I tried Wink and rear camera but nothing worked for me for outside rear view mirrors until I found peep mirrors with extensions out of a 40's Chev. catalog. The mirrors are not in the catalog but I talked with Drew at 800-999-2438 and he was very helpful and sold me a pair of these. He had a friend he sold a pair to for his 48 ford pu that loved them.

 

I'd like to see a picture of your newly purchased mirrors mounted on your truck.

Jim

 

I had peep mirrors like those without the extensions, they where nice looking but not effective for "rear view"....... ended up using straight arm peeps w/ convex mirror.

 

My mirrors won't adjust enough on the right side to give good view.

 

I'll try the straight arm ones.

 

The gears in my head have been turning since I saw this new Range Rover Evoque commercial.
https://www.ispot.tv/ad/o2Hj/2020-ra...view-mirror-t2
They have incorporated a video monitor into the rear view mirror that switches on with the flip of a lever just like the old night view mirror.
My 40 Ford has very limited view of the rear and I already have a camera in the works...seems like a rear view mirror like this RR model would work better than any reflective glass solution.
Both the F100 slant cab and the 56's have issues with side view mirrors that work well without looking like they came off a semi or motorhome. A buddy has a Honda CRV that has a side view camera that engages anytime he turns on the right turn signal, it expands the viewing angle of the mirror and shows the entire side of the vehicle and roadway. Lots of nice solutions out there these days if you don't mind a walk down the darkside.

 

I rigged up a rear view camera for my panel. The camera transmits wirelessly to my GPS. I have it set up so I'm able to easily flip back and forth between between the camera view and regular GPS by pulling my heater blower switch. It works pretty slick.

The camera does a great job of showing what's behind you. My only complaint is that what you see is small and looks much further away than it really is. If the camera shows a car that looks to be about 200 feet away and not much of a concern, it's actually about 20 feet behind you and very much a potential problem. It would be nice if the camera view was more like what you see in a mirror. Maybe some adjustment of the image is possible, but I didn't get far enough into instructions to find out.

Jim

 

I tried several trying to use them for side mirrors but couldn't see cars at distance .

 

My experience is similar. If I can make out a car, it's already close enough to be a problem. I wouldn't say my rear view camera takes the place of mirrors, but driving in traffic, it does help to keep track of what is behind you. Backing out of a garage, you can see if you are going to hit something.

Jim

 

If you watch the video carefully at the 12 sec mark you will notice the camera on top of the roof. I have not seen this assembly in person so I can't give a firsthand account but from the video it appears that the camera is actually an array of sensors that produce a video display that is in perspective to the driver. A very pricey vehicle so I would expect a bit more engineering than what is found in your off-the-shelf back-up camera. This is a 2020 model so I think that it will be awhile before you can go to your local pick-a-part and find one.

 

I'm sure that camera would also be tied into the ECU of that vehicle so I wonder how hard it might be to operate as a retrofit..

 

Not so sure John. An ECU is necessary to take an appropriate action based on a set of conditions usually provided to it by sensors. All the action in this sequence is provided by the driver...flip the lever and the camera is displayed. I believe that the video signal is always present at the rear view mirror and it only becomes displayed when the lever is in the correct position. I would like to get my hands on that mirror to see what is inside it to make the display switch...it could be something as simple as the old "high beam" reflective mechanism that has been in use for decades. I have my eye out for more info...I know some guys in LA who write for car magazines, looks like something they should be researching for a magazine article.

 

It would be good if you could just remove from a wreck and install in a project. You'd think the aftermarket would jump on this..

 

 

Here is a trick I learned a long time ago about how to see everything on the road. As your mirrors are set now, you see the same view from all three mirrors but that leaves a dangerous blind spot. So here is what to do and it works! It takes some getting used to but you are going to love this.

Sit in the vehicle and set the inside rear view mirror like you would normally do. Now lean to the right and have someone adjust the right hand mirror until you see the same view as you saw in your inside mirror. Next, lean left until your head just touches the window. Adjust the left hand mirror until you again see the same view that you saw in the inside mirror.

Now have you friend stand way back and act like a car coming up on the side of your vehicle. Have him/her walk towards your vehicle. Watch that person in the inside mirror until they disappear. Now look at your side mirror. Looky there! There they are!

What happens is you have swung you outside mirrors out so that they broaden your view to take in the vehicles coming up on you. As they disappear from the inside mirrors, they appear on the side mirror. You have effectively done away with the blind spot.

OK. Now you have to park the vehicle. As you back up, you lean to the side you are parking on and the side mirror now shows everything that is close to you like the curb.

I was in sales and traveled a lot. This trick saved me from moving into the lane when there was a car there. And once you get used to this, you no longer have to swivel your head around to see what's next to you, which takes your eyes off of the road ahead of you (and just as the guy in front of slams on his breaks).

Hope this helps you as much as it has helped me.

Later!
Mr. Ed