Fitting door mirrors to B20

[timdaw]

I got myself a nice pair of mirrors and set to installing them. Took the door trim panel off to find that there is a box section in the top part of the door, so you can't get at the inside to bolt the fixings up. So, I'm wondering what you use to install the mirror....surely not self tapping screws? Can somebody please advise? There are lots of pictures of B20's with door mirrors, so it must be possible. Many thanks

[impaw]

Hi Tim!
I would not be surprised if self tapping screws are the way to go.
My Fulvias and my Mustang uses self tapping screws for its mirrors.
But, may be wrong.

I have yet to fit mirrors to my Aurelia so I’ll follow this post with interest

[GG]

Put on body, just in front of doors - there is a small area of simple body where they can be fitted without difficulty.

[timdaw]

Thanks Geoffrey. The problem with mounting there is that it doesn't work well for the passengers side mirror, I think? There are many pictures showing them mounted on the doors so there must be a way.

[lancialulu]

Hi Tim!
I would not be surprised if self tapping screws are the way to go.
My Fulvias and my Mustang uses self tapping screws for its mirrors.
But, may be wrong.

I have yet to fit mirrors to my Aurelia so I’ll follow this post with interest

Fulvias never had self tap screws for wing or door mirrors as standard.....

Re the Aurelia I bought these period clamp on mirrors. I use hard rubber to protect the body work.

[impaw]

You are of course right, mods from a previous owner on mine.

The clamp on mirrors look 👍

[Niels Jonassen]

I fitted door mirrors with self tapping screws in 1982 and have experienced no problems. If you do not like self tapping crews you can fit bushes with an internal thread. If I had known them back in 1982 I would have used them.

[GG]

Thanks Geoffrey. The problem with mounting there is that it doesn't work well for the passengers side mirror, I think? There are many pictures showing them mounted on the doors so there must be a way.

If you get the right mirrors (I think no. 2 above), the passenger mirror rotates out enough to be usable.

[Sebastien]

Door mirrors are a nightmare when you need to fit them to your B20!
The car body is so nice and pure without them....

If this helps, here from my 3rd series the picture of the door from the inside, and the fitted mirror (by the previous owner).
I think, but cannot confirm now, that the inside of the door is accessible.
However, the window might be in the way, and taking it out is not for the fainthearted.

[timdaw]

Reply to Lancialulu - On the B20 that part of the door is curved so a clamp on is problematic I think. Looks like the B12 has a flat section so looks good there.

[timdaw]

Door mirrors are a nightmare when you need to fit them to your B20!
The car body is so nice and pure without them....

Thank you for the photo's. I agree about the purity without mirrors but unfortunately I think its necessary with todays traffic and bad driving!

I took the door trim off and there is access to the top of the door with window wound down, but the top of the door is double skinned, so no access to the other side of any fixings.

p.s. I think the window winding mechanism is another example of beautiful quality engineering, although I wish it wasn't so low geared!

[GG]

this works too:

[timdaw]

you can fit bushes with an internal thread. If I had known them back in 1982 I would have used them.

I've thought about 'rivnuts' but they stand proud of the surface, so won't work with all mirrors.

[chriswgawne]

I use a nice plain Italian style Europa Spares mirror which only requires 2 holes in the outer doorskin - one smaller locating one in the outer skin whilst the second larger hole for the allen bolt itself needs an access hole drilled in the inner skin of the box section to insert and tighten up the bolt. Very simple and easy to fit.
Chris  

[timdaw]

To get to the other side of the fixings requires drilling large holes in the inner skin at the top of the door, also having to remove most of the window mechanism for the type of mirror I chose, so in the end I fitted them using 4mm aluminium rivnuts. Not my preferred way of doing things, but it's worked out well and they give a good view. The passengers side particularly benefits from the addition of a stick on concave mirror addition, available on ebay.  Will post photo's later.