While waiting for my new radiator to arrive, my new mirrors(goose necks that go on the hinge) arrived from Dennis Carpenter. Way to go, something to do!!!!
Well, you well experienced old hands probably know the rest of the story. I had this brilliant idea that I could put a bunch of washers on top of the hinge with the center hole bigger than the head of the hinge pin, and just ease that puppy out with my big ol "C" clamps. Well, that didn't work, so got out my big drift pin and started pounding away on the bottom of the hinge pin, lo and behold, it started coming out. But then the mushroom I had made on the bottom of the hinge pin hit the hinge bottom, and it said NFW. So, I clamped my big Vise Grips on the head of the pin figuring I could twist it and loosen it up, and immediately twisted off the head of the hinge pin. Then I saw the "light" and using a drift pin a little smaller than the hinge pin hole, pounded it out the bottom way.

Yea, almost home. Oops, now I know what they mean when they say "you'll have to grind some off of the hinge to install the mirror". I thought I had lucked out because the mirror bracket slipped right over the hinge, but when you swing it around to proper position, the vertical section of the mirror bracket hits the door hinge body.

So after resting, out comes the grinder!!!!!!! This is great fun!

 

I have done many more not too smart things.
Good work.

 

Look at the bright side Jim. Your farther along than me. I am still waiting on parts but made some progress yesterday.

 

Jim -

Your signature line seems even more prophetic!!!!

 

You got it, Randy

 

Ahhhh yes. Vise-Grips-----"The wrong tool for every job" Done things like that a number of times along the way. Gotta love it.

 

yup, and I think we all probably have the scars to prove it

I'll have to tackle the same thing eventually (I've been putting it off for a long time now)

Bobby

 

OK, today the saga continues. I ground off the area of the door hinge that interferes with the mirror bracket, drilled a little depression for the mirror set screw, gased'er off & sprayed prime. Then color(somewhat close match, but who cares, someday it's gonna be painted anyway). After everything dried, I thought, well let's put this baby together.

Well, the longer pin they give you with the mirror kit is just a little too big, finding this out after pounding away, fattening the pin, and bending it. Mind you this was with a 4 lb sledge hammer. Anyhoo, pounded it back out, straightened it, chucked it up in the ol' drill press and emery clothed a coupla thousandths off, at least until it would go into the hinge hole with light hammer strikes. Put up the mirror, and she went in with reasonable hammer strikes.

Pics in the gallery for those interested. Now, on to the right side. I figured the left side is for all the dumb mistakes, and the right side should go much better.

 

That shore is purdy!

BTW, I love the gallery title: "Mirror Saga".

 

Nice work Jim, you will be able to see me behind you now on the way to Nat's. I got my front wheel cylinders in today from job lots. They will go on tomorrow and so will front tires. Rear wheel cylinders are in, waiting to find Axles seals.

Kevin

 

Jim,
I got a set of mirror's just like yours. I heard they was a pain to put on. We are going to do some work to my truck tomorrow but I don't think I'm going to get into that or not. I like the look of them you done a real good job putting them on.

 

You're right, they are a "pain". I think when I do the right side, I'll just drive the pin up enough to cut the head off of the hinge pin and then drive it down. You have to drive it up first to get the knurled section of the pin up and cut off, or otherwise you'll be trying to force that section all the way thru the hinge. It's real hard to drive it up all of the way. Even with padding the side of the door, I ended up still putting a coupla chips in the paint. Also, chucking up the new pin and removing some diameter makes it a lot easier to get the new pin in. Good luck with your install. The mirrors look great.

 

Hey, don't bash vice grips. I have a pair on my window shaft, that was already stripped out, to roll up my window. They have been on there since I got it and they work fine. ha

Thanks for bringing this issue up, I was just thinking about posting on it for my friend, who doesn't know what he is doing.

 

I was once told that a true automotive mechanic never uses a hammer.


I guess that is why I have a large assortiment of sizes and styles in my tool boxes.

 

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Jim....your right, everything is easier the second time you do it. I always start on the passenger side because thats her side and I don't have look at it very often. LOL