Mirrors '56 Austin Healey 100 4

[mashby777]

My 100 4 came with side mirrors that the PO had created that attached to the wind screen side posts. They don't work for me. I'm looking at fender mount mirrors at Moss. There are single and double mounting posts, convex or flat mirror glass, and a repro Lucas backing plate available. Have any of you journeyed down this road? Any advise would be appreciated. God speed, Mike

 

[Bruce Bowker]

What mirror are you using for the side post mounts? Mine is a Harley mirror and works very well.

 

[Rob Glasgow]

I've had the single post Moss mirrors on my BT7 for the past 30 years. Flat one on the drivers side and convex on the passenger side. They are mounted about 12" in front of the windscreen pillar. They are not as good as my modern car mirrors(bigger, tinted and heated) but work OK for they're size. And they look "correct".

 

[EV2239]

Here's the whole range of old Brit car mirrors.

https://www.vintagemotorspares.com/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/hodge?opendocument&part=9

 

[Michael Oritt]

Opinions vary but I like side mirrors to be as far to the front as possible. Mine are over the front hubs with convex on both sides.

 

[mashby777]

Hi,sorry for the belated response, but some family health issues have kept me pretty busy. The mirrors that I have are generic 4" flat mirrors that have been modified with a bracket so that they could be attached to the windscreen frame with the knurled keeper onthe side of the frame.Not a bad idea, but with the vibration they soon tend to begin to drop down. The PO said that he created these because he was reluctant to drill any holes. So I am going to purchase the single pole fender mounts. My car has the louvered m-bonnet with no belt. I'm also going to remedy that. Do you hgave any suggestions? What a blessing this list is! Thank you so much for your response. Look forward to hearing from you.
God speed, Mike

 

[mashby777]

Hi Rob, Thanks for the input. I'm planning to follow your advice. God speed, Mike

 

[mashby777]

Thanks for the respnse. Quite a range of possibilities!
God speed, Mike

 

[mashby777]

Thanks so much for your input. My mirrors will soon be odered! On another note,I have a louvered m-bonnet, sans the belt. I want to correct this. Any advice?
Thanks again and God speed, Mike

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey Mike,
Are you looking to go back to a non louvered bonnet ? If so, you can possibly find one on ebay or someone like AH Spares in UK for 395 pounds for aluminum and prior to shipping. Ebay will be the best bet for a steel one as believe all new ones are aluminum. Don't think Moss sells one now. Might also be able to get one through British Car Specialist in California, David Nock's company. A new one is pricey and keep in mind it may not fit as well as what you have now since your current louvered one had to be fitted properly at one time as it can be tricky to get them to fit right. If you want to add the leather strap, that's easy as Moss and others sell that. Personally I love the look of the louvered bonnet but you might want to get back to the stock look.
Good luck,
Mike

 

[mashby777]

Hi Mike,
I actually have the original bonnet. Like you I prefer the louver look. My bonnet does not fit as well as I would like, so I'll work on that. I plan to add a belt. A belt with no fittings came with the car. It looks like I'm going to have to purchase the complete package. Thank you for your response. God speed, Mike

 

[Randy Forbes]

Opinions vary but I like side mirrors to be as far to the front as possible. Mine are over the front hubs with convex on both sides.

THIS!

Opinions on mirrors and their placement are almost as varied as the number of people you ask. I completely agree with Michael; mine too are centered on the front wheels ("just onto the steel fender" outboard of the stainless steel bead).

I used to get by with flat glass mirrors when I bought the car (34 years ago, on 4/1/1978) but a couple years ago I switched to convex glass. First I did the RH mirror, then decided to swap the LH mirror too.

Now, with both sides convex, I can practically see the back of my own head; great coverage (except for the glare off the bald spot...)!

Edit: profile shot, and to ask, what good are the Harley mirrors (in the side screen ports) when you need to put the windows in?

High resolution image for scale.

https://www.spcarsplus.com/gallery3/var/a...pg?m=1304199699

 

[RAC68]

I installed my Lucas flat fender mirrors when I originally bought the car in ‘64. Placed over the front wheels and being near sighted at the time, they were useless to me but I liked the look. As I got older and my sight moved from near to far sighted, the mirrors became more and more usable.

I have come to believe the Healey was inadvertently designed to grow old with. The fender mirrors become more usable as you grow far sighted, summer cabin temperatures become more bearable (when taking blood pressure meds), and the heater keeps you feet nice and warm when the top’s down during a winter drive.

All the best,
Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey Mike,
You can purchase the fittings only for the LeMans belt from Moss, believe less than $45. Let me know if you would like me to send you pics of how mine is installed if needed.
Regards,
Mike

 

[red57]

Just to be a little different. Mine are both convex and mounted in line with the rear edge of the bonnet opening. They were already there when I got the car and I have come to like them a lot.

The main reason I like them there is that the driver side one can be adjusted by me when sitting in the car so I don't need help or getting in & out of the car to get it aimed right (have you ever parked anywhere with people around and NOT found them out of alighment when you get back in the car?) and if I have a passenger, they can adjust the other one without getting out.

Dave

 

[tahoe healey]

If you make a circle with your finger and thumb, holding your hand as far out as possible and move your hand closer to your eye, you will see a wider view as it gets close. That's why the mirror are best set close. Mine are set 22 inches from the front side door. For looks, I like the look over the wheel. My MG came with the right side mirror over the wheel and the left close to the windscreen.

 

[Richard Dickinson]

Mine were installed on the high point of the fenders. They were that way when I bought it new. I think they were dealer installed , but I'm not sure about that.

 

[mashby777]

This discussion group is invaluable! The number of possibilities for mounting my mirrors is incredible. Being concrete-sequential(mostly concrete!)makes the choice difficult. It essentially boils down to form vs function. My mirrors are on their way, single post, one flat and one convex. I'm going to figure out a way to see how they would work for me ,either above the front hubs or somewhere within an arm's length.
I tried making a circle with my thumb and forefinger at arm's length, and then drawing it closer to my eye several times, but the diameter didn't change.I also gave some thought to the aging far sightedness which would put the mirrors over the front hubs,but a few years ago, after experiencing bieng terribly far-sighted, I had my lenses surgically replaced. I now have mono vision, one distance eye and one reading. Perhaps one mirror over a hub and the other.....Enough already! Please forgive my feeble attempt at humor, in all sincerity I'm really enjoying the discourse and value your opinions.
God speed, Mike

 

[tahoe healey]

The thumb and forefinger don't get bigger, the view through them does.

 

[Editor_Reid]

I just quickly read through this thread again and I don't believe that anyone has yet mentioned the option that I prefer:

Put the mirrors exactly aligned with... the bottom of a drawer somewhere. Neither of my Healeys have wing/door mirrors mounted. First, I couldn't bear to drill the necessary holes, and second, I have found that they are ineffective anyway. If your state requires an exterior rear-view mirror, the ones that mount on the windscreen pillars will do nicely, are close enough to you that they actually have at least some function, and do not require drilling any holes.

I would never turn or change lanes without turning my head to look back anyway, so wing-mounted mirrors are superfluous, at least for me.