OK, I almost took out a Honda changing lanes today. Time to do something about the outside mirrors. I was planning a doing a rear view camera but that's going to have to wait for funding from the boss.

I guess on the pickup it's not as bad because you have the rear window. On a panel the visibility to the rear on passenger side is awful, at least with the stock mirrors.

Any panel guys found a solution. New mirrors? What about the extenders that Mid-Fifty sells? They push the mirrors out an extra inch. Is that enough?

HELP!

 

What do you call the "stock" mirrors? The little round chrome ones? They were not available until 1957. The stock mirrors 53-56 were square black mirrors measuring 6"x6" on extendable arms. The panels also could have a peep style mirror attached to the top of the door above the window.

 

Yeah, the small round ones. I don't think I've ever seen the square black ones.

 

Check out abe's pictures - he has actual stock mirrors. And they do make a difference...

 

In the quest for safety, I would install a more modern mirror. Go wide angle. Forget about looks and equip it like any vehicle that has no visibility to the curb side. I had a few chances to drive a panel back when they were drivers and hated driving it.

 

C1TZ-17696-E (replaced B3CZ-17696-A) .. Chrome Right or Left Outside Mirror with 5" diameter mirror head-fits into door slots: 1953/66 pickups.

Originally the mirror head (B3CZ-17723-A) was replaceable by itself. In 1961 FoMoCo changed the design, what the repro's are based on. See pic in post 3.

Telescoping mirror used 1953/55 (B3TZ-17696-A) has a 6" x 6" mirror head, 1956 telescoping mirror (B6TZ-17696-A) has a 5" x 5" mirror head.

1956/60 panel, 1956/66 pickup non telescoping mirror has a 6" x 6" mirror head. FoMoCo updated the part number several times.

And...all outside mirrors were optional thru 1966, and thru 1996, were dealer installed.

 

Here is a picture of an NOS mirror that sold on ebay and a rear view of my truck with these original style stock mirrors on.




Do panel trucks have rear view mirrors? Or would the view out the 2 windows in the rear doors pretty much useless? Just another idea.

 

abe,
Looks like that's what I need. Does anyone repo those?

Yeah I have an inside rear view but there's a wicked blind spot on the passenger side.

 

Nope, nobody repops them, unfortunately.

 

This is what I did with my panel:

I bought an adjustable stainless steel arm from the local truck stop and 5"X7" from the local farm supply store, or McParts store. I like the stainless because it shines and never rusts.



Made a couple of hinge mounting brackets.



Mounted them on the hinge.



I also have a small round convex mirror on the inside bottom corner of both mirrors.

I tell people driving a panel truck is like driving any other truck but with a five gallon bucket with a small rectangular hole cut in the front of it.

 

I'd kinda like to find something that fits in the holes in the doors.

I may have to move that rear view camera project up on the to-do list.

 

Seems to me that Bob's setup would work for you, just take off the round mirrors and mount the arm to the piece (17727 in the picture Bill posted) that mounts to the door. You might have to engineer a way to be certain the arm doesn't succumb to gravity. The rear view camera isn't going to help for a car that is alongside your quarter panel.

 

B8C-18402-A .. Outside Mirror-non telescoping with 6" x 6" mirror head / Obsolete

This is probably the original part number that was replaced by B8TZ-17696-A = 1956/60 F100/350 Panels & Pickups.

CARPENTER NOS OBSOLETE PARTS in Concord NC has 4 = 800-476-9653.

No picture in 1948/56 or 1957/63 truck parts catalog.

 

I have a set of those stock extenable armes in good condition but with rectangular mirrors (repalcement of some kind) instead of the sguare ones. and they also had some porblems. They where vibrating alot, so in the right mirror I couldn´t see ****.

Maybe someone could fill me in if they have experienced something similar.

Here you have pcitures before and after.

DinnerHill SpeedShop: Before Pictures

 

Bob,
I like what you did. I do not have Willard on the road yet. I am initially setting up with 2 of the curved neck mirrors typically used on Ford cars of the late 30's. I plan to use Willard to pull my car trailer which is closed but the trailer sides are just inside the wheels. If the curved mirrors don't work, I will try your set up since the arms should be able to be pivoted out further if needed to see. Do you experience vibration problems?