I purchased a right hand mirror for my 1981 Spider. There is no original right hand mirror. The one I received only had the mirror itself and the rubber gasket, no mounting hardware. I'm a bit apprehensive about just screwing it into the sheet metal as it seems pretty thin at that location. Again, not the most mechanically inclined person, but I am not afraid to try. I just don't want to be stupid about it. Thanks.
they only mount with screws into the sheet metal. You could remove the door panel and use a fastener with a nut on the back side to make it more secure
So Cal Mark wrote:they only mount with screws into the sheet metal. You could remove the door panel and use a fastener with a nut on the back side to make it more secure
I had a feeling those were the only two options. I thought maybe there was another way. Thanks anyways.
Fifi's owner, Getting the door panel off is not really very difficult. The hardest part is getting the keeper off the window crank, and with the tool made for that, it's not hard either. Get the tool at any auto parts store, they can show you how it works. The door handle has one screw, the arm rest has four, take them off. Your door panel may have screws along the bottom, if so, take them off. Now your door panel will lift right off with relative ease. With the window in the up position you'll have plenty of room to work on getting nuts and washers on your new mirror instead of sheet metal screws. BTW, the window crank handle keeper removal tool goes between the bezel and the handle, not the bezel and the door panel.
Ron
Ron Luxmore rlux2n2@gmail.com
'82 2000 Spider: after 26 years between Spiders.
Jazgeek, you're in luck. The window crank is the only one with a "hidden" keeper. The door handles are a snap! There is just one screw (or bolt) that holds it onto the shaft protruding from the interior of your door to the outside of the door panel. Just unscrew it and wiggle the old handle off.
Ron
Ron Luxmore rlux2n2@gmail.com
'82 2000 Spider: after 26 years between Spiders.
i've also seen lots of folks that think they can install left door mirrors on the right hand side, only to discover that they cannot adjust the mirror to see anything useful from the driver's seat.
be careful, and set the mirror on the door with tape before you drill any holes. that way you know for sure that it is in the right place for viewing from the driver seat....AND....not in the way of the vent window.
mbouse wrote:be careful, and set the mirror on the door with tape before you drill any holes. that way you know for sure that it is in the right place for viewing from the driver seat....AND....not in the way of the vent window.
glad i caught you in time. my wife's car looks really nice with a right hand mirror......unfortunately, it is a reproduction copy of the original left hand mirror, mounted backwards on the right door.
i cannot remove it because of the holes in the door, and I cannot adjust it to see anything other than the ground on the right side.
I hope this is not too late. I made a boo-boo in the instructions to Fifi's owner: There aren't 4 screws on the arm rest, there are three. Hope no one stayed up all night trying to find the 4th screw! Also, if you're going to take off the door panel you will find the upper section screw under the little chrome trim piece that's at the top end of the chrome strip going up the arm rest. Pry it off carefully to avoid tearing the vinyl.The other two are up inside holes you'll find by looking at the bottom side of the armrest.
OK, I feel better.
Ron
Ron Luxmore rlux2n2@gmail.com
'82 2000 Spider: after 26 years between Spiders.
I have recently completed this very operation. Driving a 'leftie' in the UK makes a right hand door mirror almost essential.
I got my RH door mirror from Bruce's in NJ. Its a very good reproduction of the original and you would have to be really short of other things in you life to note any differences.
The mirror came complete with gasket and I got some stainless countersunk cross head bolts and nuts from my local factor.
I agree with everything previously written on removing the door panel - easy-peasy and a good opportunity to clean out the drain holes and spay some 'Waxoyl' in the bottom of the door cavity.
I noticed that the factory original LH mirror has an inside-the-door-cavity reinforcing piece between the two bolts and my newly fitted mirror does vibrate slightly on cold start without the equivalent piece.
It is very important to pre-fit and mark up before drilling the holes as mine had to go on ever so slightly off horizontal to get a central adjusting position. I found that he equivalent fore/aft position to the RH mirror gives a field of view well clear of the quarter light.
The mounting 'foot' is so big that if you do mess up there is scope to cover the error and for correction. I used nylock nuts with a nylon washer inside the door just to give a little movement in case of a careless shopping trolley 'hit', though the mirror does pivot on its pedestal.
I hope this helps. The finished article does balance up the car nicely even if not strictly original.
Mike R.
Last edited by MikeR on Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
rlux4 wrote:I hope this is not too late. I made a boo-boo in the instructions to Fifi's owner: There aren't 4 screws on the arm rest, there are three. Hope no one stayed up all night trying to find the 4th screw! Also, if you're going to take off the door panel you will find the upper section screw under the little chrome trim piece that's at the top end of the chrome strip going up the arm rest. Pry it off carefully to avoid tearing the vinyl.The other two are up inside holes you'll find by looking at the bottom side of the armrest.
OK, I feel better.
Ron
Well you can feel even better over the fact I have not attempted anything yet. As far as the door panels go, I won't be afraid to really "get into it" as my interior is in pretty bad shape as it is. A little tear here or there won't be a tragedy. I've got a beautiful shift knob in it though! Hoping to change the interior problem in the next few weeks.
I thought maybe there was another way. Thanks anyways.
As far as the door panels go, I won't be afraid to really "get into it" as my interior is in pretty bad shape as it is. A little tear here or there won't be a tragedy. I've got a beautiful shift knob in it though! Hoping to change the interior problem in the next few weeks.