Side-view mirror not factory?

chocorua

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1968 Monaco 500...just noticed my car has no passenger side view mirror. Can't believe they weren't factory for '68. This is gonna be interesting trying to maneuver this boat. I suppose there's mirrors out there to buy....

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The windows in that car are large enough you don't really need the mirror. I rarely use them (if they are even there) and they aren't really good for much anyways.
 
Mirrors are really great for looking behind you! LOL

You can look down the pass side of the car when backing up to make sure you don’t hit anything. Especially when these cars are twice the size of common cars these days.
 
20 years ago when i got the fury repops were $100 to $150...i might just buy one now...
 
I am tall enough that I can see the top trim on the right rear quarter through the back window. Also great visibility out the side windows. If I had one on there I’d probably use it. But don’t plan on running out to find one.
 
For those that may disagree, I agree. The right hand mirrors on these cars are better than nothing. The big problem is they may not work for everybody.

On my 67 Barracuda they point at the lane one over from the lane next to me. If you are 6' they will work, otherwise not enough adjustment.

I have not tried the one on my 69 Polara to comment. Even on my new cars the right hand mirror is only secondary, I still look over my shoulder.


Alan
 
I'm not 6' tall, but I discovered long ago that I could aim the inside mirror a bit more to the right and get the bulk of what an outside mirror would get anyway. If I was THAT close to something on that side, I'd get out and look at what was going on and then plan how to do what I wanted to do. PLUS being able to see the rh rr corner of the car out of the back window just by looking. Think "work-arounds".

When I got my Camaro in '77, new, it had the rh "racing" mirror on the rh side. It was more useless than I had suspected. GM offered a stick-on glass which made it convex. THAT put a wide enough angle on things that the mirror suddenly became useful.

Lh outside mirror were factory optional until the '65s came out, IIRC. Then they were standard, just not "remote control". Remote control was an optional upgrade. Rh mirrors were factory optional until the 1974s hit ground, IIRC.

In the 1980s, a poster on the Imperial Club forum stated that he had finally found a NOS rh mirror for his '66 Imperial. One day, he decided to install it. Got everything laid out, including the factory paper template of where to drill the holes. With the template taped onto the car, he got his hammer and punch to make the first guide holes. One hit and the punch landed on the ground. Second hit with the same results. Then he looked at the car and NO indentation was made. He figured the car was tougher than he thought. Put everything back in the box and put the box in the same place it had been on a shelf. End of that project for him. Your experience might vary.

Regards,
CBODY67
 
I bought one for my Newport from Vans, and I'm glad I did. It doesn't provide a wider view like today's passenger side mirrors do, but it helps when I'm backing up or am out on multilane highways. I'd recommend it.

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I got a passenger side rear mirror from someone on one of the FB C body groups for about $60. It was in good shape with a nice patina to the chrome. I installed it, and aimed it at my blind spot on the passenger side. It basically functions as a go/nogo device. It’s a tiny mirror with flat glass, so you either see “the road” or “something.” You can’t tell what it is, but you know it’s a vehicle of some sort. Not “useless” but not super helpful. I eventually bought 3.5” circular blind spot mirror to stick on it (couldn’t find a 4” one). Now I have an EXTREMELY wide view of the lane to my right where I now see the entire vehicle, but it’s so small I can’t tell what it is. 6 of one, half a dozen of the other. YMMV
 
If you do decide on a mirror,have a helper,sit like you are driving and have him move the mirror
to the spot that suits you most. Mark that area and install the mirror.
Many times I match the spot with the driver side only to find I have to move around to find a seat location
where I can see out of it. Not much fun driving.
 
I bought one for my Newport from Vans, and I'm glad I did. It doesn't provide a wider view like today's passenger side mirrors do, but it helps when I'm backing up or am out on multilane highways. I'd recommend it.

View attachment 623002
In '67, the mirror was located outside the vent window.
In '68, the mirror was moved back so that it was viewed through the passenger roll up window.
 
In '67, the mirror was located outside the vent window.
In '68, the mirror was moved back so that it was viewed through the passenger roll up window.
Yup, my Barracuda (67) is in a more natural position, the Polara (69 I feel like I have to turn my head to see it, we're talking drivers side. I think they moved it because some people (tall) had the vent post right in the middle of the mirror.


Alan
 
They do have some usefulness. You can also see I have the A/C on.

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