Topic: Dual Racing Mirrors

[69RavenConv]

Were the dual racing mirrors on a '69 mounted prior to paint or were they painted separately and then mounted? I'm wondering if the mounting screws and gasket would show paint or not. I'm re-assembling my '69 convertible and trying to be correct when and where I can ...

Dearborn convertible, 302-2V, visibility group,  9F03FXXXXXX, built June 4, 1969

[J_Speegle]

Body of the car was painted at the factory the mirrors were painted by the supplier (arrived at the plant pained body color) from our understanding. This is why special order paint Mach I's would normally not get the painted racing mirrors but instead the chrome remote mirror on the drivers side.  Gasket and retaining screws would not have been on the car at the time it was painted at the factory

The reason for a painted gasket would typically be a repaint or touch up

[69RavenConv]

Thank you! The original hardware appeared natural when I removed it but wasn't sure if that was due to design or age. (I didn't know that factoid about mach I's either.)

[69GTconvert]

Body of the car was painted at the factory the mirrors were painted by the supplier (arrived at the plant pained body color) from our understanding. This is why special order paint Mach I's would normally not get the painted racing mirrors but instead the chrome remote mirror on the drivers side. 

Jeff,

Would a Mach I ordered with special paint received a chrome mirror on the passenger side as well or only one chrome mirror?

Thanks.

George

[J_Speegle]

Would a Mach I ordered with special paint received a chrome mirror on the passenger side as well or only one chrome mirror?

My understanding (what I've seen) is that they got a single chrome drivers side remote mirror.

Dealer or PO might have installed something on the passenger car of some vehicle but not what I've found on the examples I've seen or owned

[69gtconv]

While not a Special Order Paint, I was wondering if the rarer Pastel Gray cars received the Chrome Remote Mirror as well (no supplier provided Pastel Gray painted racing mirrors)?

My '69 Q-Code Pastel Gray Convertible did not come with racing mirrors.

Thanks in advance.

[J_Speegle]

While not a Special Order Paint, I was wondering if the rarer Pastel Gray cars received the Chrome Remote Mirror as well (no supplier provided Pastel Gray painted racing mirrors)?

My '69 Q-Code Pastel Gray Convertible did not come with racing mirrors.

Thanks in advance.

Convertible would not normally have dual racing mirrors

Would have to look through my pictures to pick out the Pastel Gray Mach I's to see what they did there on cars that were (or should have been) dual racing mirrors

[K-HESS]

Curious since this original conversion was from 2012 is it still the theory that special order paint Mach1s and GTs would have come with a chrome mirror. I had a special order paint mach1 Dearborn built dark orchid and a special order GT convertible Metuchen built pink and both had factory painted to match sport mirrors.

[J_Speegle]

Curious since this original conversion was from 2012 is it still the theory that special order paint Mach1s and GTs would have come with a chrome mirror. I had a special order paint mach1 Dearborn built dark orchid and a special order GT convertible Metuchen built pink and both had factory painted to match sport mirrors.

As far as I know - yes. There have been cases where owners in the 80-90's added painted racing mirrors to match their special order paint jobs. Either because at one point we didn't realize that they didn't get the chrome mirrors or just that the owners thought it looked odd. Know three special paint Mach I's where this was done. My special order paint Mach that I had for years only had holes for a drivers side mirror in the doors and the holes matched the chrome mirror. When I got the car (in black primer) the kid had added two racing style mirrors - aftermarket ones painted the same. Don't think it is a "theory" If I recall correctly there is some documentation also but at the moment don't know where my copy is - in the middle of doing other research

Know of maybe a dozen special order Machs or more with the chrome mirrors 

[67gta289]

Just a thought - is there any evidence to track from build sheets?

[J_Speegle]

Just a thought - is there any evidence to track from build sheets?

No since (if I recall correctly) the mirrors are not listed on the buildsheet and the choice of dual painted mirrors/holes needed would have been part of the build prior to the buldsheet usage.

Now at plants and time periods with buck tags there is a note/code for the painted mirrors. Only concern is all of the fake/reproduction buck tags out there.

Have special paint buck tags but not sure if I have any from 69 special paint Mach I or GT's. All of the special paint cars I've had and helped build didn't have buck tags

[67gta289]

Interesting.  There had to be a way to attempt to get ahead on purchasing, unless they used a crude method with large inventory.  Also as you mentioned how did they know how to prep the doors (early in the process) and lastly what exactly to install when assembling.

[J_Speegle]

Interesting.  There had to be a way to attempt to get ahead on purchasing, unless they used a crude method with large inventory.  Also as you mentioned how did they know how to prep the doors (early in the process) and lastly what exactly to install when assembling.

The 69 racing mirrors were an interesting challenge and a whole 'nother discussion since it appears that they may have been painted by the supplier - the reason they didn't paint them on site with the rest of the parts painted off the car. Order would have let the managers and workers know how cars were to be built and cars (with painted mirrors) would not have been started until enough mirrors were at the plant. Good thing is that the mirrors would not take up much space compared to so much of the other parts that make up our cars.

Prepping the cars (for example the doors for the mirrors) would have taken place using the order information that would be applied to the radiator support and or the buck tag depending on when and where it was built from my understanding from managers and workers

[70b302cat]

For 1970 Cougar Eliminators, dual color keyed racing mirrors were part of the Eliminator option.  The special paint Eliminators have a credit called out on the invoice for "Remote control l/h mirror substituted for color-keyed racing mirror".  The credit was 2.60 on the MSRP and 2.05 on the dealer cost.  The 1970 XR7 only had driver's side racing mirror and has a similar call out.

I would think that a special paint 1969 Mach 1 would probably have a similar call out on the invoice.

[J_Speegle]

I would think that a special paint 1969 Mach 1 would probably have a similar call out on the invoice.

At least for the copies I have of invoices from Dearborn built Mach I's in 69 with special paint there is no credit for the lack of painted racing style mirrors.

Remember this from an earlier discussion on the subject. Beleive examples of 69 invoices were posted in that thread also