The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop What does a '53 driver's side mirror arm look like?

Someone told me the driver's side looked sort of like the passenger, with the funny "S" curve because of having the wing vents when the door is open. I haven't seen this yet on any trucks. Chevy Duty carries it, but on their website I think they have the picture of the 47-51? arm where it is almost straight.

Kev I have a 54 3100 1/2 ton and I bought the peep mirrors from chevy duty. They clip to your door and secured by 2 allen wrench nuts very classy,funtional, and no holes to drill for mirrors. hope this helps somewhat

oh, i might've done that but its too late now, i got holes on both sides I guess once I get my doors back on the cab I can see if the wing vent will hit it when it's open and the door is. I thought I heard there was a different one for later trucks w/ wing vents but maybe not.

Here's a picture of a '54 with standard driver mirror (left hand, short fixed bracket). 1953 might be the same. I know that there was another bracket that went up at approximately a "45 degree angle" (the bracket in the picture below would be a "0 degree angle"). Maybe the change in angle was because of the vent window (since 1951).

[img]http://home.nycap.rr.com/lederman/images/mirror.jpg[/img]

Hope the image is clear enough. The image is from a 1954 sales catalog.

There are other good images of various years at the following site. Check each year and be sure to scroll to the right.

Chevy Duty year identification

Tim

[ 01-07-2002: Message edited by: tclederman ]

Ill E-mail you a picture of one. Not sure how to post images to the list.

Can you see pretty good out of those peep mirrors? I just received the standard passenger side mirror but haven't installed it yet. I keep banging into the driver side one working on the truck and I just noticed I may have dented the body some above the mount. Also the bolts won't tighten on the driver's side, so maybe I am better off just filling the holes and using the peeps. They do look cool.

Tim is correct, the trucks with the wing vent windows had driver side mirrors bent down (out straight) while earlier trucks without the vent windows had the arms sticking up about 45 degrees. Seems when GM went to vent windows, they discovered that the mirror would be hit by the vent window if opened when the door was opened. To solve that problem cheaply and easily, they merely bent the arms down level, thereby missing the vent window.

My '54 pickup has the side peep mirrors with curved arms. They come with straight arms, too, I think.
The driver's side mirror works very well but I have not been able to find a location that works on the passenger side door (can't find a place where the mirror can adjust for a useful view).

Mine came from Chevy Duty - you need a metric hex "key" to tighten them (or you will either strip the stop screw or not be able to get it tight enough).

Tim

Thanks Tim, that answers that. I guess I will drill the holes for the passenger side one I just received. I do like to see when I change lanes.

I understand there is already a captive nut on the inside to be located after removing the glove box? Why would I not be able to tighten the drivers side one? Could the nut have come loose and is turning?

Tony,

Don't give up on passenger-side peep mirror based on my experience. Wait to see if anyone else has used one. There are a lot of advantages to peep mirros - they look good and they do not get knocked around.

The captive nuts on the driver's side are accessible from underneath the dash, if you are flexible. You should be able to tell from underneath the dash if the nut is still captive (someone might have to help you by turning the screw). It is quite possible that someone, over the years, has used the wrong size machine-screw and the nut(s) is/are stripped.

Good luck,
Tim

Thanks everyone, I know what you mean now by the straight or up at a 45 deg.

Ok, on my 54 the driver arm is almost straight. It has a slight curve to it. It looks like the arm pictured in the Chevy Duty catalog for 51/54 trucks. But, if I have the wing window all the way open it can still touch the glass.

Now, I have the appropriate arm for the passenger side as pictured in the catalog. But, when I hold it up to the truck it looks like the head would be obscured by the front window pillar. I can't tell if I should be seeing this mirror through the front windshield or through the wing window, but it seems like it would end up way too far forward? It has the proper bend like in the catalog?

[ 01-09-2002: Message edited by: Tony M ]

Well I installed it. There are no captive nuts. Just two predrilled holes on the inner layer of sheetmetal. At least it helps locate the mirror.

But, like I assesed in my previous post, about 25% of the mirror is obscured by the front windshield post. I haven't driven it yet but it seems lane changing is still going to be a neck stretching affair.

I have the passenger's w/ the S curve (haven't put a mirror head on it yet though). I think you are susposed to view it through the windshield. You can only see 3/4 of it though?