Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

Every car in the UK sold after 1980 or so has two door mounted driving mirrors and in modern driving conditions they are essential for observational safety.
We drive our classics in 2017 and not in 1950, 1960 or even 1970. Driving conditions have changed, classic cars have not which is why I added too driving mirrors to my Jaguar Mark 2 as soon as it's restoration was finished in 1996.

Have you added additional driving mirrors to your classic?
IMHO wing mounted mirrors are all but useless which is why I removed the ones from my Jaguar and S2a Land Rover.

The ones I fixed to the Mark2 were this type which will be familiar to all British Leyland cars post 1977 :

[img]

They worked but did not really suit the Mark 2 and this is where part two of my post comes in.
Which ones of the following do you consider appropriate to a Jaguar Mark 2.
First a photo of a Jaguar Mark 2 :

[/img]

And now a selection of door mirrors :



[img]

[/img]

[img]

"In stock" I have a pairs of ex XJS,ex Ford Escort Mark 2, "Torpedo" mirrors and mirrors such as you used to see on Minis, Allegros or Maxis none of which I like.

I would be grateful for your views on which would look best on the car and for suggestions for any other styles.

Thank you.

Ellis

[img][/img]
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Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[peter scott]

I totally agree about wing mirrors being useless. The flat ones don't give enough coverage and the convex ones give too small an image. In times of old when cars had quarter lights I used to like the Stadium overtaker but because my SS tapers towards the front small door mounted mirrors are eclipsed by the rear bodywork.



I have been tempted to fit an oval Desmo design but dislike the idea of drilling the bodywork.



Having driven the for nearly 30k miles in this car now on all types of road I have survived with twisting my head around in motorcycle style although I accept that a mirror would be better.

Peter
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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[alanb]

Ellis
I prefer the 4th (last) in your post, but have you seen the door mount racing mirrors on the Holden site, I think they might look rather good on your mk2.
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old tourer


Morris 8 two seater

[alastairq]

[img][/img]

Apologies for the display of ugliness, but if you look closely, there is a very useful round mirror, on a period adjustable arm.....on the off side.

Although physically quite small, it's site, very close to my nose, means I have a good view behind [and to the right] which is probably the most useful zone of observation in the UK.

The is also a very tiny mirror on a pole in the centre of the windscreen, [behind the green 'class' sticker] whose area of visibility belies its tiny size. Less use, however, if I have a passenger!

I take the opposite view {!} concerning the 'oval' exterior mirror above, finding them a bit too kitsch for my liking..like owning a designer handbag?

Better to have a round one, but then, that's solely my view?

The Jaguar could easily get away with the more rectangular door mirrors, style-wise, as these were a very 1960's addition to many cars. They appear to have been fitted as standard to many US cars of the period.

[badhuis]

[MikeEdwards]

I've driven my Firenza since the rebuild with no door mirrors. I had a run-in with an MOT tester who tried to fail it for not having any, but as it was first used before 1978 it didn't need them.

I am looking at adding some now, though, because I get so used to having them on the daily that I miss them, particularly on motorways or while reversing. I do have the proper Vauxhall accessory mirrors, but the delay has been trying to find the proper gaskets that fit between them and the doors. I got one, though, and made a mould from that and have plenty now.

[Rick]

I must be alone in quite liking wing mirrors, although I think it very much depends on driver height, seat height, wing height and so on ... but when they work, I find them excellent.

I remember those on my A40 worked perfectly well, and the ones on the Moggy aren't bad either. For a quick update on what's happening behind, I can look at them without actually turning my head, although obviously if I'm going for a daring overtake - say on a milkfloat, or tardy cyclist - then a check over the shoulder is de rigueur anyway.

However I do think that wing mirrors spoil the lines on curvy cars such as a Mk2.

RJ
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[mikeC]

I agree, Rick, wing mirrors work fine for me, too; and they are appropriate on cars of the '50s and '60s:



Having said that, when it came to my Lancia, I decided to fit a door mirror as it was less obtrusive - wing mirrors would have spoil the lines at the front:


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in the garage: a big empty space!
Recently departed: 1938 Talbot Ten, 1953 Lancia Appia, 1931 Austin Seven, 1967 Singer Chamois, 1914 Saxon, 1930 Morris Cowley, 1936 BSA Scout, 1958 Lancia Appia coupe, 1922 Star 11.9 ... the list goes on!

[badhuis]

Wing mirrors for me are fine as well. I also think they look well on 50s and 60s cars, something is lost when they do not get replaced or are replaced by door mirrors. A car gets extra points for me when it (still) has wing mirrors.
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a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment

[JohnDale]

I can't live without my door mirrors - just spoiled by my modern.





Excuse her nighty, she was all tucked up till the first show,cheers,JD.
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1958 Ford Zephyr Mk2 Convertible
1976 Ford Granada Ghia.

[mikeC]

Door mirrors and wing mirrors - do you get the feeling someone's following you
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in the garage: a big empty space!
Recently departed: 1938 Talbot Ten, 1953 Lancia Appia, 1931 Austin Seven, 1967 Singer Chamois, 1914 Saxon, 1930 Morris Cowley, 1936 BSA Scout, 1958 Lancia Appia coupe, 1922 Star 11.9 ... the list goes on!

[Richard H]

I've got one door mirror on my Somerset, which has probably been on since the sixties from the look of it! It's a TEX stainless mirror head, fixed to a homemade bracket which is held in place by the quarterlight being shut over it. It's quite a good mirror, though I do miss having an operational driver's quarterlight!

I have considered fitting wing mirrors, but due to the shape of the wings on the Somerset, the rear visibility isn't that great. My Cambridge and A35 both have wing mirrors, which are much better on those cars. [/img]

Here's 'Maisie', my dad's old Somerset which he fitted wing mirrors to. What do you all think?


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Richard Hughes

[Keith D]

I am quite intrigued by the mirrors mounted on the front mudguards. Over here all mirrors are mounted on the doors. I can't remember ever seening a mudguard mounted mirror in Australia.

Keith
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1926 Chrysler 60 tourer
1932 Austin Seven RN long wheelbase box sedan
1950 Austin A40 tourer
1999 BMW Z3
Its weird being the same age as old people.
You are either part of the problem or part of the solution

[badhuis]

While other countries might have fitted wing mirrors, none have done so extensively as the British. It is a lovely feature of a bygone era.

I love the wing mirrors on your fathers Somerset Richard. Much better there than having some on the door. Although on your car I would keep the home made mirror!
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a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment

[47Jag]

In 1968 the American government legislated that all new cars had to have an external mirror on the drivers door (at least) which forced any manufacturer wanting to import into the USA had to comply with. It was only a matter of time when it filtered back into the home markets.

Art