Menno van Rij Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 Hi all, A few weeks ago I saw a TR3A with an exterior mirror attached to the lower part of the windshield stanchion. The base plate of the mirror was somehow connected to one of the bolts connecting the stanchion to the body. (It was a post 60K car, like my car. So no dzus fasteners here). Can anyone of you identify these mirrors and do you know where to buy these items? (Sorry, no pics). I didn’t come across this type of mirror before. My own car has two wing mirrors, but I don’t like their position: too far to reach, too easy to alter their position when you pass by and I don’t like their position when working on the car. In short: I’m looking for an alternative. Hence my questions above. Regards, Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted April 24, 2007 Report Share Posted April 24, 2007 Menno - I can't tell you about that one, but it sounds interesting. Could it have been made by some ingenious TR owner ? I met a chap, Doug Jack who is a retired machinist specialist and he made some nice mirror bases for his TR3A. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Riggar Posted April 25, 2007 Report Share Posted April 25, 2007 Not sure if this is the sort of thing? http://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/en/2665~o...mirror-details/ I to am looking for a rear mirror but don't want to place it on the wings. I'd seen a similar thing that you've mentioned and the chap said he'd tapped into the window stanchion and screwed it in place. R Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Menno van Rij Posted April 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2007 The one I saw was rectangular, but that can be altered, I think. The base plate had only one hole and the rear fixing screw (bolt?) holding the left stanchion also held the base plate of the mirror. (‘Bolt’ or ‘screw’ is a bit confusing for me: in Dutch a screw is what you use for fixing wood, a bolt is what you use for fixing metal). Perhaps it was a bespoke (is that the term to use here?) mirror. The overall finish was fine: professionally (chrome) plated I would say. What you need is a mirror arm with a round base plate that first the contour of the lower part of the hockey stick-shaped stanchion. I saw the mirror at the British Car Festival in Rosmalen (Holland) last month. Off course I didn’t carry a camera that day (…). It was on a with/gray-ish painted Dutch TR 3, I think. But the Dutch TR club website does not have a forum like this one. So it’s not easy to retrieve the owner’s name. I’ll keep on trying and I’ll keep you posted. Regards, Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonlar Posted April 26, 2007 Report Share Posted April 26, 2007 (‘Bolt’ or ‘screw’ is a bit confusing for me: in Dutch a screw is what you use for fixing wood, a bolt is what you use for fixing metal). Hi Menno, in UK and US, a screw can be for wood, plastic etc., but self tap screws are used extensively fastening to metal, plastic, wood etc., machine threaded screws are used for tapped holes in metal or metal nuts. Another type bolt is the coach bolt, these have a domed head and a square section just under the head to stop rotation. I hope this helps you! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Menno van Rij Posted April 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2007 Thanks for your reply. Self tap screws were included in my 'definition'. But 'machine threaded screws' are not a family on their own in Dutch. Off course we do have 'm. In short: we call them 'bout' (=bolt). Anyway, who said that there's nothing to learn from a hobby? TRs are good for your education! Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rhodri Posted April 26, 2007 Report Share Posted April 26, 2007 Menno, have you looked at "vintage mirrors" in the "hardware" section of this site - www.holden.co.uk. They have several that might suit you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Menno van Rij Posted August 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 Today I went to the National Triumph Day overhere in Holland. About 200 Triumphs attended. All sorts, all types. The weather was great. So a great day out. Anyway, last April I started this topic about an exterior mirror attached to the lower part of the windshield stanchion. Today I took my camera with me and hoped for the best. Two TRs had their mirror attached the way I discribed earlier. I think that the pictures tell the story. Regards, Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest colinTR2 Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Hi all, A few weeks ago I saw a TR3A with an exterior mirror attached to the lower part of the windshield stanchion. The base plate of the mirror was somehow connected to one of the bolts connecting the stanchion to the body. (It was a post 60K car, like my car. So no dzus fasteners here). Can anyone of you identify these mirrors and do you know where to buy these items? (Sorry, no pics). I didn’t come across this type of mirror before. My own car has two wing mirrors, but I don’t like their position: too far to reach, too easy to alter their position when you pass by and I don’t like their position when working on the car. In short: I’m looking for an alternative. Hence my questions above. Regards, Menno Menno, I have been thinking along these lines for some years, and in fact made a 'prototype' a while ago. Unfortunately the mirror end was made of horrible die casting so I resorted to epoxy glue to hold it to the Zeus fastener, this lasted about one week. You have prompted further interest now and I will relook at it. To me it is such a good position for a mirror and does not need holes drilled in the wings etc, and can be very easily removed and an original Zeus refitted. Very impressive pictures, obviously other sidescreen owners thinking similarly, enough for commercial interest?? regards Colin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
