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M3 Mirrors revisited...

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Old 03-26-2003, 07:34 AM
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M3 Mirrors revisited...

I'm not sure I like it.

Finally got around to making an "adapter" to make the mirror sit more horizontal and level with the plane of the car.

Here's a comparo shot of both mirrors from the front:
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-mirrorcomparison-1-.jpg  
Old 03-26-2003, 07:35 AM
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Another shot from the front:
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-mirrorfront-1-.jpg  
Old 03-26-2003, 07:36 AM
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Side shot:
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-mirrorside-1-.jpg  
Old 03-26-2003, 07:37 AM
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Maybe it'll grow on me.

Shot from the rear:
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-mirrorback-1-.jpg  
Old 03-26-2003, 08:35 AM
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It's different, but not necesasarily in a bad way. I think it could be a little closer to the car on the top of the mount, but overall it's interesting. Nice work btw!

I forgot, are you planning on having the lights function?
Old 03-26-2003, 08:36 AM
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I'm not feeling it either. It just doesn't seem to match the flow of the angular body.
Old 03-26-2003, 08:37 AM
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Wow.... I'm likin those mirrors! Looks great to me! Hopefully it'll grow on you, its your car, you gotta like your mirrors! Good luck with em... they look awesome!
Old 03-26-2003, 10:15 AM
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i kinda like it- very nice work-

p.s. is there something wrong with your hood? in your first pic its kinda crooked
Old 03-26-2003, 10:18 AM
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Ehhh I don't think I like them either, but they're not too bad.
Old 03-26-2003, 10:29 AM
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Originally posted by cg91ta
It's different, but not necesasarily in a bad way. I think it could be a little closer to the car on the top of the mount, but overall it's interesting. Nice work btw!

I forgot, are you planning on having the lights function?
Well, to get it a little closer at the top of the mount requires me to tilt the mirror up which upon first trial didn't look very good. I'll probably have the turn signal light function, but not the "all the time" light. I dunno, we'll see how obtrusive it is when lit.

Originally posted by Jim85IROC
I'm not feeling it either. It just doesn't seem to match the flow of the angular body.
Yeah, I think I got a little crazy with the sander and made it too smooth, or rounded. I'm going to go back with some Bondo/Fiberglass and get it a bit more angular to see if that helps.

Thanks 88CamaroKid and 6cycbird86 - I appreciate it - and the hood isn't shut or locked down. However, the nose on my car has sagged a bit, so even when it IS shut and locked, there is still a gap there.

Originally posted by MetalliCamaroRS
Ehhh I don't think I like them either, but they're not too bad.
I hear ya - maybe after a bit of angularizing (check out my new word) they'll "fit" better. I dunno, we'll see I s'pose.

S.
Old 03-26-2003, 03:27 PM
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It doesn't look bad but, it seems to have too much 'rotation' the wrong direction (pic). It makes it seem to not match the lines as well as it could.
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-mirror.jpg  
Old 03-26-2003, 03:27 PM
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Cool idea, theres just something that doesnt fit with the base of the mirror (where it connects to the car). In your 2nd and 4th picture, you can see that the base is kind of at a completely different angle from the side of the car... I dunno if thats the mirror or the mount you said you had to make to make it fit. It just seems out of place... Any way that base could come off and have just the mirror on the two arms?

(just a thought)

EDIT: looking back at the pics, if you cut the base off that top arm would be WAY too short. Youd prolly have to extend it, like you did on your spoiler. I dunno how goofy it would look with that long arm on it either....
Old 03-26-2003, 04:20 PM
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Axle/Gears: 3.73
Hmmm... its interesting. I could tell better in person...

