Power mirror conversion

This isn't about my direct conversion but should as a base for it. I do want to share what I have so those who want to can have some reference info to help guide them. Now to start off for those who want to try to be stock looking it'll be a challange for most. The '86-'88 Monte Carlo & '86-'87 El Camino owners will have it easier as the share the samestyle mirrors as the C4 Vette, 3rd gen F bodies, Fiero & '86-'90 Caprice Classic. All others are limited to '81-'82 Vettes for sport mirrors & 80's B, D, RWD C bodies & most '79-'85 E bodies for chrome mirrors. Note Cadillacs have "Cadillac" casted into the housing. Some of the chrome driver side mirrors may have a outside thermometer on them. There are other mirrors out there but would require custom fitting to be used.

With the control switch on GM's are of three set ups: single switch with a L & R switch, single switch with the knob being able to select L & R, dual switchs with one for each mirror. Some can directly replace the cable control lever like the '91-'96 B bodies & other late '80's/early to mid '90's cars. The '80 B/C/D/E also fit the same but about all of them have dual switch & would be ideal for those that have twin remote mirrors. C3 & '84-'89 C4 Vettes will fit but uses the L & R switch. C3 switchs have a very heavy "Vette Tax" being new repop or used. Most stand alone switches can easily be fitted in the door panel or center console.

Wiring may be something that'll throw things off as not all the colors listed in the diagrams match what is used. The C3 harness I have don't come close to what's in the '81 CSM I have. Even the motor wires most likely won't match. It's best to grab as much of the donors wiring even if you're going to source from different models to get it all to work just to ensure you'll have an idea of what wire does what. Also, just because everything is GM sources doesn't mean the colors will match.

From what I've seen with motors, the C3 & C4 (& others that uses this sport mirror) Vette mirrors use a simular motor with the difference of the wire color, wire entry to the motor body & wire circuit based on how it's mounted to the mirror housing. There are other that use the same style motor like '95-'99 ('00 Lumina) W body (possible with '88 up W body also), '86- about '93 E body, '97-'05 W body Malibu & Cutlass (to '99). I don't want to get too much as this is something I'm learning about as I go but I'll add the wire circuit function in realation to th control switch will be based on the clock position of the motor itself.

Here is some wire diagrams for the what I have. Both that is in the '81 Corvette CSM, '87 Caprice Classic from the '87 B/G electical manual & '97 Monte Carlo/Lumina from the '97 Chevy/Olds CSM Vol 2. The Cutlass Supreeme is very simular so I passed on it for now.


I'll be adding as I go & I welcome anyone else to add to this.

Here are pics of the motor brackets for the '81-'82 C3 mirrors & a "junk" motor to show what's needed to convert manual to power reusing your original mirror housing & pedestal. These are pot metal & not sure if a set made from a 3D printer would be as strong but might be an option if possible. I only have a passenger side mirror frame & need a driver side sourced from somewhere. They are not the same as manual mirrors.



As it can be seen with the motor, C3 units have the wires enter the body in that spot as the other enter where the point is. Not the Molex conector as GM didn't use any Packard connectors for the C3. Motor is the same left of right, mounted in the same position. This is pretty much how it'll look mounted.




Now here are some motors I piced up the other day. First is from a '96 Lumina, second is from a '88 Toronado that had a drivers heated mirror which has nothing to do with the motor, third is from '96 Grand Prix.

For switches I have are first from a '84 Fleetwood which had one on the door & the other in the dash, they will fit both the door & dash bezels in our cars. Second is the one I plan to use that is out of a '92 Roadmaster & I have it in a spare bezel. Third is from the '96 Lumina & it fits but will need some shaving done to it to fit better.



And as you can see, all the wire colors are not the same. Function is slightly different too. The Fleetwood set has four plus a power & ground as B/C/D use a four wire motor. Now the Roadmaster & Lumina has the power & ground along with six, three each to each mirror. The Lumina motor does have four wires but two are spliced together in its harness.

UC645 said:

One thing to add- The Fiero mirror housings are identical to the 86-88 MC (possibly the Elco’s too, but I haven’t seen those in person) but the C4 Corvette and 3rd Gen mirrors are about an 1/8 inch closer to the door and require different gaskets, as the pedestals have more of a curve to their bases.
View attachment 213784
View attachment 213785
The black housing is an 86-88 MC, the white one is a C4.

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As for the El Camino, they are the same as the Monte Carlo. Now, did you gut the Monte Carlo housings to see if the C4 power guts was able to mount inside?

UC645 said:

Already test fitted, the inner mounts are the same. No pictures yet, though.

The only modifications needed are either opening up the center holes in the doors for cable operated mirrors or changing the connectors out for some smaller ones.

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That's like mine, have to de-pin the connectors to remove the harness to disassemble the mirrors. Not much room to open up the holes.