OUTSIDE REAR-VIEW MIRRORS

[Rick Allen]

Recently purchased a '64 R2 and it doesn't have any outside rearview mirrors and I don't see any indication that it had any.  The car did have a paint job many years ago and mirror holes could have been filled (can't think of why they would be), but the paint job was so bad I can't see any body-work being so good that I would not be able to detect holes that had been filled but I guess it's possible.

So, my questions are:

Were outside rear-view mirrors standard equipment or optional?  And if standard equipment, were there both right and left side or just left?

Also, what determined where they were placed, on the fender or the door; did the year of the car '63 or '64 dictate the location?,,,

 

 

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Outside rear-view mirrors were optional.  Evidently, early '63 cars had them on the front fenders.  Studebaker issued a template with measurements for placing it/them on the door(s), possibly because Engineering realized that they were more effective on the door. See another thread for an image of the template.  Many of these mirrors were dealer installed.

--Dwight

Edited March 11, 2023 by Dwight FitzSimons

[Rick Allen]

Thank you for your reply, evidently my car did not come with outside mirrors, it is a early '64 round headlight car, I will eventually get mirrors, where I'll put them I'm not sure but I do like the look of them on the fenders even though they are probably more effective on the door as you had mentioned,,,

[Dwight FitzSimons]

3 hours ago, Rick Allen said:

Thank you for your reply, evidently my car did not come with outside mirrors, it is a early '64 round headlight car, I will eventually get mirrors, where I'll put them I'm not sure but I do like the look of them on the fenders even though they are probably more effective on the door as you had mentioned,,,

Yup.  There is a reason that all cars built since then have had them on the door: safety.

--Dwight

[CaptainChaos]

Problem with door mount is the interference with the vent windows in front.

 

[Dwight FitzSimons]

14 hours ago, CaptainChaos said:

Problem with door mount is the interference with the vent windows in front.

 

Actually, it doesn't at all.  Attached is a pic of my '64 Avanti.  The mirror is located perfectly for rear-ward vision for me.

--Dwight

 

[Dunkin]

Dwight, thanks for the picture, that is where mine is going to go when I get one.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Great!  Function over form.

--Dwight

 

[CaptainChaos]

If I am not mistaken, the window needs to open past 90 degrees in order to let air be forced into the car when at speed, thats what i was meaning.

 

[Dwight FitzSimons]

46 minutes ago, CaptainChaos said:

If I am not mistaken, the window needs to open past 90 degrees in order to let air be forced into the car when at speed, thats what i was meaning.

 

Again, there's no possible interference between the vent window and the rear-view mirror, no matter how far one opens the vent.  In the pics below I have the vent window open as far as it will go (about 90 deg.), and it clears the mirror by about 1".  It's not possible to open the vent any further; The rubber gasket limits it from opening any further.

--Dwight

 

[63R1388]

Scabbed these from another thread

[Dunkin]

Dwight, as the mirror is mounted, does the base go into curve under the vent window? Thank you.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

1 hour ago, Dunkin said:

Dwight, as the mirror is mounted, does the base go into curve under the vent window? Thank you.

If I understand your question.......

As I run my finger (vertically) down from the base of the vent window the door surface is at first concave, then transitions to convex.  My mirror is located right where the transition from concave to convex occurs (so pretty much level).  I didn't install mine, but that would seem to be the ideal location vertically.  Then, horizontally, one would locate the mirror such that the owner can see all of the mirror through the vent window when he has the seat adjusted for him.  So, an owner installing a mirror might want to check to see if the template location is correct for him (horizontally) before he drills the holes.

--Dwight

[Dunkin]

Thank you for response, I think I understand what you mean.