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MG MGA - Racing style Rear View Mirrors

I fully appreciate that bullet-style rear view mirrors are not authentic items for an MGA. However, if any of you do have them fitted, where is the best position - door or wing?

Needless to say that a pair of them have come my way and I am tempted to fit them. Just got to work up courage, grit my teeth and drill into the sacred body work.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,I found that on my midget the bullet mirrors wouldn't adjust enough without mods when mounted on the door. This is simple enough, just disassemble and enlarge the hole to one side a bit. There is a limit where the hole will start to show on the other side of the base piece, a little fitting will show you how far you can go. Considering that, I plan on mounting the same type mirrors on my A on the front wings.
Bill Young

Steve,
If you are going to actually use them for vision, most people like them as close as possible because the farther away they are, the less you can see in them. This is especially true if they are the convex type..... the image gets allful small if they are on the fenders.
FWIW
/ charlie
racer

Steve

I have a pair on my A. Driver's side works fine on the door. Right side I was not able to get enough angle adjustment and ended up mounting it on the fender but not as far forward and the "traditional" location over the center of the wheel. Before committing to a specific location have someone hole it in the position and be sure you can adjust it the way you want it.

FWIW

Larry
58A
Larry Hallanger

Larry

I know what you mean. I have been sticking them in various positions with BluTack. As you say, on the driver's door seems ok, but a huge angle on the passenger side. I am also looking at positions on the wing close to the windscreen, but obscuration by the side screens (when fitted) could be an issue.

I am still not sure that I will proceed, but any other comments most welcome.


Steve
Steve Gyles

Hi, I've tried aswell, I've even modified/ruined a mirror body, it just doesn't work. I have made do with a mirror that fixes on the quarter light glass, but this is only posible with a coupe. If you have a roadster you'll have to mount them on the wing, but the image is restricted and smaller
Terry Drinkwater

My understanding is that the bullet style mirrors are authentic because they were one of the options available from dealers (although I have Lucas-style convex mirrors). I think the best place for either is above the wheel arch on the fender. The reason is that it greatly reduces the "blind spot" that you get off your rear fender when the mirror is mounted on the door. Yes, the image is small, but your priority is to see if there is anything behind you. Detail in that image isn't important.
David Breneman

I'm also in the midst of this delima. On my roadster I had Moss provided bullet style mounted over the front wheels for years. Due to the distance, in my experience, useless. So while getting the paint redone I just had the body shop mount the new ones on the doors. They dont begin to adust sufficiently. All I can see is pavment. And now there's holes! I was about to call Kelvin at Moss for alternatives. Kelvin, you out there? I was incouranged by Bill's modification experience only to have hope dashed by Terry's. Other Ideas? Steve.
Steve Meline

I made brackets out of stainless steel that allow me to mount "wing mirrors" on the windshield posts. They give a good field of view, and are attached by only one screw each so may be easily removed if you want to look original. They do not interfere with the side curtains. I have had many positive comments on them.
Ed Bell

I mounted one of the traditional wing mirrors on the drivers fender just ahead of the door. It looks good, is fully functional and does not interfere with the side curtain. If I were to mount one on the passenger side I would place it just far enough forward on the fender to see it through the windshield. John
J.H. Hall

Just to let you know that I have now fitted them. I was able to detach the pedestals from each mittor, then bolt the bullet to the lower attachment point of each windshield post as suggested by Ed. They are surprisingly rigid, bearing in mind they have only single bolt attachments. They look ok, with sufficient adjustment for my needs.

Thanks for the comments.

Steve
Steve Gyles

P.S. For 'mittor' read 'mirror'!
Steve Gyles

Hi Steve, I know what a mittor is !!
Terry Drinkwater

For pictures and reasons and my opinion(s), check here: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/accessories/at103.htm
The short version is, convex mirrors 15 inches ahead of the windscreen.

Barney
Barney Gaylord

Thanks Barney. All information gratefully received. Fortunately my present fixing is non-evasive and completely reversible, so I can experiment with your recommended configuration using Blutack to hold the mirrors temporarily in place before I need to commit to major surgery (the drill).

Steve
Steve Gyles

This thread was discussed between 29/04/2005 and 03/05/2005

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