angelfj Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Hi all, A few weeks ago I saw a TR3A with an exterior mirror attached to the lower part of the windshield stanchion. The base plate of the mirror was somehow connected to one of the bolts connecting the stanchion to the body. (It was a post 60K car, like my car. So no dzus fasteners here). Can anyone of you identify these mirrors and do you know where to buy these items? (Sorry, no pics). I didn't come across this type of mirror before. My own car has two wing mirrors, but I don't like their position: too far to reach, too easy to alter their position when you pass by and I don't like their position when working on the car. In short: I'm looking for an alternative. Hence my questions above. Regards, Menno menno: here are some more ideas: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 (edited) Here is a nice one made by Doug Jack of Rochester New York. He mounts them on both sides and easily removes them for true concours originality. He had a machinist make the bases for him out of stainless steel and then polished them. Edited August 8, 2007 by Don Elliott Quote Link to post Share on other sites
angelfj Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Here is a nice one made by Doug Jack of Rochester New York. He mounts them on both sides and easily removes them for true concours originality. He had a machinist make the bases for him out of stainless steel and then polished them. Hey Don! This is really sweet. Do you have contact information for the guy who machined the bases? Also, were you suggesting that TR's were not normally supplied with mirrors? I guess ALL mirrors (except the one behind the windscreen) were dealer supplied. Is that correct? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Back in 1958, mirrors were an option. I was limited in the cash I had when I bought my TR3A ($2616.00 total) and I told them I didn't want any mirrors. I also told them to take out the optional back seat and to remove the white-wall tires. This was to reduce the purchase price. That's also why I have steel wheels. I took only the important options - $150.00 for the overdrive and $15.00 for the wind-screen washers. The base for the mirror can be machined by any machine shop. At VTR, Doug gave me some sketches of an improved base. I haven't studied them yet. The problem is to find the stem that is shown in the photos. Doug told me that he got these mirrors with the stem at a British auto-jumble in USA. So I have to assume they may have come from an Anglia or an old Mossis Minor or something else like that. I like the stem because it doen't have the large oval base that we see on most TR mirrors which we see mounted on the front wings. Don Elliott, Original Owner, 1958 TR3A Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Looking again at the photo I submitted above, I suppose the oval base of a standard mirror could be cut short or machined off and a threaded stud could be screwed into the new end of the base of the shortened stem after drilling and tapping for the threaded stud. Or a flat-head screw might attach the stem and the mirror from the remote side through the stainless steel base shown attached to the side of the wind-screen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vivdownunder Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Hi all, At our Concours meetings it has fascinated me for years that of perhaps 40 sidescreen cars fitted with side mirrors, each solution is different. After having a TR3B which came with US mounted mirrors at the front of the mudguards, I found they were too far away, and were forever getting knocked out of place. Because they couldn't be adjusted from the cabin, you were back and forth until you got them right. Now, having an earlier TR3A, I too decided the rearmost staunchion Dzuz was the best fixing location. So I cut the head off the Dzuz, and bronzed a chromed motorbike handlebar mirror stem onto the cut end. Half a turn of the Dzuz and it is on or off. The motorbike stem had a nice chromed nut that tightens against the staunchion for rigidity, and came with the correct crank to raise the mirror. Of course the stem had to be bronzed onto the Dzuz so that the mirror was in the correct position when attached to the staunchion. For the mirror part, I used a period Lucas rectangular mirror head that looks original. It was a bit of a treasure hunt for the components, but a satisfying result. One trap is to make sure you dummy up the whole setup so that the sidescreen doesn't knock the mirror out of place when you open the door. Also, it has to be at the right height to be visible through the sidescreen. I suggest avoiding the convex mirror lens for the driver's side, as they distort the traffic behind, and make it hard to judge overtaking. I found that a rectangular mirror head gave better visibility than the circular one that came with the motorbike stem. For later cars, the mirror stem could be bronzed onto the through bolt, but change its captive nut for a loose nut and washer so the mirror can be adjusted to the correct position. Cheers, Viv. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jean Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Menno, I have fitted 2 Harley Davidson mirrors to my TR3A. They are L and R handed and bolt into the stanchion . The type I use is as far as I know not available anymore, but you will find mirrors of different shapes in Harley shops Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 While looking at photos of TS2 on the East Saxons Group web site, I noticed that TS2 has a mirror attached to the top of the side frame for the windscreen. Can anyone supply any details ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 It must have aquired that after it left Cornwall region as it didnt have one when it was with us. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Herrod Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 TS2 had a mirror bolted to the side of the stanchion when she reached Dorset. (I noticed because one of the bolts had fallen out) Does anyone have any details? Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Which group or groups had TS2 between Cornwall and Dorset. They're not that far apart. C'mon guys - Own up to it. Was it Devon, Glavon, Brunel or . . . who added the mirror on the side of the windscreen ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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