Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Okay guys, here's one you can solve. I have a '48 Super convertible. Restored before I bought it. Some bone head had installed the mirrors up on the window frame on both sides, couldn't see anything but the moon in them. We pulled the chrome trim on the doors, and you can see where this bone head actually welded up the holes from the original install, and had them rechromed. Don't ask me why.
We've pulled the mirrors, and now I'm going to have to have the window frames welded up and rechromed. Want to put the mirrors back where they belong.
The side view mirror base, however, is too wide to fit down in the channel of the chrome trim on the doors. The holes in the mirror base align up perfectly with the welded up holes in the trim, but the base won't fit down in the channel of the trim itself.
Now, it occurs to me that one of two things is happening. Either the mirrors I have are for a later year that had a wider channel in the chrome, or the mirrors I have are right for a '48 Super but there was some kind of spacer between the base and the channel in the chrome that would allow the use of this mirror. I guess there could have been a smaller base as well, but then the arm for my mirrors would over-hang the base on top and bottom.
Could someone look at their mirrors and tell me whether the chrome mirror base fits flush in the channel in the chrome trim (i.e. my mirrors are not for a '48 or I don't have the correct bases), or whether there was a spacer, and if so, what does the thing look like?
I guess there's another possibility, we have the wrong trim, but it sure looks right to me.
Photo of current install is attached.
THANKS!

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Walt, if you say the trim was chrome, then perhaps you have the wrong trim as the original was stainless steel.

The correct mirrors for the 48-50 are available as repros and fit perfectly, no spacer used. I wish I had a picture to post. Just from memory, the base is very thin and nests between the two raised beads on the trim.

Regarding the 36 Twelve owner's manual, I'll see the owner in a few days and see if I can't get him to agree to careful handling on my scanner.

All right, I figured out how to downsize the pictures and I've now uploaded them to the original post. The base, shown between the two screws which are visible, is too wide to fit into the channel between the raised portion of the trim. Someone has welded up where the original screw holes are in the trim, it appears from looking underneath, but you can't see it from the outside, so I assumed it had been welded up and then chromed. Do I have:

1. Wrong mirrors (Kanter looked at photos and said they were right)?

2. Wrong base (if so, the base of the arm, which then screws into the base, would overlap the base on top and bottom)?

3. Wrong trim (as trim has had screw holes welded up, this would seem unlikely)?

Thanks for help.

Walt

I am going to suggest that there was a changing in the mirrors sometime between 1949-1950. Your door stainless trim looks exactly like that on my 47 Super Clipper and the mirror Kanter specifies in their catalogue indicates that there are two mirror sizes; one for the 1942-47 Clippers and 22nd (1948-49) Series cars and one for the 23rd Series (1949-50). Dave (Owen) is correct in how the mirrors fit between the two outside ridges. The mirrors presently mounted incorrectly on your car may be correct for the 23rd series models. Attached is a photo of the 1947 style.

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Clipper47, good picture of the mirror mount as I remember it, and that is some really fine-looking paint work on your car.

Owen, Thanks but the photo is not of my car although the colour is the same.

You could use a strip of heavy rubber in the channel between the screws to fill the void and make it sit flat. Just a suggestion.

Your trim should indeed be stainless, not chrome. It also must be 22nd shape. the 23rd is considerably different.
The attached photo is a mirror on a 22nd series.

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what is the color on this green car? it is gorgeous!!!!!

There should be a metal spacer between the mirror and the belt moulding that fits between the ribs on the moulding. Thickness is 1/16 inch, width 5/16 inch and length 4-1/8 inch with the ends slightly rounded to match the base of the mirror. Diameter of the holes is about 3/16 inch with spacing to match the mirror base.

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