15 replies to this topic

[Cyclops63]

Hi all. I'm looking into fitting wing mirrors to my 79 saloon. Nearly all of the "wing mirror" posts I find are actually about door mirrors :-( Now, I know that the van and traveller had wing mirrors fitted as standard but that the saloon didn't. Looking back over old pics I do find a few old saloons with wing mirrors. they tend to be "deluxe" models and I wondered if this was an option or whether just an add-on by the owners. I remeber the wing mirrors on my mini van in the 70s being useless and we couldn't wait to fit a tiny aftermarket mirror to hte doorframe,held on perilously by a couple of grub screws. It was so hi-tech! I like the wing mirror "look" and it "says" miini to me but perhaps that's because my earliest memories are from having a van. I'mloathe to go drilling my brand new wings and discover I don't like the look as much as I thought.

[MikeRotherham]

I think wing mirrors are a rust trap and wouldn't have them for that reason.

 

Door mirrors are easier to adjust.

Edited by MikeRotherham, 09 November 2022 - 10:55 AM.

[stuart bowes]

they're also probably ill advised for euro-ncap type reasons, I wonder if retro fitting them might even be a MOT fail (it should be really for the sake of pedestrian safety)

 

same reason you're not allowed those silly little air deflector wing things on the sides at the front

Edited by stuart bowes, 09 November 2022 - 03:31 PM.

[Cyclops63]

Yes,they are  a rust trap. The vehicle is MOT exempt and I would be astonished if anyone in this day and age would know whether or not to fail them Certainly not any of the MOT testers I go to. Yes, door mirrors are easier to adjust, that's why I fitted them to the van in the 70's.  I don't know about euro n-cap nor windy deflectors.

[mab01uk]

Before drilling any holes in wings or doors ensure you can actually adjust the mirror to a position that allows you to see anything worthwhile....some of the mirrors on sale are very much 'style over function'.....convex mirror glass allows you to see more, allowing for the fact that things look further away than they are.

Personally I prefer door mirrors over wing mounted mirrors for modern road conditions which often needs frequent lane changing, probably why most modern cars have been fitted with them since the 1970's. Car makers didn’t fit door mirrors much before perhaps because they got in the way of the opening quarter light windows that used to feature on many older cars. When most of Europe migrated to door mirrors the Japanese stuck with wing mirrors said to be because a mirror on the wing doesn’t have the blind spot that a door mirror does. However adjusting the wing-mounted mirror from the driver’s seat was impossible without a cooperative friend. Neither were wing mirrors brilliant for pedestrians in the new more safety conscious era.

 

I think in the early days of Mk1/2 Minis chrome wing mirrors were a Dealer fit option or owners could fit their own aftermarket ones diy.

Possibly they were standard (usually black not chrome) on Mini Vans and Pickups due to their restricted rear vision and also maybe because on early commercial Mini variants even an interior rear view mirror was an option and not standard!

 

[sonscar]

The wing mounted mirrors I remember were all spring mounted for "safety",Steve..

[Cyclops63]

Thanks mab. I'd have to be very sure I "adored" them before I drilled into my new tin. Of course they're not much cop and, on reflection, it would probably look daft to have wing mirrors and door mirrors- it's not Quadrophenia! Therefore, in a rare burst of common sense, I'll probably stick with some kind of door mirror. Perhaps some kind of bullet one with a particularly sharp point for skewering cyclists 😀
Yes,Steve I remember the sprung mirrors too but I'm sure there were others that were "stiff" Couldn't really describe them as "solid" as they were prone to rust. So,yes, probably a door mirror shaped like a pickelhaube 😉

Edited by Cyclops63, 09 November 2022 - 07:28 PM.

[Northernpower]

The other problem with wing mirrors was, they were really difficult to see out of. The image is too far from you to make out much detail (especially the passenger side) and they give no chance of cleaning them while driving.

[Cyclops63]

Absolutely. They were rubbish. Especially when you couldnt see them because the windscreen wouldn't demist and the wipers wouldn't clear the light drizzle just smear it over the screen 😒

[Cooperman]

In the 60's I never fitted any external mirrors to my Minis.
They were not legally required unless you had a van or pick-up.

[Bobbins]

I have these fitted on the wings of my '98 JDM Cooper, they're convex and when driving they're pretty decent. Lousy for reversing though but I haven't manged to work out why!

[Shooter63]

I like wing mirrors just for the period look, my faves are Les Leston Silverstone type or Sebring both pretty much similar, I did look to get a pair but Jesus them bad boys go for serious money, in the end I got a pair of MS roundy chrome door mirrors and if I honest they will probably do a better job.

Shooter

[Cyclops63]

They're nice, Bobbins. Although if I did go for a pair I'd plump for longer arms to make sure I pronged any unsuspecting cyclist

Shooter, it's purely the "look" I'm after. God knows, they're a poor substitute for te modern door mirrors.  Perhaps overgilding the lily.....

[unburntfuelinthemorning]

they're also probably ill advised for euro-ncap type reasons,

Minis are probably ill advised for Euro NCAP reasons but I'm keeping mine.

[unburntfuelinthemorning]

...it would probably look daft to have wing mirrors and door mirrors- it's not Quadrophenia!

It's a proper period look though.  My dad had a Triumph 1300 in the seventies with two wing mirrors and an addition driver's door mirror.