Looking for opinions - Stainless/Chrome Door Mirrors

[markeb01]

I recently broke the door mirror off the driver side of my 1/25 model so I thought it was time to add a second mirror to the passenger side like the real truck. The new mirrors look kind of goofy because the length and angle is not correct:



Before I had a chance to paint them black my wife saw the model and thought I should add chrome mirrors to the real truck. She thought it tied in nicely with the spotlights and windshield trim. I’m not sure if the extra shiny stuff would be an improvement or one thing too many.

Here’s what the real truck looks like with black mirrors:



What do you think? I’d appreciate any/all opinions - for or against.

Also – has anyone recently purchased chrome round mirror heads from Chevy Duty/Classic Parts (or anywhere else). Their catalog and web page only shows the face of the mirror (the glass). If I end up buying chrome mirrors I’d like to know what the back looks like first.

Thanks!

[rideblue00]

I think the chrome mirrors will work good.

[Blue_Aura]

These are what I just bought. They look great. I'll get a pic of the other side when I can.

http://m.summitracing.com/parts/upd-c555728
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[Clyde65]

I bought the round chrome ones from Clasic parts, I also bought the square stainless ones. I liked the chrome ones a lot but hate them rusting after 10 years. I now have the stainless square ones and I like them ok but liked the roun ones better
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[PAPA KENT]

mark i think your wife is right.the black ones just blend in with the doors and with the spots and the trim i think stainless would be a great addition.

[Chief Big Toe]

I like the Chrome ones, I am looking to put some on mine, ? what kind of paint is it you used or is it primer?

Thanks David

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by Chief Big Toe

I like the Chrome ones, I am looking to put some on mine, ? what kind of paint is it you used or is it primer?

Thanks David

The paint is John Deere Blitz Black enamel. Details are on the 3rd page of my build thread. Thanks for asking.

[aerotruk63]

Mix it up and mount a chrome mirror with the black arms. This way you won't have to much bling all in one area. Seems to much bling is an issue around here!

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by markeb01

I recently broke the door mirror off the driver side of my 1/25 model so I thought it was time to add a second mirror to the passenger side like the real truck. The new mirrors look kind of goofy because the length and angle is not correct:



Before I had a chance to paint them black my wife saw the model and thought I should add chrome mirrors to the real truck. She thought it tied in nicely with the spotlights and windshield trim. I’m not sure if the extra shiny stuff would be an improvement or one thing too many.

Here’s what the real truck looks like with black mirrors:



What do you think? I’d appreciate any/all opinions - for or against.

Also – has anyone recently purchased chrome round mirror heads from Chevy Duty/Classic Parts (or anywhere else). Their catalog and web page only shows the face of the mirror (the glass). If I end up buying chrome mirrors I’d like to know what the back looks like first.

Thanks!

Mark, I think it looks better with the mirrors black; this way they do not "clutter", or compete for attention with the spots. BTW: I love your model!
sam

[markeb01]

Thanks to all that responded. I’ve decided to hold up for a while and consider all the options. Others outside the forum also think chrome/stainless mirrors would look better. My son agrees with luvbowties and thinks chrome truck mirrors will detract from the windshield trim and spotlights.

So I’m going to let it sit for a couple of months and do some more pondering. I’m also considering elimination of the truck mirrors and going with either peep mirrors, or perhaps 55 Chevy passenger car mirrors near the vent windows. They might add a bit of functional class without overpowering the door/spotlight area like the long arms of the truck version.

[CRGRS 66]

I prefer the chrome, or stainless mirrors Mark, but the 50's passenger car mirrors sound interesting too...

[CRGRS 66]

classic industries as these, seems a decent price, have never dealt with them myself
http://www.classicindustries.com/tri.../tf400440.html

[markeb01]

Those are the ones. They're probably different, but they remind me of the OEM mirror that came on my 54 Chevy sedan years ago. I thought they were attractive and stylish for a factory item.



If I eliminate the truck mirrors I'll have to fill the holes and repaint the doors anyway, so I'm trying to consider what would really look best and stay with the same time period as the rest of the truck. I'd like something that is complimentary and not found on every other truck. I ran the same original Yankee peep mirror on all my daily drivers from 1971 up to about 1992 and never saw another one until they started being reproduced in the late 1980's. Now they are so common I'm inclined to look elsewhere.