Speaking of getting just the right angles... I got way lucky with the 4th gen bird mirrors. Gm managed to keep the angles close enough. Though it took a ton of channeling. Do you have any direct above or below shots. How about some from the drivers seat? Just trying to get a real feel for the mirrors.
Old 03-26-2003, 05:11 PM
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Radraif... Did you ever finish off your 4th gen mirror swap(interior part) I liked the look so much I bought a pair.
Old 03-26-2003, 05:13 PM
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Redraif......sorry
Old 03-26-2003, 06:40 PM
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I like it now, but I'd like it even more if the whole assembly was...bigger?:hail:
Old 03-26-2003, 08:30 PM
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Originally posted by deadbird
It doesn't look bad but, it seems to have too much 'rotation' the wrong direction (pic). It makes it seem to not match the lines as well as it could.
Well, the base of the mirror is flat against the straight edge of the door - so there's not much to be done there. Besides if I rotate the assembly counter clockwise then the "point" won't be pointing into the corner, but rather up into the air.

Originally posted by admrlam
Any way that base could come off and have just the mirror on the two arms?

(just a thought)

EDIT: looking back at the pics, if you cut the base off that top arm would be WAY too short. Youd prolly have to extend it, like you did on your spoiler. I dunno how goofy it would look with that long arm on it either....
Well, I considered cutting the base off and just attaching/extending the arms to reach, but figgered before trying that (in effect destroying it if it doesn't work) I'd try this first. I'm not sure how beefy I could make the arm extensions to withstand the pounding it'd get while driving.

Originally posted by redraif
Hmmm... its interesting. I could tell better in person...

Speaking of getting just the right angles... I got way lucky with the 4th gen bird mirrors. Gm managed to keep the angles close enough. Though it took a ton of channeling. Do you have any direct above or below shots. How about some from the drivers seat? Just trying to get a real feel for the mirrors.
I'll get some more pix tomorrow in better light, but you definitely got a good deal with the angles thing. I just wish these weren't so... bulbous. LOL The OEM third or fourth gen ones are definitely a slimmer mirror.

Originally posted by Dan88IrocZ
I like it now, but I'd like it even more if the whole assembly was...bigger?:hail:
The mirror assembly is almost too fat now for my taste. I'll see if it grows on me.


Like a tumor.



S.
Old 03-27-2003, 09:02 AM
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Originally posted by N.W. T/A
Radraif... Did you ever finish off your 4th gen mirror swap(interior part) I liked the look so much I bought a pair.
I actually never got the interior pieces on because the ones I bought with the mirrors, one was broken...It has a split in the middle. I wanted to try to get one out of a yard car and then finish up. I'm just not sure that the one I have will not break in half when I got to install it... Its always the little thing that hold you up. That and the top door molding started to split, so the door panel has to come off again. Then I got the new seat covers that are red and black and and some more PMD seats. I decided, hmmm the gray does not look right with that much red...so now I'm trying to locate black door panels like mine, then I will finish the interior off with black cargo panels. My current set up will swap into the 82...seats & all...It will probably get the 4th gen mirrors too! Whose that for a confusing more then you wanted to know answer....
Old 03-27-2003, 01:17 PM
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I know you do a lot of fabbing yourself, so as much as it may be a PITA, (and it could still look like ***), you could always do away with the arms, and use welded steel (very thin stock) to MAKE new arms, then glass around them to smooth them out...

Just a thought

I love the idea of those lights on our cars though. Good stuff, keep shootin at it, it looks way closer than your first attempt from a few months ago.
Old 03-28-2003, 07:07 AM
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Snapped a couple more pix:
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-dcp_0376.jpg  
Old 03-28-2003, 07:08 AM
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From the front:
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-dcp_0377.jpg  
Old 03-28-2003, 07:09 AM
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...and a three quarter shot.
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-dcp_0378.jpg  
Old 03-28-2003, 07:19 AM
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I'm thinking of doing this to the point to see if it flows with the lines of the car in a more angular fashion...

Any further comments?

admrlam: If I get to the point where I'm still not sure about it, I may go that route. Shouldn't be too difficult (comparatively speaking) but as I noted earlier, that'll destroy the mirrors completely if I don't like them after doing that. Who knows; but I'll keep y'all posted.

S.
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-dcp_0378a.jpg  
Old 03-28-2003, 10:23 AM
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I'd have to see it in person, but it looks nice.
You going to Giant Square on April 5th?
Old 03-28-2003, 10:47 AM
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I dunno - what's going on? Or is that just the opening night?

