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'Tex' type door mirrors


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I have read previous articles on door mirrors and have decided to go for the Tex type. The original Tex ones appear to have rocketed in price and from what I understand the components are of Far Eastern manufacture though my informant may be wrong.

My previous classic was a Stag that had new door mirrors but within two years the chromed stems were badly pitted (I think they were Mazak or monkey metal).

Not wishing to fall into the same trap, I have been looking at Tex-style mirrors and wondered if anyone has had experience of these http://www.mevspares.co.uk/TEX-Chrome-Mirrors-x2-Triumph-TR4a-TR5-TR6.html.

They are copies with stainless backs, They also have flat glass rather than concave glass.

As my neck is not as flexible as it used to be and my left eye has always been a bit 'iffy', reversing without mirrors is becoming a little scary.

Have any of you bought these or something similar?

Andy

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Hi Andy

i’ve had those on a couple of tr6s now, they are quite well made but the mountings arent that solid

i think they’re probably good value for money, they just wont last forever

steve

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It's all about the mounting to the door, my Lh one came from one of our main suppliers a few years  ago and never remained rigid enough on the door, didn't actually come loose but was just not tight enough. I think the plastic mounting plate is too soft and the single screw holding the mirror in place relaxes and then the mirror vibrates when you hit bumps.

Unless anyone knows different I'd go for the dearer ones assuming the mounting might be better quality.

Chris

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29 minutes ago, ChrisR-4A said:

It's all about the mounting to the door, my Lh one came from one of our main suppliers a few years  ago and never remained rigid enough on the door, didn't actually come loose but was just not tight enough. I think the plastic mounting plate is too soft and the single screw holding the mirror in place relaxes and then the mirror vibrates when you hit bumps.

Unless anyone knows different I'd go for the dearer ones assuming the mounting might be better quality.

Chris

Apparently mounting kits can be bought separately 

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14 hours ago, Steves_TR6 said:

Hi Andy

i’ve had those on a couple of tr6s now, they are quite well made but the mountings arent that solid

i think they’re probably good value for money, they just wont last forever

steve

We’re yours from MEV, Steve?

 

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35 minutes ago, Ocheye said:

They’re very attractive but twice the price 

That may be but the style is more in line for the 60s style the TR4(a) is. The other, more commonly used Tex model is typical seventies and too bulky for 60s cars in my opnion.


Regarding that 70s style mirror: I bought a new second Tex mirror 12 years ago because my 2500 Mk2 only had one (since new). After only two years the stem of the newer mirror has much oxidation. Unlike the original from the seventies which was still good.  

I bought mine from Tex directly. They have many more styles available:

https://texautomotive.com/classic_exterior_mirrors.html

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2 hours ago, badhuis said:

That may be but the style is more in line for the 60s style the TR4(a) is. The other, more commonly used Tex model is typical seventies and too bulky for 60s cars in my opnion.


Regarding that 70s style mirror: I bought a new second Tex mirror 12 years ago because my 2500 Mk2 only had one (since new). After only two years the stem of the newer mirror has much oxidation. Unlike the original from the seventies which was still good.  

I bought mine from Tex directly. They have many more styles available:

https://texautomotive.com/classic_exterior_mirrors.html

Thanks Badhuis. I totally agree. It is a good looking mirror. Maybe I should go with just a driver's mirror. Budget is tight on my pension! I wonder if the stem will go the same way as the 70's type after a couple of years. Maybe it is a different construction.

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Hi Guys,

I am also looking to fit wing mirrors to my 4A and am very interested in this Topic.

Just one thing re: fitting, on my TR6 I abandoned the weak plastic fitting method and made a plate about 6mm thick,and tapped two 2 BA (M5) holes at the correct centres and bonded this on the inside of the door. I used an epoxy,  but body filler would probably do. Clamp in position using the fixing screws from the outside. make sure to remove the screw before the bonding material fully cures! This method really provides a very secure fixing for the mirrors. Unfortunately  the door glass has to lowered to the bottom of the door or removed to gain access for the plate to be positioned, but well worth the bother as it only needs to be done once!  