With the grille, spotlights, and bed rails I'm thinking maybe some type of passenger car mirror might be an improvement, but I'm also cautious to know when to leave well enough alone. Now I'm wishing I had installed passenger car mirrors on the model. Looks like I may have to build yet another one!

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by markeb01

Those are the ones. They're probably different, but they remind me of the OEM mirror that came on my 54 Chevy sedan years ago. I thought they were attractive and stylish for a factory item.



If I eliminate the truck mirrors I'll have to fill the holes and repaint the doors anyway, so I'm trying to consider what would really look best and stay with the same time period as the rest of the truck. I'd like something that is complimentary and not found on every other truck. I ran the same original Yankee peep mirror on all my daily drivers from 1971 up to about 1992 and never saw another one until they started being reproduced in the late 1980's. Now they are so common I'm inclined to look elsewhere.

With the grille, spotlights, and bed rails I'm thinking maybe some type of passenger car mirror might be an improvement, but I'm also cautious to know when to leave well enough alone. Now I'm wishing I had installed passenger car mirrors on the model. Looks like I may have to build yet another one!

Hey Mark, iirc we both have a serious back ailment. Mine not only affects the lumbar but also the cervical area, limiting movement/twisting of my head to 'see what's coming'. Were it not for looks, I'd have west coast type mirrors in a heartbeat. But I found a compromise with the LMC rectangular heads on original stems. Just a heads up for safety on your making any change w/out maybe a test-drive in a truck w/similar mirrors to whatever you consider.

The peep style ones on my truck when I bought it were a definite no-no. Even original stems with round heads did not offer quite as much safe vision as did the rectangular heads in my case.
Sam

[1963c-10]

Or chrome arms w/black heads would look good too.

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

Or chrome arms w/black heads would look good too.

I’ve thought about that too, or black mirrors on stainless arms, but I think the only reason I ever went with the truck mirrors in the first place was because the threaded holes were already in the driver’s door. If those hadn’t been there I probably would have gone with passenger car mirrors when I first purchased the truck.

Originally Posted by luvbowties

Hey Mark, iirc we both have a serious back ailment. Mine not only affects the lumbar but also the cervical area, limiting movement/twisting of my head to 'see what's coming'. Were it not for looks, I'd have west coast type mirrors in a heartbeat. But I found a compromise with the LMC rectangular heads on original stems. Just a heads up for safety on your making any change w/out maybe a test-drive in a truck w/similar mirrors to whatever you consider.

The peep style ones on my truck when I bought it were a definite no-no. Even original stems with round heads did not offer quite as much safe vision as did the rectangular heads in my case.
Sam

You remember correctly, my back is shot too – has been for years. Long ago I ran a Wink panel mirror inside my 46 Ford and the rear vision was fantastic. I could see all around the car without moving my head. Even motorcycle cops that tried to hide in my blind spot!



The outside mirrors were secondary and only needed for verifying lane changes. I tried running a Wink mirror in the GMC when I first got it, but the shape of the cab and small back window made it very ineffective compared to the earlier passenger car installation.



I also tried a rectangular head on the truck door arm many moons ago, but the one I got vibrated so badly I couldn’t see anything out of it.

From a styling standpoint, the more I study the photos the more I’m leaning towards a car mirror. My truck is more of a car than a truck anyway. The other advantage of switching mirrors is moving the mirror surface closer to my head. As mentioned earlier I used the same peep mirror for 20 years on several different vehicles and really loved it. Being close to my face provided a relatively wide viewing angle. Unfortunately being older and needing glasses now I’m finding the black glass is just too limiting at night. And on bright sunny days when the sunvisor is down on the side, all vision from a peep mirror is blocked.

If I went with a Chevy passenger car mirror the mirror head would be 5-6” closer to the driver, providing that improved viewing angle. In looking through all the styles from 1954 to the late 60’s, I also discovered the 1958 Chevy mirror:





I’m thinking the forward leaning stem would mimic the windshield posts, and the rather rounded mirror shell might compliment the spotlights a lot more than the truck versions. I’m definitely going to try it on the model to see how it looks, even if the paint gets screwed up.