Mirror - how does it come apart?

[Phacade]

I found a 240Z mirror on the internet (ePay) and it seemed cheap enough. So I bought it. At $40 for a new mirror, I thought it was a great deal. Turns out I looked at the picture and some of the text but not all. Got it in the mail and I got....ta-da....a mirror. Literally a mirror, the glass in other words. Yeah I'm not exactly happy about that.

So anyway, not one to cry about it, supposedly its an "easy" install to replace the glass. But how does it come apart? I've looked the mirror over for perhaps 39 minutes and its not very obvious. Any thoughts?

[hls30.com]

The glass is crimped into the stainless steel flag, there is a rubber pad between the glass and the stainless to allow for compression to crimp the edges of the stainless with out breaking the glass.

Will

PS, I can provide pictures if you need them.

[ZSaint]

I am wondering if this new glass will fit into the old mirror back once the old glass is broken out. I have done other mirrors but never the 240Z mirror. My thought was to take an impression of the glass opening and get a piece of glass ground slightly smaller. This way the new glass will slip into the s/s 'back' without interfering with the edges. It will be slightly smaller but once it is glued into place no one will ever notice.

Let me know how the new glass fits into an old mirror. I am interested!

[Phacade]

The glass is crimped into the stainless steel flag, there is a rubber pad between the glass and the stainless to allow for compression to crimp the edges of the stainless with out breaking the glass.

Will

PS, I can provide pictures if you need them.

Yes please do. I probably should say the mirror is out of my '75 280Z, but I've gotten into the habit of saying 240Z since every knucklehead I talk to automatically assumes that when I say 280Z that I mean 280ZX. Oy.

Anycase I am reluctant to break the glass unless necessary, so a little direction would be appreciated. :nervous:

[Phacade]

Hey, was wondering if you would mind posting those pics...I'm still trying to figure this bad boy out...

[jmark]

I bought a mirror refill also. Didn't fit right so I sent it back and bought the whole piece from MSA.

[hls30.com]

Hey, was wondering if you would mind posting those pics...I'm still trying to figure this bad boy out...

Somehow I managed to miss your posts-sorry.

Your mirrors are different, the glass is glued in (atleast if they are OEM)

The 240Z has the glass held captive by a full crimp around the circumferance of the flag. I can post pictures tomorrow(I will check for your answer this time), but once again, your mirrors on a 280 are different.

If you are talking about the mirrors on the red Z in your gallery, those look like Baby Turbo Mirrors-they are probably glued as well-at 12.95 each it is probably cheeper to replace the whole thing.

www.racecarsupply.com/html/mirrors.html

Will

[ZSaint]

It seems to me that a mirror can be cut and ground to just fit into the stainless back. It will not be a fit like the stock mirror had but it will still work. It will have maybe .050-.060 clearance around the edges. It will still look good and be useable.

[hls30.com]

It will take some doing, the crimp has a healthy reach, and stainless is difficult to glue to, especially when the points of contact are all on the edge of the glass. Lets not forge the vibration and temperature/weather extreems this tiny area of adhesive will be expected to work in. OOps, there is also a rubber pad behind the mirror as well, it is not glued to anything, just positioned between the glass and the flag to absorb the shock from both crimping and travel. I will post a couple of pictures of the parts in a few minutes.

Will

[hls30.com]

Here are the pictures,

One of all the pieces, one of the crimp on the flag.

The flag crimp folds back over the flag by an eighth of an inch or so all the way around-putting a mirror back in it without folding out the crimp and then folding it back would leave an awfull lot of unsecurred area around the mirror, allowing to find its own resonance, and ultimatels fall out, break or both.

I have folded out one flag, and I am waiting for a replacement glass to try to reapply the crimp-it looks like so much fun! I did order two mirrors just in case.

Will

[Phacade]

This is probably my own fault, as I assumed, but shouldn't have. I was referring to the rear view mirror, mounted inside the car. Not the outside mirrors (I've long since replaced those mirrors and they're fine).

The rear view mirror comes out in one piece from between the sun visors, but I can't figure out how to get it apart. Any assistance would be so very helpful.

[ZSaint]

I am guessing you need to brake the glass out to get it apart. I use "Goop" adhesive. They make it for all kinds of uses: Wood, auto, electrical, general purpose, etc. I think it is all the same. It sticks to anything and HOLDS. This is what I use to glue my mirror glass into my bases. It works!