The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Position of mirrors on 52

Well, heres my problem.

I have two re-pop mirror arms and mirrors to put on my panel. Looked under the dash at the "brace" that is tacked in the area where it goes and there are 3 holes. I put the gasket up there and the two holes it matched I drilled out.
The holes are "sort of"level front to back. But when I put the mirror base on it for test fit it just don't seem right even with the gasket....

I've looked at a lot of photo's and some of them look like the base is horizontal like front to back. Some look like the base is Vertical. Some even look tilted which is what mine will look like but when I stick the mirror on I don't think I can twist the mirror to where I can see good. Plus the curvature don't look right either.

I would guess some folks drilled holes and put them where they wanted them but I was trying to use what I thought would be the right holes in the brace under the sheetmetal.

Critisms, opinions, or what ever, I need some help to get this figured out.

Anyone have a picture that they know is the right way?
With the two holes I've drilled already I'm mad enough to bite a 10 penny nail into :mad: I thought I had "Measured Twice" to drilled once but it don't seem right.

"help, I've fallen and I can't get up"

Not exactly clear as to what you’re lookin’ for Alvin. You mentioned something bout it mounting horizontal??? Here is the left side mirror bracket on my ’54 should be the same mount as the ’52 cowl.
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/135612072/large

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I dont recall seeing a brace on my 52..

Alvin, I know exactly what you are talking about. I went through the same initial stages as you on my 1952 and drilled mine just as you did yours. Looked pretty good but I hadn't even started final sanding yet. I also did not attach the mirror to check. Didn't seem any point with no seat. I did a lot of online searching before I drilled my holes and I am sure we have them in the right place. I suspect this is going to be another case just like the front emblems. Looked good on a quick mockup but when it gets to the fine fit these are issues. I have not tried fitting mine since I painted the cab. I can't mount the cab until I get the darn stainless steel brake lines to stop leaking.

Chuck

Chuck,

Since you changed the topic to SS brake lines, I'll follow you.

If the seats in your brass fittings/blocks are good, try this: tighten the nut on the brake line until it is snug, Then, loosen the fitting and re-tighten the fitting. Do this a couple of times.

My worst fitting for leaking was/is the fitting on the end of the master cylinder.

Are you using a flare wrench? You will have to torque it down more than a regular brake line (15 ft-lbs, supposedly).

I have read that it is possible to get brass seats to help seal leaks with SS brake lines. I have never seen nor used these seats. Here's a discussion on sealing SS brake lines.

Alvin, take a look at My 52, and I cannot recall any mounting problems, nor filling any holes...I still have the original mirror, I'll have to take a look at it...

Bill, I enlarged the picture as best I could and "to me" it looks like your mirror is sort of "straight out" and I can't see the base.

Denny, underneath the cowling there is piece that the bolts that hold the mirrow go through. I've read about it in the past but haven't found that post yet. I even thought I printed it out as I know my memory is not as good as it once was.

Right now I can get under the dash and shoot a couple pics so that would be the best thing to do so everyone can see first hand. So, give me a day. WE've got to solve this problem for future posterity!!!

Well that was the outside and here is the inside, don't know what else there is buddy. http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/133002026/large
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Hi Alvin -

Hope that I'm not adding mud to the water ...

I had an unrelated problem with my driver's mirror. In the process of figuring out the problem and getting good info from forum members, some pretty good photos were posted to my query.

Perhaps you can get some info from the post, especially about the mounting plates behind the fenders.

OK, thanks to all the responses and pictures. Lonnie, thanks for the link to the previous post. It was helpful. This post is long but please bear with me.

Here is my new "findings". After reading all the post I went back out with my camera and just held it "up and over" the "ledge" we keep talking about. As soon as I reviewed the picture I see the problem.
In the first picture below you can actually see the bolt/nut that some say you can't see or get to. Well, I didn't see it either till I held the camera up there.
As you can see, I drilled two hole horizontally. Half good half bad. The good part is that one hole is in the right place but the one toward the front bumper is not. I'm so ticked at myself.

