[DeTomaso] Passenger Outside Mirror

[Chris Difani]

Myron:

Having just installed a pair of Boyd's Vitaloni mirrors on my '73, I know of what you speak....  And this is what I did, to ensure I didn't suffer your results.  

I mounted my mirrors 1.5 inches "below" the door skin's top (that flat surface next to the window), and four inches to the rear from the front edge of the door.  I fabricated a backing plate which I placed inside the door, against the inside of the door skin.  I used an epoxy to secure the backing plate at the right place, and to ensure that my new backing plate was tight to the door skin, without any gaps, or voids.  The backing plates are 5" long, by 2.5" wide, and are .250" thick.  I used this thickness so I was able to drill and tap the two mounting holes in the backing plate, and not have to mess around with nuts, lock washers, and all those "fiddly bits" that inevitably fall to the bottom of the door. 

To install the mirrors, I had to partially disassemble the doors. I took the interior upholstery off, but was able to leave the window motor, and other internals in place.  I used two stainless 6MM socket head cap screws, as I didn't want anything to rust.  Using the backing plate and epoxy "sandwich" as I did, I didn't need lock washers, or any other hardware for assembly.  One thing I did do was drill the two holes in the door skin slightly oversized (8MM in diameter).  These oversized holes gave me all the slack I needed in order to turn a very difficult job, into a tricky job as I lined up the 6MM SHCS thru the mirror mount, the mirror mount rubber gasket, the door skin hole, and finally into the backing plate threaded hole..  Plus, once I applied the epoxy compound to the backing plate, I got enough of the epoxy in the tapped holes, and into the oversized hole, such that the epoxy functioned as both a filler for the oversized hole, and as LocTite!  

The end result of this masochistic exercise has been two very solid mirrors, with no significant vibration to them. 

If anyone has any questions, send me an email, and I'll send pictures, etc..... 

Chris

Chris Difani
'73 L #5829 "LITNNG"
The Electric Pantera
Sacramento, CA
Email: cdifani at pacbell.net 


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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Myron Zadony" <MZadony at fleetresponse.com>
To: <detomaso at realbig.com>
Sent: Monday, June 01, 2009 9:54 AM
Subject: [DeTomaso] Passenger Outside Mirror


> Hi All,  I need some help with my passenger mirror.  I bought it four or five years ago from Hall Pantera.  I should have taken apart my driver's mirror & looked how the factory installed it, & done it that way, but NO I followed Hall's install procedure & drilled two 3/16 holes in my door sills to install #0-1032 Wellnuts in them & then screw the mirror in.  That lasted for about four months.  The mirror started to wable, so I thightend the two phillips screws & stripped the wellnuts.  I called & talked to Bev & asked for two more Wellnuts, and she said I would have to order another mirror.  All I wanted was just the Wellnuts.
> 
> I had enough of the wable in the mirror, so I took it apart.  There are two parts to this Wellnut, the rubber gromet & a brass smooth nut that fits into the gromet & the screw goes thru the gromet & screws it self into the brass smooth nut.  The question is;  Is that brass nut pressed in top or middle or bottom of the rubber gromet ?
> 
> Can I just buy two #0-1032 Wellnuts some where ?  I guess I have to use those Wellnut because of the 3/16 holes in the door.  It would have been much easier to just drill some small holes & use two metal screws to attach the mirror just like the factory did.  But I am screwed.  Sorry for the rant.  Myron # 6928 the other guy in Cleveland.
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