After Market "Swan Stem " Rear view mirrors
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Junior User
Joined: Feb 2006
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After Market "Swan Stem " Rear view mirrors
Hi all, I purchased some "Swan Stem" mirrors from "Bob Drake" for my 1952 Ford F1. These are the kind that have a tab above and below the door hinge. My problem is this, the Door hinge is not a "Half Round" it is oval or "elliptical" how ever you want to describe it. The "Throat" on the stems (Between the tabs) is not deep enough to allow me to install the hinge pin and rotate the stem. Has anyone ran into this problem?
I called Bob Drake and they said no one had ever told them they had a problem. Thanks, John
I called Bob Drake and they said no one had ever told them they had a problem. Thanks, John
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,338
Likes: 167
From: Harpswell Maine
I ground the hinge.
A hint for "seeing" with the mirror:
Purchase a larger aftermarket rectangular head to mount in the place of the small round mirror head, big difference. Credit to Bob Jones, I followed his lead. The replacement heads are about $10 in the chain auto parts stores. They are ss.
A hint for "seeing" with the mirror:
Purchase a larger aftermarket rectangular head to mount in the place of the small round mirror head, big difference. Credit to Bob Jones, I followed his lead. The replacement heads are about $10 in the chain auto parts stores. They are ss.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,685
Likes: 81
From: Northville, MI
Yes, Ross is right. I broke one of mine.
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Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 17,559
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From: Central Delaware
What, no pictures? I would like to see this new mirror head. My round ones do really leave a lot to be desired. But, I'll suffer if it means some big ugly, "California style" mirror.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Rockingham, VA
So, I got these heads for them, and everything is fine. But I have an F4, and I need to see past the flatbed.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,685
Likes: 81
From: Northville, MI
The closer you can get the mirrors to your eye the larger the field of vision to the rear. You can add a large, round convex stick on mirror to the right mirror to help improve the field of vision. I don't like them on the left as the distort the image too much.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,599
Likes: 34
From: Rockingham, VA
I added small ones to both mirrors to eliminate the blind spots.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 17,559
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From: Central Delaware
Thanks Joe. My round ones are basically the same as yours. But, the rectangle ones are a bit large for my truck. Something in between might be nice. I'll have to keep an eye out for some.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,599
Likes: 34
From: Rockingham, VA
1948-52 Ford F-100 MirrHead. Replacement, 4852
C&G has some that might work, but you should probably call them first.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,338
Likes: 167
From: Harpswell Maine
Pictures of mirrors. The first picture is a close up of an adapter that I turned out of SS to allow proper adjustment of the mirror. I made the adapters for both mirrors to improve the adjustability. Without the adapters the drivers side mirror could be adjusted but not the passenger side. I did the drivers side so that I could rotate the mirror 90 degrees from the position shown in the pix.