I think my thread on power mirrors did have colors/function listed for that switch.
BUILD THREAD “The Juggernaut”
- Thread starter Rktpwrd
- Start date
FWIW Donovan, GM used those mirrors on the '86-'87 El Caminos. I know it won't help you with the electric function, but I'm wondering if the gaskets for those cars might be a bit taller. I know that on the El Camino, the mirror sits very close to the outer window molding, but your Cutlass has a wider molding, so I'm not sure if the El Camino gasket will help. Just thought I'd mention that though.
I can tell you the F body/Vette stands are about an 1/8 inch shorter than the MC/Fiero housings.Tony, they’re definitely a much more aerodynamic style than the originals that the car came equipped with. I figured they would suit the car if we were able to get the mounting angles and placement figured out. So far I’m not disappointed.
Thanks Jack. You’re 100% right on the F body cars, I just wasn’t aware until later this morning that they came optionally equipped with the power versions. I’ve never owned an F body.
As far as the mirror to door gaskets are concerned, if the integral pedestals were just a touch taller or if I didn’t have the wide belt mouldings on this car, I would’ve been fine. But because of both factors, I’m going to have to figure out how to do some smidge taller gaskets. Like less than an 1/8” to provide clearance to the mouldings, it’s that close.
Thank you!
Thanks for weighing in, I was hoping you would. Once I learned that the Camaros and Firebirds had powered mirrors as an option, I started researching them and looking around on eBay. From what I’ve read, the power and manual cable versions both utilize the same internal mounting points, so therefore they should be interchangeable. As far as the switch is concerned, UC645 sent me a whale bodied Caprice joystick style switch a while back, so I already have that to use.
As of this writing, and after this morning’s post, I’ve since pulled the trigger on the power F body mirrors I found on eBay:
View attachment 232879
So now this way I should have everything I need. Two more housings, glass, mounting studs and nuts, and gaskets for spares. Plus the motors, wiring, and pigtails to adapt to the Caprice switch, I’ll just have to figure out the function of each wire on each mirror plus the same with the switch.
They should be here sometime in the first week of January.
^Thats the Vette/Third Gen mirrors
This is the MC/Fiero mirrors:
Even the MC’s are close with the wide SS door moldings, but they clear.
A simple gasket material spacer should have you covered, but if you want to make your own plastic gasket, I’d turn to 3D printing to keep it one piece.
As for the switch: the Caprice switch fits the G body interiors the best being chrome, and you can re-pin it to a different connector for your own purposes but there’s an issue using them-they’re not available in the aftermarket, and I haven’t found a good way to rebuild/refurbish them yet. So if it’s junk, you’re SOL.
The other option is a switch from the FWD Grand Prix’s/Grand Am’s, as these are still readily available in the aftermarket. The downsides here are that they’re an ugly 90’s gray plastic, and that you need to snag a pigtail from a donor, but the wiring colors are the same. I haven’t tested one yet to confirm they function the same, though.
Oh and for what it’s worth, Fiero housings are the same as MC housings. The stands are identical and they use the same gaskets.
Thanks, I’ll have a look back through the thread once I’m to that point. Appreciate you taking the time and posting that information for everyone.
Thank you Jeff, that’s the kind of input I was hoping to get, even if it’s not a known entity.
For the gaskets, I think I’m going to try and go the 3D printed route, that way I can have a couple made in different heights and make my decision from there based on what looks and clears the best. At this point I’m not sure any factory gasket is going to be quite tall enough. I very much appreciate the input though, thank you!
Extremely useful information here, thank you very much. Looks like I made the right decision in using Monte Carlo SS housings then, as I obviously need the additional height.
Now that I have the electric motor portion of it covered with the purchase of those F body mirrors from eBay, I’ve already been looking around at switches to control them. As I mentioned earlier, I have a chrome Caprice style switch (I thought I got it from you?), but if I want to stay with the F body theme on these mirrors, there’s a company that’s repopping the original switches for them. Ecklers and several others are carrying them, so I don’t feel like I have to run right out tomorrow and buy one for fear of them becoming unavailable. I kind of like this idea better than the Caprice one because it sits nice and flat, doesn’t stick up to get caught on things. I just might end up going this route so if I ever find a factory connector for it, it’ll be plug and play and work like intended in a Camaro.
I’ll probably even mount it in the center console just like the F bodies did, as I plan on building a completely custom console that will house a variety of other switches and the air ride controller anyways.
Guess I might as well do a quickie little update too while I’m in here.
Something I got just before Christmas but forgot to post, is I bit the bullet and ordered a new Forever Sharp half wrap steering wheel with black leather.
This wheel will suit the build and theme far better than the old Flaming River wheel I had in there before:
The difference between these two wheels is night and day, the FR wheel just feels cheap, plastic-y and clunky compared to the FS wheel.
Very disappointing for a Flaming River product, but I should be able to turn around and sell it to some local kid fairly easily. I’m not fully done with the wheel just yet, the machined recesses in the spokes will get painted satin black to match the horn hub and wrap, and the horn button itself will receive some sort of custom engraving to personalize it to the car.
