I am trying to decide which outside mirrors to buy. The last set I got was vintique and in a year the chrome started to pit I'm going to be ordering more parts in the near future and figured I would see what everyone's opinions are on the two.

 

I bought DC. Have had them 3 years no issues but truck is in garage all the time. DC mirrors have the ford logo in them. Never heard of Bob Drake. I think all the mirrors are made by the same mfr. ???????

 

Bob Drake and his brother Scott Drake are big players. They each have their own web site. Links below.

Bob Drake
Bob Drake Reproductions

Scott Drake
Scott Drake Store - Home

Chad

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Either supplier offers quality parts. I have Drake mirrors on my '66 (avatar) and they look great after nearly 20 years, though the truck is garaged. They also have the Ford logo on them.
I chose the Drake product purely out of convenience. The truck was going back together and it needed mirrors. I was at a swap meet where Drake was set up, the price was right and I took a pair home.

Good luck

 

I bought dc and my 64 was under a carport...the passenger side saw the sun...the passenger side now has early spider webbing/ grey spots like aged chrome would...It was only driven 3 times with them on...I ended up taking them off..I put my ford tow/steel tube extension , arms with the square mirrors back on...see more out of them anyway. but if you're buying new ones I wouldn't buy dc...Im paranoid to buy repop chrome anything now..

 

Thanks for the responses I think I will give the Drake mirrors a shot. I know they make there own and I noticed they have fomoco stamped in the mirror head like my originals where the DC's have ford stamped.

 

All the repro mirrors are made in China. The repro mirrors have chrome plated onto bare steel (while genuine Ford mirrors had two coats of copper, one coat of chrome).

If you do not keep the Chinese chrome waxed, pitting begins.

If you've never heard of Bob Drake, you've never lived in the San Fernando Valley, never attended a west coast swap meet (including Harrah's in Reno), never lived in OR either (where Bob now lives).

I met Bob over 40 years ago thru his late father Bev, who was a master body man. Bev and Bob used to hang out at Early Ford V8 club meetings and at Valley Ford Obsolete in NoHo.

Bob was a '40 Ford nut, both Bob & Bev set up at a gazillion west coast swap meets, favorites included Turlock, Harrah's in Reno (last held in '77) and the Model T Club swap meet held at various CA locations.

 

That is disappointing to hear if that is true that all the mirrors are made in China I was hoping they were made in the USA. I know DC has on there website that the mirrors are made in USA but that is probably a mistake. I have been taken before ordering things advertised made in USA and when it shows up it's made in China or Taiwan.

 

Ford redesigned the mirror in 1961, the difference: the mirror head was no longer replaceable.

Genuine Ford parts, made in the USA:

C1TZ-17696-E .. Chrome Outside Mirror-fits into door slot-5" mirror head / Obsolete

No Ford dealer or obsolete parts vendor has any.

 

The mirror head is replaceable. There is a small allen set screw on the top side.



The set screw seats into the recess in the mounting stud.



This is all Ford stuff, not reproductions.

ND, look up that part number in the MPC. Tell me that's not just the mirror head and applies to, at least, 1966 F100/350 (81)

B6CZ-17723-A

REAR VIEW OUTSIDE MIRROR HEAD

5" round chrome - also supplied with C1TZ-17696-E.

Chad

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I know you don't believe my mirrors are genuine Ford - trust me - they are.



Chad

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I also looked back at the 1957-1963 MPC and it lists this same mirror head and also says it is "also supplied with C1TZ-17696-E".

Here's a picture of an actual mirror that pre-dates 1967. Different set screw (and you can probably see why they made a change there) but same removable mirror head.



Chad

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Also, here is Instructions Sheet I.S. 1093 which shows the mirror head and the set screw. Compelling stuff, eh?



Chad

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There's no pic in the parts catalogs of these mirrors. I assumed the heads were no longer replaceable, because...

When Ford redesigned the 1955/59 car mirror in 1960, the head was no longer replaceable.

'Course, if I had used my brain, woulda looked up the mirror head to see if it was listed...and it is.

B6CZ-17723-A .. Mirror Head-Use with C1TZ-17723-E mirror.

 

Any repro chrome product you buy from them will pit within two years. My mirrors are NOS Ford and after 5 years still look perfect. My V8 hood emblem from Carpenter started to pit badly in two years so I put back on a very good original emblem which shows some age but looks waaayyy better than the repro. My fender emblems are NOS Ford so I am also good there.