Does anyone know where or how I might best get mirror glass in convex or aspheric form to put in my wing mirrors to improve visibility? Much as I love the sight of Wiggie's back end, and need it in order to reverse and park safely, I can't seem to adjust the existing mirrors (I'm assuming they are standard ones) to give me visibility of traffic in the neighbouring lanes when driving along as well. A few days after a rather too close incident on a roundabout where I almost squished a very small car, I happened to be driving in a friend's lorry and I admired her lovely convex wing mirrors and the wonderful range of vision they provided with a new sense of appreciation. I wondered if I could possibly find similar glass, but in the correct proportions (or near as damnit) for the more traditional VW camper wing mirrors? From some research online it appears that authentic mirrors are only sold with pretty much flat mirrors in them (I guess our bays pre-date fancy mirror tech?) so does anyone know of any modern cars with very similar sized wing mirrors that might work? I, Wiggie, my insurer, and any potential victims of my nearside blindness will thank you for it....
Wouldn't think you'd have much luck with mirrors, but you could get one of those lens things that caravaners (shudder) have that stick on the rear window. Or, these days, a small reversing camera?
Mooneyes Convex Straight Arm Wing Mirror Fender Peep Round Curved VW Beetle T2 Found these on eBay from lime bug. I can't get my iPad to cooperate so will post a picture later.
I too have been trying to figure out how to make my wing mirrors better as find the flat mirrors pretty pointless/useless/dangerous, especially on my LHD van. I've already got the little stick on round convex things and although they help a little bit they are too small to be much help. So am going to be watching this thead with great interest...
Ooh thank you all so far. snotty - thanks, but the reversing pane thing isn't really what I'm looking for, I don't think; I'm fine reversing (into spaces, back up narrow residential streets, parallel parking etc) as long as I can see the rear corners of the bus. I assume it could replace the fact that my current mirrors show the corners, freeing up the mirrors to show the neighbouring lanes - I'm not sure as I've never used one? (plus I too shudder at the thought of them! ) Terrordales - I tried some of those I got cheap, but like Peasoup says they were too small for me to feel really happy with them, although they did help a bit. Thanks for the suggestion though. I'd really really like to just change the glass in my existing mirrors for some which shows both the rear corners and the neighbouring lanes if possible. Omias, those look good - Do you know if they are easy to fit to a bus? How do you all have your authentic ones set up? To show the rear corners of the bus or the road either side? Or do you have a different trick?
errr ummmm....... seriously? It's as simple as that? Oh dear... Just wait one minute while I allow the earth to swallow me up....
Is this the same as you got Juneau? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-CAMPER...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5657c45e1c Thanks.
I haven't bought any wide angle mirrors yet so i cant comment on how easy they would be to fit, i'm assuming they just clamp on. But after an almost interference fit with a toyota on the motorway any wide angle has got to help a lhd. I'm following with interest!
Oh, yes. I have my passenger side "vertical" and the driver's side "horizontal", so you can seen the side of the van and other lanes.
I've just ordered a couple of the ones from eBay that I posted the link to above - figured someone needs to try them out! Will hopefully be here on Wednesday and so will report back what they are like! Nick...
I’ve a LHD too and I find having a co-pilot to look over their shoulder the best but there was an article in one of the VW mags end of last year and the guy adapted the standard mirror buy using convex glass from Halfords, part No:- SR915. He did have to cut it to fit. I’ve just got a convex 'clamp-on polished stainless steel round mirror with 105mm head Ref: CME14' but haven’t tried it out yet. Hopefully this weekend I’ll be able to let you all know how it is! http://www.classic-car-accessories.co.uk/acatalog/EXTERIOR_MIRRORS.html#SID=8
There was an article in one of the camper van magazines a while back where a guy did a glass conversion ... exactly what he did I have no idea ... I will try and find said article later this afternoon if I dont get bogged down with work.
Thanks Juneau - glad to hear that as already gone ahead and ordered some! Will try and take some photos showing the difference.
My convex mirrors from eBay arrived this morning and I've just fitted them. One thing to note about them is that the glass is slightly smaller than my reproduction wing mirrors - I've got some of the cheapy repros with the grey trim round the edge. I sadly didn't realise this until after i had tried to take the old glass out and broken it, when in fact the new ones were a perfect fit to stick on top of the old glass - they fit perfectly inside the grey trim on top of the old glass. So, having realised this one side is stuck on top of the glass, but as I broke the mirror on the other side I had to make a new backing out of a spare bit of laminate in the larger size to replace the broken mirror so that I had something to stick the new one to. So, something that would have take 5 minutes had a checked first took an hour! The size of these mirrors does appear to be exactly the same as the mirror size from the original mirrors - I have an old original left laying around and holding it up to that it's the same. Anyway, photos of before and after: There is a huge difference in viewing area and I'm sure this is going to make a big difference in safety when driving - not taken it for a drive yet, but even just sat on my driveway I can see behind enough now to be able to back in properly! Not sure yet whether I'm even going to stick my small round convex corner mirrors back on - will see what it is like driving first. So, from first inspection these look great to me Hope this helps any one else thinking about doing the same. Nick...
