SPF MKII Mirrors

[SpyderMike]

I thought I would ut a thread together n my mirror solutions. The rear view mirror was provided by SPF. I centered it as high as it could be installed on the window.

There is a narrow vertical viewing slit, but you can see that there is a fairly wide view - past the snorkels.

[SpyderMike]

For side mirrors, I haven't seen any style that I liked for exterior mounted ones. I also don't want to drill holes in the bodywork, so I looked for convex interior mirrors and found these. There were real cheap ($2.99 each I think) and extremely light weight. They mount with double sided tape and fit like they were made for this location.

The installed photos are from teh drivers point of view. One the left hand mirror, the reflection of the left most door knob on the blue Jeep is 90 degrees from the driver's eyes looking forward. You can also see the left side air scoop. So, this mirror covers the blind spot.

On the right hand mirror, the telephone pole and trashcan in the reflection are in the blind spot on that side the pole being at about 135 degrees form the driver's eyes looking forward.

When driving with these installed, they did not vibrate and provided clear images driving across some fairly bumpy rural roads at speed.

I am going to try these for a while and see how they work out.

[Alan in Nevada]

Now that was a quick and easy fix. What parts supplier or chain did you get those side-view mirrors from?

[John W]

Smart idea, I like that.
i wonder if these would get a UK car through SVA, as they have no sharp edges and can presumably be adjusted from inside the car, or are they stuck down in one place only ?

[SpyderMike]

They are stuck in one place only. I got them from CIPA Mirrors - they have a retail link on their website...

[Mike Trusty]

THese mirrors and several other shapes(same brand) are available at Auto Zone, O'Reily's, Walmart, etc.

[Rich]

Here is another method of attaching side mirrors by using the existing screw holes in the side windows.

[Kim Petersen]

Rich:

Those are some fine looking mirrors and mounting plates! Who makes them and where can I get some?

Kim

[tom pritchett]

exterior mirrors are pretty tough. These are some great ideas. My oldest son just broke the passenger mirror with his bum. I am glad to know that other people have the same problems with the look and utility of the exterior mirrors. I too would like to know where to get the carbon fiber mirror that mounts to the window screws. They are the closest style that I have now.

[Neal]

SPA Technique makes the CF mirrors

[Rich]

The mirrors were purchased from APR Performance. The base was fabricated from flat stock. The 2 mirror mounting screws go through the base and window and are secured by nuts on the inside.

[AZJoe]

Originally Posted by kepetersen

Rich:

Those are some fine looking mirrors and mounting plates! Who makes them and where can I get some?

Kim

Hi Kim, the mirrors are on my GT40 MkII, they are APR Perfomance as mentioned, below is a link - they are the Universal Formula GT3 5.5 Mirrors.

APR Performance - Formula GT3 Mirrors

The base plates are made from two sided carbon fiber, I made a template in the shape you see and cut with a saw with a fine tooth aluminum blade. Not too hard to make, let me know if you would like a set, I would be more then happy to do so. Joe.

[Mike Drew]

Although there were no GT40s racing at this past weekend's Wine Country Classic at Sears Point (damn), there was one quasi-original GT40 in the Shelby Club paddock. It is quasi-original, because it was built on an original, un-numbered tub, using leftover spares purchased from John Wyer, back in about 1971. It lacks a proper P/XXXX serial number, yet it's built from original parts and has a known history from new. So it's in a no-man's land between original, and replica (or, as the less-respectful might deem them, "kit cars").

Anyway. His car was equipped from new with Vitaloni Sebring mirrors, mounted on top of the fenders (wings). These mirrors were de rigeur for European prototype racing cars, Can Am cars, and exotic sports cars, in the 60s and 70s. They are available here:

Pegasus - Vitaloni Sebring Mach 1 Mirror - Convex Lens

or here:

Talbot & Co. aardvark international

(this is the home page; click on the "Vitaloni" link).

The nice thing about these mirrors, other than the fact that they look great mounted on the fenders, is that they are available with convex lenses, which will afford a wide, vista-view which can come in very handy when driving a tiny mid-engined car with restricted rearward visability.

Hunting around on the NVSAAC site, I think I found some photos of GT40s so-equipped. I am not particularly fond of the chrome look; most Can-Am cars (and Ferraris) wore them either in basic black, or body color, but I suppose the chrome finish would be more '60s-appropriate.















and etc. and so forth....

Note that Ferrari's solution was often to mount a single Vitaloni Sebring mirror on the roof!



Or alternately, on bloody great stalks on the front fenders/wings (this was common in Can-Am too).



Neither of these solutions is recommended for the GT40, however.

Most '70s Italian supercars used the Vitaloni Californian mirror, and although they look great on Ferrari Boxers, Panteras, etc., I don't know how well they would integrate with the GT40. Might be worth considering also. Unfortunately not available with convex lenses however.

FWIW....

[Miles]

Shows why the eyebrows over the doors were required!

[Foowowee]

My opinion is that the Vitaloni Sebrings look the best, although they are probably not the the most effective vision-wise. The problem is that the sources Mike Drew shows for the Sebrings is that these are all plastic reproductions, and tend to break easily.
There was a vey nice set of NOS metal Sebrings on ebay recently, and I was trying to get them. I think the bidding got up to aound $600.00 for the set before I came to my senses and let the other bidder win. I made him pay dearly for them though.

Mike Norvilas
Homer Glen, IL

[Daryl Adams]

I bought a pair of the Vitaloni Sebrings for my GT40 at Concorso Italiano last August. I also have them on my Mangusta and they work fine - no blind spot at all. The problem with the GT40 will be how close they can be mounted to the windscreen without conflicting with the fuel filler operation. They work better the closer they are to the windscreen. On the Mangusta they look like this:

[Mike Drew]

Originally Posted by Foowowee

My opinion is that the Vitaloni Sebrings look the best, although they are probably not the the most effective vision-wise. The problem is that the sources Mike Drew shows for the Sebrings is that these are all plastic reproductions, and tend to break easily.

Are you sure? I don't know, so I'm asking. The Talbot site shows these mirrors available in both black (plastic), and also chrome (below photo is from their site). Are the chrome ones fakey-doo chrome plastic, or real-deal chrome metal? The price delta between the two would lead me to guess they are metal?

[SpyderMike]

I don't like them on the MKII - one the MKI they are nice though. Show me some good pics of MKIIs with outside mirrors...please.

[Huw Peplow]

Interesting thread as I m just at the point of choosing mirrors .With the uk sva looming are there any out there with sva pass mirrors that look good and function well.
Names of make and photos would be good

The adjustability from the inside of the car is an issue but removal of the side windows could solve this for the sva

[Steve]

can you get through SVA with perspex side windows fitted?? @i had thought they had to be removed anyway, which might mean a temporary solution as in post 7 above would work well