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Hi everybody,
I have a 1963 Jaguar Mark 2, 2.4 saloon and it does not have any door mirrors on it. I feel it is not safe to drive in everyday traffic without being able to see both sides of the vehicle. I have seen a lot of examples online and feel the best look for the shape of my car is the round type. Has anyone got any recommendations as to where to source a pair from and where to mount them best? Thanking you in advance. Cheers
check at Moss Motors in USA or UK. They have reproductions of original Lucas types, either wing-mounted or window frame-mounted. The wing-mounted ones are useless, mostly nostalgic and decorative and they interfere when working in the engine.
In the 1960's, Volkswagens had a nice window frame mirror that mounted with a clip,, adjustable up and down on the frame.
In my '65 S type, I installed electric mirrors and switch sourced from XJ-6. They are "foldable backwards" for storage and very useful at night. Not to everyone's liking but I love them. Triple chromed that matches all the fabulous chromed trim in the car. Your car, your choice.
The wing-mounted ones are useless, mostly nostalgic and decorative and they interfere when working in the engine.
This is the most sensible suggestion Jose has ever made. lol. I have a pair of "Wing" mirrors and as Jose states they are useless. Over time you get used to looking at them for reversing but only into BIG spaces. If you are looking at getting some for the wings make sure they have convex lenses so the area of sight is larger. I have one door mounted mirror on the drivers side which is what I use for over taking or pulling out but being I biker as well I always use the over the shoulder look for safety. The door mirror is bolted to the door panel rather than attached to the door frame and if I had fitted it I would have placed it further back as the chrome frame gets in the way of your sight.. Square or oblong mirrors are better as they give more area of view. Jaguar did not fit wing mirrors as standard from the factory, they were, if required fitted by the dealers for the customer.
My mirrors were fitted prior to my purchase and restoration and if it was not for the bloody great big holes in the tops of the wings that I had to fill I would not have put wing mirrors on the car.
Some 1970s GM cars had door mirrors that were oval, possibly round enough to look OK on our cars, but wide enough to have a decent view. As Cass said, they should be mounted such that the window frame doesn't block your sight line. Series 3 XJ mirrors work very well, but are a bit square in form.
Great post Jose. I brazed in the holes in my wings. You would not know anything was ever there. I have a pair of NOS Lucas wing mirrors still in their boxes. Likely where they will stay.
If you don't like drilling holes is your doors then clamp on mirrors are available in a variety of shapes (I prefer round on our cars). That's what I use & they are perfect & do no damage to your new chrome. Pay the extra for the premium models with proper machine screws. They are utterly stable & worth every cent/dime whatever. I feel horribly exposed in traffic without door mirrors.
Glyn and Cass, thanks.
I recently decided to polish all the chrome trim in the S type and I am amazed at the level of chrome detail that Jaguar put in the S type. In my car there is no pitting.anywhere, only very fine chrome. considering it is an unrestored California car.
I used MOTHERS polish cream. All the oxydation (whatever it is called) from years of storage came off easily leaving all the chrome like new.
Yes the XJ-6 electric mirrors are rectangular but so is the front windscreen chromed surround, and the rear view interior mirror, all in the same plane of view. It sort of matches nicely.
You have done yourself a huge favour Jose. Catch those little spots from the brass frame under the chrome early & you will stop pitting of the brass which means stripping off the chrome. Polishing the brass, & going through the whole re-chroming process.
I think this is Jose's car after nice respray in same colour.
Peter, yes, that is my S rype with the Series 3 XJ-6 (1980-1987) electric mirrors.
It took a lot of testing and measuring to make sure the mirrors did not interfere with the adjustable glass vents opening and closing, with me sitting inside and my girlfriend positioning the mirrors. I made a cardboard template so they would be aligned on both doors.
They are held in place with just two large chromed screws and nuts, with a center hole with a grommet for the harness to go through.
Electrically very simple, one hot wire to fuse box, one ground wire to any body screw. I pulled everything from a salvage yard XJ-6, including the harness from one door to the other.
Mechanically had to drill 1" inch holes at the door jambs (above the door stops) and at the doors and fitted small rubber "accordions" pulled from the rear doors of a GM SUV to run the harnesses through.
and the paint is like in a new car. The wood has a nice old car patina, original. Going to tackle the headliner this coming year.
Peter, a friend in Tampa who owns Jags asked me for the mirrors template to do his MK-2. His wife "demanded" power mirrors and a/c. They actually look well proportioned standing in front of the car.
Remote control of door mirrors, especially of the passenger door, makes life much easier and more comfortable as does a/c.
Does the window frame block your view at all? I ask because in the UK we seem to have given cyclists the right to do about anything they like which many tend to do without regard to their own safety. And you really don't want to miss one passing you when you're about to turn.
no, not at all, that is why I tested different mirror positions until I found the one. Also i made sure the top of the mirror is Level.. All this while you are sitting in the driver's seat.
It's doable, but it's the old "measure ten times, drill once", no room for errors. You have to be very sure.
Door Mirrors