BTW - Do you happen to know anyone that does speedometer "calibration" readings? I need one pretty bad for a speeding ticket...

S.
Old 03-28-2003, 10:53 AM
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I don't like it , the shape of the mirror is just not fitting with the rest of the car at all.

I would prefer to see the blinkers implemented into a 3rdgen mirror housing.
Old 03-28-2003, 11:01 AM
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Originally posted by scauffiel
I dunno - what's going on? Or is that just the opening night?

BTW - Do you happen to know anyone that does speedometer "calibration" readings? I need one pretty bad for a speeding ticket...

S.
Ya, it's opening night for GS on the 5th.
My friend with a 99 SS got out of a 100 in a 55 a couple of months ago, I'll ask him where he went. He has a speedo calibration box with 2 settings for the LS1 for rear gear swaps and I had it programmed for normal speed and 50% speed to keep the miles down. He took it to the shop set at 50% and got a receipt saying it was off and then went back the next day with it set to 100% and got a receipt showing it was fixed. $57 fine for faulty equipment.
Old 03-30-2003, 07:22 PM
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I would forget about the mirrors and rob the signals out of them and try and make them work on stock 3rd gen mirrors or something that fits better. Those just don't look right unless you re-locate the signals completely so that they are straight from a side view.
Old 03-30-2003, 07:29 PM
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I like it. I've been thinking about mounting a mirror there for a long time. Not sure if that rubber piece will be able to hold it up at speed. I was thinking about making metal support pieces front and back.
Old 03-31-2003, 03:10 PM
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Car: 87 Red/Blk Bird loaded 3.4L & 700R4
Transmission: Th700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Well I have the 4th gen mirors attached there and have driven it on the hwy quite a bit...at times at 85-90...no safe place to really open it up. The triangles have heald up great. No flexing at all. And I even had to channel them out to fit teh 4th gen mirrors. a metal braket would make it even more secure, but I'm not sure you really need it!
Old 03-31-2003, 03:32 PM
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Redraif: I was looking at how far the window rolled up into the triangle piece and it looks really close. Please set my mind at ease...........thanks
Old 03-31-2003, 04:04 PM
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Car: 87 Red/Blk Bird loaded 3.4L & 700R4
Transmission: Th700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Step by step...first remaove the metal piece at these screws...
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-025_25.jpg  
Old 03-31-2003, 04:09 PM
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Car: 87 Red/Blk Bird loaded 3.4L & 700R4
Transmission: Th700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Then I tset fitted the mirror to see how it fit and how I wanted it...Then w/o that metal mounting bracket in the way I traded the mirrors mounting surface on cardboard. Then I reinstalled the mounting bracket and slowly maked its placement and trimming till it fit tthru the carboard. It made a perfect pattern of the mounting point and plate of the mirror.

With this I went to the car and placed the pattern where I planned to mount the mirror. I first drilled the bolt holes!

You can see it is close to the weather strip where the window travels, but not close enough to cause a problem...
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-bolt-holes.jpg  
Old 03-31-2003, 04:14 PM
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Car: 87 Red/Blk Bird loaded 3.4L & 700R4
Transmission: Th700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Then with the mounting bracket installed on the mirror I test fit it to the car. I slowly removed material and retest fitted the mirror till I got the mirror to sit flush...

Here is the finished product...you can see the channels... I never had to got thru the triangle pices except for the inital bolt holes. There is still plenty of material where the channel is to keep the triangle piece strong!
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-mounting-bracket-track.jpg  
Old 03-31-2003, 04:16 PM
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Car: 87 Red/Blk Bird loaded 3.4L & 700R4
Transmission: Th700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
backside with the mirrors on and window up. You can see where I need to clearance the inner window sill...
Attached Thumbnails M3 Mirrors revisited...-024_24.jpg  
Old 03-31-2003, 04:17 PM
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Looking at my 87 T/A I dont have the weather stripping like on your window, just the hard plastic piece. I think I might scrap this mod. Wanna buy some 4th gen mirrors :-)
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