This picture shows what appears to be where someone, years ago, must have tried to remove the mirror and twisted the bolt/screw into as you can still see the bolt and nut sticking through. This leads me to belief the nut is welded on or it would have fallen out when the bolt twisted into. I figure someone did that and just filled it in and painted over it as there was no holes in it when I got the panel. Although I'm sure the panel was 99.97% original someone could have done just what I mentioned and put the mirrors on the doors..One of the doors was a 50 so I can only guess what was done back in the day.
Here it the pic showing that elusive bolt.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/100_1394.jpg

This pic shows the holes I drilled. Looking at this pic the hole on the left if wrong...but the one on the right is correct.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/100_1395.jpg

The pic below shows the position the mirror is suppose to be and I do not like it that low and sticking out like this. I'm holding the mirrow with the top hole in mirror base over the top hole in the cowl which is the correct position.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/100_1396.jpg

This picture below shows how I'd like to put it on. I simply moved the base up to where the bottom hole of the base is in the top hole on cowl. NOTE: I like this position but not sure if the wing vent frame will block any view from the driver. I may use the one hole and temporarily use one bolt to hole it in place till I get my seats in.
NOTE: I think this is what others have done along the way and possibly explains, as I mentioned earlier, how I see the mirror in different positions on the trucks in the gallery. Mainly the two positions I'm holding it.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/100_1397.jpg

This picture below is of the PASSENGER side. I do not see that "lower" bolt hole as on the drivers side...SO, which holes get drilled out for the passenger side?

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/100_1398.jpg

Thanks guys for being patient. Hope this also helps someone else.
.... and which holes get dilled for the passenger side?..the two that look Vertical like the driver side?

The 6 oclock and 12 oclock holes.

Sorry for hijacking this thread. 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock holes? Thanks, Marty! I've been wanting to install a passenger side mirror arm on my '50, but I was afraid to drill the holes in the wrong spot.

Charlie.

The way that that they were on the 50 and 53 are the same as the 4th pic. Alvin. like Marty said 6 and 12

...thanks guys. Thats what I figured as the only logical way but afte the drive side I guess I'm gun shy!
I'm still ticked at myself for not finding that "lower" bolt on the driver side.

Charlie, one of the holes looks elongated so to get the holes just right you may want to drill a small 1/8" hole first, then look at the fit in case you need to move a little left or right to make the holes "dead on" for the mirror base.

Mike, you and I need a vacation don't we. I know you understand.

This might be a good item to put in the tech tips. Seems a lot of folks have had similar problems before..especially with the left lower one.

Maybe i should have elaborated a bit. The holes dont necessarily need to exactly line up with the holes in that wascilly bwacket.
If youre 1/4" off either way,,who's gonna know.
Just take a long drill bit,,from under the dash and drill the holes to where its gonna work so you can get the bolts and nuts on in an easy manner.
Alvin,,,I can feel your pain and madness. Drilling a wrong hole like that in the cowl makes you want to kick the cat. And if you dont have a cat, go buy one and kick it. (i love animals)
Get one of those $1 chrome bullets and fill the hole with that.

Hey Alvin, I just had an brain fart. All you have to do is find a three legged mirror bracket, then you can use that extra hole.

All kiddin' aside, I really feel for ya, I know how much work you've put into getting her up to this point.

Denny

Didn't want to leave this post "hanging" and figure I better but and end to it in case someone reads it and wonders what happened.

Here's how I ended up.
This first picture shows the OEM position.
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/100_1396.jpg

This picture shows where I moved the mirror up. I moved the arm up and drilled another top hole. Look close and you can still see the one I drilled wrong.
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/100_1406.jpg

I have noticed that there are several pictures in the Gallery showing mirrors both ways as shown above.

This is the passenger side mirror in the OEM position. At least I drilled the holes right on this one. The big hole if for a future antena but I may plug it and put the antena where it's suppose to be when we patch the other little hole?
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/100_1405.jpg

Hope this helps someone along the line somewhere.