Triumph wing mirrors

No, but here are plenty of photosof the 2000. The mirrors seem to be all over the place. Maybe it was up to the dealer to install them?

Yes, I have seen pictures of them all over the place, which is why I was hoping there would be a manufacturer's preferred location. Because I imagine the manufacturer would have chosen the optimum position to balance visibility against wind resistance.

The official Triumph Parts Catalogue gives me part numbers for either Magnatex or Desmo wing mirrors but it gives no information on fitting them, and neither the Triumph Workshop Manual nor the Haynes book gives any illustrations of either of the mirrors or their position.

I will wait to see if I get any other replies.

Jim

Yes, it was, for most makes. Generally halfway up the wing, but some expressed a preference for further forward or back from there. There was the added complication of whether the mirror was a magnifying one or not - not all that useful, really.

Nobody was that sophisticated back then.

I was hoping that there might be a spot that looks just right because any other examples seen would be in the same place, but clearly that isn't going to happen.

It looks as though I will have to sit in the driver's seat while a friend holds a mirror above the wing in various positions until I think it looks good and gives a decent rearwards view.

Thanks for the advice though.

Jim

I am not so sure. When I fitted mirrors to my Morris Minor, I discovered that Issigonis had defined the exact location to drill the holes for this optional extra.

Jim

But he was ahead of his time. And a Minor's wing is a little smaller than a Triumph 2000's.

True. But I was placing the emphasis of my reply on the word "Nobody"

:-)

Jim

...except Issigonis!

My preference was to place them where the image size was the same as from the central rear view mirror. Assuming they didn't look stupid, of course.

Really? Don't remember that. Can you be a bit more specific?

Exactly 8 inches back from the headlamp and on the exact top of the wing for the centre of the hole. I still have the note I made for the body shop who was treating the rust in the wing, and who drilled the holes for me before doing the paint job.

Unfortunately I didn't make a note of where I found the information. I know I bought the mirrors by walking into the Morris Minor Centre in Bristol, but whether they looked it up or I found it on-line I can't now remember.

Jim

The best place for not looking stupid is usually directly above the centre of the front wheel, but that isn't always the best place for catching movement in your peripheral vision. I suspect with the Triumph which has a fair bit of wing ahead of the front wheel, a little forward of the centre of the wheel might be better.

Jim

In message , Indy Jess John writes

I have been trying to find the same for the door mirrors on my Spitfire

1500. No information anywhere - all I get is "put them where you can see best", which I would have done anyway (and doesn't help anyone else who may drive it), or look at other cars (and they seem to be inconsistent).

There must surely have been a drilling template somewhere!

Door mirrors were introduced either around the time or just after the Spitfire ceased production, so there probably never was a standard template.

I had a door mirror on a Triumph 2000 that had been fitted by the previous owner, and that was installed beneath the front of the wind-down window so that the quarterlight just missed it when it was opened. I didn't think it was in the ideal position to look into from where I had my seat positioned, but had to admit I couldn't think of anywhere else that was practical.

I did try to get a mirror that clipped onto the quarterlight (which then had to remain closed), which I remember being available in the 1960s. I couldn't track one down though.

Personally I much prefer wing mirrors to door mirrors. You see nothing in a door mirror unless you look towards it. A wing mirror is within the range of peripheral vision and anything noticeable registers and invites a proper look. The only down side to a wing mirror is that it can reflect the rising or setting sun straight into the driver's eyes, but this is short-lived and can be blocked by a well placed hand.

Jim

Absolutely, and they also show vehicles alongside and slightly behind your car, which door mirrors miss. I miss the wing mirrors on my Herald 13/60, they were ideally placed for city driving.

Mine have effectively two mirrors (different optics) to get round that. Most noticeable when lane changing.

Well driver side mirrors were an option on all 1500s as part of the luxury pack, and fitted as standard from 1976. I also understand that they were factory fitted on all USA spec 1500s. That is a lot of cars. I would be surprised if there was no standard.

I owned two Mk. I Triumph 2000s, two Mk II 2000s and a 2.5 PI estate at different times. I bought each of them second hand and they all had wing mirrors on both sides when I got them. I assumed that wing mirrors went away because they could be dangerous to a pedestrian in a collision, kind of like the old 1930s Humber Snipe bonnet mascot definitely was.

I had a pivoting mirror that clamped onto the 'A' pillar rain gutter on my wing mirrorless '57 Hillman Husky. I bought it for about 3/6d from Halfords, I think. It was wonderful, I loved it.