The same day the wheel arrived, so too did the two new OEM NOS lower door weatherstrip seals courtesy of 69hurstolds. No, I didn’t get them for free, I paid what he was asking for them, and feel it’s more than worth it. Nothing fits as well as original OEM GM parts.
Thanks Mike!
Yesterday I made several stops around town and picked up some much needed supplies. Restocked on all my autobody products, and picked up a piece of 1” flat bar x 1/8” thick x 4’ long. I cut the flat bar into four equal lengths, then bent, tweaked and fit them in behind the front halves of the fenders.
This is a temporary thing, just to support the fronts of the fenders for filling and sanding. In the stock configuration, the inner wheelwells provide the strength and support to these areas, but without them currently in place, I needed to come up with a solution.
They attach to the lips of the bottoms of the fenders with Cleco fasteners (these are fairly unobtrusive and don’t tie up my bigger and better clamps), and the other ends are tack welded to the frame. I didn’t really want to weld to the frame, but there really wasn’t much choice.
So now the car is back on the ground, at ride height, and the fronts of the fenders are properly supported. The filler and block sanding work can officially commence.
Something I got just before Christmas but forgot to post, is I bit the bullet and ordered a new Forever Sharp half wrap steering wheel with black leather.
This wheel will suit the build and theme far better than the old Flaming River wheel I had in there before:
The difference between these two wheels is night and day, the FR wheel just feels cheap, plastic-y and clunky compared to the FS wheel.
Very disappointing for a Flaming River product, but I should be able to turn around and sell it to some local kid fairly easily. I’m not fully done with the wheel just yet, the machined recesses in the spokes will get painted satin black to match the horn hub and wrap, and the horn button itself will receive some sort of custom engraving to personalize it to the car.
The same day the wheel arrived, so too did the two new OEM NOS lower door weatherstrip seals courtesy of 69hurstolds. No, I didn’t get them for free, I paid what he was asking for them, and feel it’s more than worth it. Nothing fits as well as original OEM GM parts.
Thanks Mike!
Yesterday I made several stops around town and picked up some much needed supplies. Restocked on all my autobody products, and picked up a piece of 1” flat bar x 1/8” thick x 4’ long. I cut the flat bar into four equal lengths, then bent, tweaked and fit them in behind the front halves of the fenders.
This is a temporary thing, just to support the fronts of the fenders for filling and sanding. In the stock configuration, the inner wheelwells provide the strength and support to these areas, but without them currently in place, I needed to come up with a solution.
They attach to the lips of the bottoms of the fenders with Cleco fasteners (these are fairly unobtrusive and don’t tie up my bigger and better clamps), and the other ends are tack welded to the frame. I didn’t really want to weld to the frame, but there really wasn’t much choice.
So now the car is back on the ground, at ride height, and the fronts of the fenders are properly supported. The filler and block sanding work can officially commence.
The eBay purchase of some 3rd Gen Camaro mirrors arrived a couple days ago, I bought them just for the electric motors, or so I thought.
I’m glad I got these as a complete package, as several things are very different with them vs manual mirrors, the triangular mounting cages and even the screws to name a few.
I spent an entire evening just cleaning up all the parts and pieces, even wire wheeled the cages and screws before repainting them. The wiring conduit was covered in green overspray from a previous repaint, and the wires themselves were covered in gooey black tar sh*t. Not to mention the collection of dead bugs and spider webs. (What is it about car mirrors that spiders love so damn much anyways?)
Now that everything is cleaned up, I’m pleased to report that the Camaro pieces retrofit into the Monte SS housings perfectly. I’ll get some new mirror glass and a new Camaro switch coming very soon to truly make these like brand new again.
I might actually have to decide on my upper two tone color sooner than I thought so I can paint the insides of the housings before I final assemble them! Still waiting on the 3D printed door gaskets, so there’s that.
I’m glad I got these as a complete package, as several things are very different with them vs manual mirrors, the triangular mounting cages and even the screws to name a few.
I spent an entire evening just cleaning up all the parts and pieces, even wire wheeled the cages and screws before repainting them. The wiring conduit was covered in green overspray from a previous repaint, and the wires themselves were covered in gooey black tar sh*t. Not to mention the collection of dead bugs and spider webs. (What is it about car mirrors that spiders love so damn much anyways?)
Now that everything is cleaned up, I’m pleased to report that the Camaro pieces retrofit into the Monte SS housings perfectly. I’ll get some new mirror glass and a new Camaro switch coming very soon to truly make these like brand new again.
I might actually have to decide on my upper two tone color sooner than I thought so I can paint the insides of the housings before I final assemble them! Still waiting on the 3D printed door gaskets, so there’s that.
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Nice score. Some info on the wire colors, they are the same in my '86 Chevy B/G electrical manual for the Caprice. Yellow & green are for the up/down, light blue & white are for the left/right. Bad thing is the Caprice used a left & right control just as the cable remote mirrors so I don't have any info on how the Camaro dual control switch is like. I would believe it'll have the same orange battery hot wire for power.
Cannot wait to see the finished results and I'm very interested in the 3D printing of the gaskets.
Nice to see the 3rd Gen innards interchange with the G body housings.
Now it’s got me thinking that any GM mirror motor that uses that bracket will fit any housing.
Now it’s got me thinking that any GM mirror motor that uses that bracket will fit any housing.
