I'm at the stage in my rebuild now where I need to get the mirrors sorted out. Mines a 91 900SS and I have the original mirrors which are colour coded red, but some numpty has datatagged them and etched the tag in to the glass. I've established that the glass cannot be easily changed so it looks like I will have to replace the entire unit. I know that earlier mirrors were painted, and later ones were not, but my question is this. Are all mirrors basically the same, with earlier ones painted and later ones not, or is there some difference between them either in construction/quality/materials? The reason I ask is that there seems to be several later unpainted mirrors around but no originals early ones. I am considering buying later mirrors and painting them. Cheers Paul
Blimey they're cheap. The thing is, I've already spent a fair bit on this rebuild. Far more than I intended too so I really want to get it right and don't want to use aftermarket pattern parts. I know the originals were made by Vitaloni, and they were taken over by another compoany who now make the Baby Turbo. I've read on a few sites that it is a good replacement, and others have commented that there are differences between it and the originals. Anyone used them?
It's great the way AL always comes up with help like this and maybe the two in the picture are different but the one I have examined and heard about are to be avoided unless you are fitting them on a showbike. You know how even the originals love to shake and lose position at the slightest excuse - and these are with an alloy ball and socket (and sometimes alloy ball/plastic socket). The ones I've looked at are entirely plastic and of a slightly lighter gauge where it matters. I have never used a pair it's true but have read enough accounts of people saying that they vibrate almost from new and constantly lose the position you set them at.
On my OEM ones, I stopped the slipping position issue by tapping the alloy stem (M4 or M5...can't recall which, probably M5) and shoved a decent screw in them. They will always vibrate....it isn't the mirror, it's the way the fairing is mounted.......the subframe stems vibrate..... The ones from Car Builder Solutions are cheap, but a mate of mine tells me the components are interchangable with the OEM ones, so the actual mirror head may fit the OEM stems.....I can't confirm that, though. AL.
I welded in a little brace bar before I had my subframe powdercoated? No buzz at all! Have extender blocks fitted, quite a good pair of mirrors! The spare frame I have in the garage has cracked the mirror mount tube base, its not that well supported as Al has said...
yes AL, I know this and agree with you but the mirror rigidity still plays a part here and, only speaking from the aftermarket version I looked at, it would still need strengthening in the future even if fitted with any anti-vibration braces. Personally I would prefer to try and find a pair of the original type even if they needed attention.MOO
I used these on my carbie rebuild a while ago, appear identical to the OE items, and yes they even vibrate loose too! (apologies, they're not exactly a bargain are they, didn't Halfords used to stock a cheap matt black version?) https://www.europaspares.com/produc...italoni_Storm_Baby_Turbo_In_Red___MIRS31.html
Those are the ones I was talking about, the Storm Baby Turbos. How close are they to the original mirrors? Could you tell the two apart? How was the colour match? If they have to be repainted then I may as well buy used OE ones and paint those. Has anyone painted the later black ones? Is there any difference between the early painted ones and the later black ones?
The OEM ones don't like paint that much.........Mine were OEM black before someone did them red; and having found it neccessary to repair one, I painted them red as well.......Mine don't vibrate much though...........too much effing paint. But, having seen the glass edge when I repaired them, I reckon if you were very careful with a bowl of hot water and a thin plastic lever, you could get the glass out....maybe even like getting a windscreen out and in with a bit of strong fishing line instead of a cord.... AL
As near as dammit they're identical to my OE ones, I've no experience of trying to paint the black ones however I would urge caution if you should attempt to remove the standard glass as the ones I've seen are fixed in place with high strength bonding agent, and the glass gave out before the adhesive.
I might have a couple of originals spare next week of my MK1 Sl , they may have been repainted but are original.
I would certainly be interested. I pick my repainted bodywork up this week, and the painter has done my mirrors so I know they will look good, but they will still have the crappy glass in. Let me know if you decide to sell yours please.
Will do, I'm hopefully buying a full set of Bodywork including mirrors, but wont be collecting it until next week. Fell free to drop me a PM if I forget . Cheers Si PS My SL MK1 is also costing me far to much to restore , but wed only spend it on beer fags and loose women LOL:biggrin:
