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Passenger Side Sail Mirror Retrofit

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    #1

    Passenger Side Sail Mirror Retrofit

    So, my 1979 LTD wagon does not have a passenger side sail mirror and I didn't realize how much I use that mirror when driving and especially backing up.
    I want one to match the driver side but it looks like I won't be able to just pick one up and install it.
    If I am correct in what I see I am probably going to find the entire door with the mirror installed.
    Correct me if I am wrong but is the door specific to that option? And same with the glass?
    I can find lots of pictures of the mirror itself and the door with one installed but no pics of the door without the mirror installed so I can see the mounting setup.
    Anyone have experience with this? Or pics of the door without the mirror? Really don't want to go with mis matched mirrors.
    Used to be that the yards around here were full of these cars but that is no longer the case-especially wagons.

    Thanks in advance!
    Tags: None
    #2
    The passenger side aero mirrors are VERY rare. 79 and 80 only. If you have the bolt on one that sits behind the vent window, that one is much more common and used all the way to 91. Front doors are the same between 4-door sedans and wagons though, so there's that.

    Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
    rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)

    Originally posted by gadget73
    ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.

    Originally posted by dmccaig
    Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

    Comment

      #3
      Might be able to find some used or NOS on eBay but failing that a qualified restoration/metal fabrication shop would have to make a one-off pass side mirror by reverse engineering and/or copying dimensions for your driver's side mirror and then making the necessary changes so it'll orient correctly for the pass side. Plus they'd need to copy the mounting hardware and such. I'd expect to pay ~$400-$500 USD for such a job. I'm in the same boat as you with a '79 LTD-S I'll be taking ownership of next year. It has the cool early side mirror setup, but only on the driver's side! I'll ask around this week and see what a job like that typically goes for and post back here.
      '89 Grand Marquis "Ebyt", '85 Grand Marquis "Eva", '94 Caprice "Kira"
      '84 Town Car "Stacy", '79 New Yorker “Anita", '93 Town Car "Kelly"
      '80 Mark VI "Allie", '94 Grand Marquis coming June, '79 LTD-S "Oksana"

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        #4
        In my junkyard thread recently, I found a car equipped with these mirrors on both sides. I bought the mirrors, but none of the supporting pieces.

        To retrofit the mirror on a door that does not have it, you will need the following from the donor car:
        • the mirror
        • the interior trim piece
        • the window glass
        • the steel insert piece that the mirror bolts to at the front of the window glass with window channel


        Additionally,
        • probably need to change the window channel material at the same time, as it will not take kindly to having its shape adjusted in the front corner
        • probably wise to change the dew wipe material at the same time, as you're in there anyway


        You really need a whole donor car available, as piecing this together otherwise is going to be really hard. I took some reference photos but not from inside the door.

        Thread link: http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...l=1#post867869

        Photos link: https://imgur.com/a/ZqgaUVS

        Inventory shows the yard still has the car, but it's over an hour away in Toledo, OH. If you are super duper hell-bent on wanting to do this, and willing to pay ludicrous shipping fees as well as something to compensate and motivate me to make the trip, let's chat. Since I have the mirrors already, I'd be going for the window glass (taking a gamble on it not being smashed), and the metal triangle piece, plus anything useful I find inside the door.
        Last edited by kishy; 10-10-2022, 10:51 AM.

        Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS | 88 TC | 91 GM
        Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 92 Jaaag | 05 Focus
        Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM        ​ |​ Junkyards

        Comment

          #5
          I really have resigned myself to locating a donor door to ensure I get all the pieces to go with the swap.
          Sad part is these cars don't show up very often and when they do the older ones are usually quite far gone.
          And forget about wagons!

          Comment

            #6
            If you're using a donor door, anything 79/80 with the passenger side mirror (ford/merc) wagon/4door sedan should have the correct parts that you need since you only need the front most hardware and the glass. But yeah... finding such any more is a tall order.

            Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
            rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)

            Originally posted by gadget73
            ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.

            Originally posted by dmccaig
            Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

            Comment

              #7
              I found a 79 Ltd base wagon with the passenger sail mirror. You are not going to like where it is at. In California. Go to: car part.com
              If you want it bad enough, it is there.

              Comment

                #8
                I have looked on Car-part.com and seen what I need but shipping a complete door across the border-no thanks!
                I will look at something temporary while I keep looking.

                Comment

                  #9
                  I have looked on Car-part.com and seen what I need but shipping a complete door across the border-no thanks!
                  I will look at something temporary while I keep looking.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Originally posted by ianmcc View Post
                    I have looked on Car-part.com and seen what I need but shipping a complete door across the border-no thanks!
                    I will look at something temporary while I keep looking.
                    Will the wrecking yard ship you just the parts you need ?

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Easier to pick up the entire door than trying to fit and re-shape things.

                      Comment

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