Cheers

Rich 

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HI All

My 4 has bullet style mirrors which look good but are actually quite useless the nearside mirror will not adjust in far enough to be of any use,(all I can see is the hedges going by) both are now going rusty and pitted and the drivers side mirror will not stay where set the mirror end is loose and moves around, I have been looking on various sites trying to find a suitable replacements which will use the original holes approx 2" apart, not all the web sites give the fitting details and I don't want to order by post if they are not going to be suitable. Any ideas? has anyone had this problem ??

                           phil.

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12 minutes ago, lynchpin said:

HI All

My 4 has bullet style mirrors which look good but are actually quite useless the nearside mirror will not adjust in far enough to be of any use,(all I can see is the hedges going by) both are now going rusty and pitted and the drivers side mirror will not stay where set the mirror end is loose and moves around, I have been looking on various sites trying to find a suitable replacements which will use the original holes approx 2" apart, not all the web sites give the fitting details and I don't want to order by post if they are not going to be suitable. Any ideas? has anyone had this problem ??

                           phil.

It is very difficult Phil.

Some places do state the fitting sizes but there is no way of knowing if they are any good other than personal recommendation but some owners keep their cars in cotton wool and only bring them out of their Carcoons for shows. Mine is for use as often as possible.

There seems to be cheap rubbish and expensive rubbish out there and it is very difficult to make the right choice. I have seen some Tex original mirrors second hand and the stems are always pitted - and they are the good ones! I spoke to the guys at Tex and they seem unaware of the issue with their mirrors. One tip he gave me was that when tightening the self-tappers you should tighten until the plugs crack otherwise they can work loose over time.

My Stag experience was painful and I don't want to go through that again at £100 a pop. Everywhere you see ads for stainless steel mirrors but this is only ever the mirror backs (fronts) and the stems seem always to be Mazak or "monkey metal" these days.

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  • 2 months later...

I have finally sorted out my mirrors and opted for the “Ital” style mirrors from Holden with slightly convex lenses. They bolt through the door tops rather than using self tappers. It was a bit nerve racking but gave me the opportunity to sort out a few internal door issues at the same time. Thanks to all for your help and advice

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Purists look away now - but some time ago I bought a pair of chrome Harley Davidson 'live to ride, ride to live' mirrors with the eagle on the back. I would love to fit these to the TR but they are quite substantial. I was thinking I might be able to make a bracket that fastened onto the front inside part of the door above the top hinge. There is already a bolt there that I think holds the top of the window frame inside the door. I have the chrome rod Harley brackets but they are slightly too small in diameter for the fixing at the back of the mirrors. One day I might work out how to fit them without drilling the door skin which I really don't want to do.

Currently I have the bullet style mirrors mounted above the wheel arches on the wings. That distance away they are not that useful. After owning the car for 30 years I only recently discovered that the dreaded previous owner had fixed them at different distances along the wing. Two inches different would you believe but until I measured them with a view to moving them did I discover this. No-one else has noticed either. My guess is that they marked the position of one fixing hole on top of each wing and then put the second hole in front on one side and behind on the other. In each case the second hole would be to the right of the first hole. Maybe they didn't notice either.

Many of the modern repro mirrors seem to be very flimsy and rely on a couple of self tappers through the door skin. Personally I would fit bolts and a backing plate as Andy has done.

Keith

 

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Hi all,

just a question. Are the Mevs spares 'Tex' mirrors genuine or a knockoff? They do look very similar to the same mirror on the 'Tex' website. if genuine how can they sell at nearly 1/2 price?

Rich

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Is Mevs Spares still trading/ tried both landline and mobile and no answer? Mobile does not connect?

Tried to order on line but would not go to payment stage.

Rich

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I bought a pair of these door mirrors from Racetorations. I found the TEX mirrors okay, but as said before, the mountings are rubbish,and you feel you are going to lose the mirrors.

These are more of a bullet style and compliment the shape quite well. The mountings are much more solid also.

Kevin

image.jpeg

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

Hi Guys,

I am about to fit a pair of Tex style door mirrors ex Rimmers by the method as described above.

However as I do not have seats to sit on yet, can anybody give me an optimum position for the mirror fixing holes so that both can be seen from a RH driving position.

A picture with a measuring tape along side would be great.

Thanks 

Rich

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