This is s problem I have had for decades. It seems the tri-shield side rear view mirror loosens on the bracket within a few miles after tightening it. The bracket and gasket are tight on the door but the single screw that holds the mirror on the bracket loosens in no time. I am thinking some type of hardening or semi hardening putty placed between the bracket and housing would take up any gaps and absorb vibration once set up. Thoughts?
Is it the screw you can see at the bottom of the mirror opening, but yah just cant seem to tighten enough? Mines been loose for decades also.
I would think a tiny dab of urethane sealant would cure that issue. A thin film on the threads and a dab on the bracket maybe. If that doesn't work it will be easy to get back off. At first I thought about blue locktite, but, sometimes that works too good. I think there is another locktite (green?) that could help, too
Something is definitely wrong there. Is it a repro bracket? I ask because those are poor quality. Did you try tweaking the two tabs that hold it on? Are you positive it's the right gasket? There were a lot of different gaskets for each year. Some gaskets are angled, some flat, some are rounded. Get the gasket #. If the mirror moves after it's tight, then it's one of those things.
As said above mine got loose after the chrome and I pushed the mirror glass down by hand with a little force and removed screw and put loktite on it. I used a very thin magnetic screwdriver. It's been 5 years and never loose again.
Is this on yer 1964 wildcat? I just put the mirror back on the 64 Special, and without even thinking about it had it on upside down. The mirror side is flat and the gasket base curved for the door top. That is, if its an OEM gasket. New ones can be had and they always ask "curved or flat?". ws
All seems to be installed correctly. Every car I've had with this type of mirror mounting setup had this issue, none of which I installed myself. I have a new repop mirror coming for the right side which may show some light when I install it. The left side mirror is a repop as far as I know.
I mentioned before the repro brackets aren't great. The screw that olds the mirror is smaller, or flimsier. You could put a backing plate inside the door maybe to stop vibration? I've never had that issue with my 67 GS400 repro mirror, or not. I did have that issue with a rt side 70 repro mirror, the thing was vibrating like crazy at 75 mph. The repro screw was like a pan head (fillister?) and the factory screw was like an oval head and beefier. Changed the bracket and screw to factory and prob solved.
I figured out the problem on the driver's side mirror while installing the passenger side. If you install the bracket on the gasket using the rear most hole in the gasket for one of the bracket mounting screws, the mirror will not set correctly in the gasket but on the forward edge. This doesn't allow the mirror to sit flat in the gasket. This is how the driver's mirror has been since I bought the car in 2010. I had to align the front hole in the bracket and then adjust the gasket to fit the mirror. Then I had to drill a new hole through the gasket for the rear screw. Seems that the gasket has a slotted hole for the front screw but a fixed hole for the back screw. That fixed hole forces the gasket to be about 1/8" off. Now a different problem....there isn't enough mirror adjustment to be of any real use on the passenger side. I'd have to be sitting on the console to see the passenger side of the car at best.
Glad you got it fixed, Mark. I knew it was...something! The left mirrors are not like modern mirrors. I have them on all my different 60's, and 70's cars. They didn't really put a lot of thought into them. They don't angle enough, and because the glass is just flat, you don't get like a wide angle. All my cars they are in the right place. But, if I want to see the Rt side backing out of the garage, I have to lean way over. Still, they are better than nothing and help on the highway. I have seen people put them further forward, but then you don't get the balance of having them in the same place. It also depends how far back the seat is. Remember, in 1964 a tall person was only like 5' 2" !
I should be mounting that right side mirror this week. The drivers side is OEM and way forward on the door. Its actually partially obstructed by the wing window frame for viz. Im thinking on the pass. side of moving it back to the vertical wing window frame, and possibly putting a 4" (?) convex mirror on it. "The judges in the mirror are closer than they appear..." LOL. How in the heck did they see in the mirrors that were planted forward on the front fenders??? ws
