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For BJ7/8 Safety: add a quarter light mirror [or two]

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T

twas_brillig

Jedi Knight
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We had our BJ7 on the road for a bit a few years ago, and I found that I could not safely change lanes on the driver's side with the top up as I just couldn't see past this impossibly huge blind spot. I talked to a shop about door mount and fender mount mirrors but didn't really like either approach. However, lucked out and ran across a rectangular mirror that mounted to the vent window (no commercial intended here, but it's part number MRS112 at AH Spares in Jolly Olde), and it made all the difference in the world although the mounting bracket didn't allow quite enough lateral adjustment for my driving position.
Subsequently, I bought a round one for the passenger side and really liked the wider view I got from it (MRS113). It also could be fully adjusted laterally, so I replaced the driver's side rectangular mirror with a round one, although I prefer the aesthetics of the rectangular.
Initially I seemed to have trouble focusing clearly with the new mirror (dunno if it's my variable lense bifocals or some other aspect of this driver), but today I did five or six hours on the highway and it felt quite natural.
I had the top down and the tonneau cover on, but the tonneau balloons enough (we don't have the snaps to hold it down behind the seats) such that the original interior mirror was useless - however, my two quarter-light round mirrors gave me all the rearward/sideways visions that I needed both during daylight and in the dark.
Easy to install and adjust; highly recommended in this chap's opinion. Doug
 
I was wondering if you might be talking about the one like I have here. They work well enough as I am using them but I have two disappointments in them. One is as you I think hit on is that if you want to use them as a horizontal rectangular configuration then they can not be adjusted inboard enough to be useable. A very poor design deficiency in my opinion. As the picture shows I had to turn them to a vertical configuration to make them useable. That's not what I intended when I bought them. The other negative to these mirrors is that they must be attached to the glass of the quarter vent windows and they are so tight in the glass to frame gap that the quarter vent windows can not be opened with these mirrors installed. Also, if the quarter vent window was opened then the mirrors would swing out with it and the mirror would be useless. but for now they do give some rearward utility until I decide on something better. I bought mine through Moss.
 

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Our experience mostly matches yours, but I can open/close the vent windows. And I'm with you: maybe not perfect, but they do provide some rearward utility.
You've got a dang good looking car there! Doug
 
Bob, did you find a way to attach them to the quarter window chrome bar or are they attached to the glass. There were similar mirrors, (round), that were used on some '40s & '50s era customs and hot rods here in the States that were designed to be attached to the door edge or slipped over the chrome bar of a window frame. That's what I thought I was getting when I ordered these. But these will only go on the glass. the mounting hardware is too thick to slide on to the frame work of the window.
 
the ones we have attach to the glass with an allen headed set screw (allen key supplied). I've got no problem with closing the vent window/quarter light.
And Bob: was this deliberate, or accidental (either way, I'm impressed): "and have never looked back" Doug
 
Sorry for the delay guys

Yep mine are attached to the edge of the glass too, and Doug - yes it was deliberate! :emmersed: I do have a small problem with mine - the rubber on the passenger vent (both vents really) is so old that the glass had a tendency to pop out, so I must replace that at some time. Otherwise no problems.

I did buy a rectangular one from AH Spares but I had trouble with that style and consigned it to the garage shelf in the end. I saw these round ones on a car at Goodwood Revival and chatted to the owner, he had bought them the day before at the show and guided me to where the stall was - 'Over the Road'. Having purchased one and showed it to the 'Catering Management' who doubles as the Navigator on occasions, she suggested that I should have two, the rest is history as they say.

:cheers:

Bob
 
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