount mirrors.
Watch me not care, even a tiny little bit.
Alan Merklin posted:Mirrors on the real deal were Dealer installed in various positions .. Yes VS and IM are on the door / angled...I do them that way too because the driver can then really see back yonder ~
I think Alan hit the nail on the head here. Given that mirrors were dealer-installed, their location will be inconsistent. This topic has come up before on the 356registry, and ultimately concluded that mirrors should be placed where they work best for you.
I don’t take too much stock in “proper” location for much when it comes to our cars. Much like the real Porsche cars, they are hand built. Cars assembled on late Fridays or early Mondays I’m sure have a few minor differences than those assembled at other times during the week.
I found this great 40-min video on the Porsche factory. Thought I’d share:
I had Kirk install these mirrors on both doors of my VS.
After it was delivered I bought a small convex glass mirror at Auto World that could be pasted to a normal rear view mirror to get a wider angle view. I then removed the glass from its plastic frame and it fit perfectly in the metal frame of the mirror on the passengers side of the car.
I now have an excellent rear view of traffic from both sides of the car.
Cliff
My mirrors are on the fenders. I did replace the right side mirror with a convex from Sierra Madre and it works quite well. I have never been able to locate the remote adjustment control for the right mirror. Anyone know where it might be located?
You made me chuckle with that one
Those are really cool and i would imagine Carey had to drill the arm to wire them ... so it is a project that can be done but a lot of work.
I have mentioned this before but I have my aeros adjusted to eliminate the blind spot and even at that size they have saved me many times from a guy riding my blindspot
just saying
majorkahuna posted:My mirrors are on the fenders. I did replace the right side mirror with a convex from Sierra Madre and it works quite well. I have never been able to locate the remote adjustment control for the right mirror. Anyone know where it might be located?
If you put your right hand in your pocket it will be in there; well, at least until you take your hand out of your pocket then it won’t be in your pocket.
