Remote mirror on 63

[rodneybeauchamp]

Wanting to replace both outside mirrors on my 63 with the round remote control version. Currently fitted with two round genuine  Buick accessory fixed versions but like the looks of the remote.

 

Currently I have only one mirror at the moment but looking for another one, daily driver. Will probably mount them with one on each side, for those who were wondering!

 

1. Understand that fixing points may be already in the door., however do the  remote units usually mount in the same place as the fixed units?

 

2. Is there a fixing point inside the doors on the trim part or do you just put it wherever? Trim is for power windows and power vents.

 

2a. Is the remote lever on the passenger side fitted on the door, in same place as drivers side?

 

3. Is the lever face plate square or oval shaped as shown in the manual? 

 

4. Anything I need to be aware of when making this conversion?

 

5. Are 63-64-65 remote mirrors interchangeable for Riviera?

 

6. Are remote mirrors off other intermediate and full size Buicks in those years the same as Riviera.

 

any help is much appreciated down under, And pictures always help,

Rodney

[riv2x4]

I have a good remote 62-64 mirror missing the inside remote controller, $125 Link to ad.

 

 

[RivNut]

17 hours ago, rodneybeauchamp said:

Wanting to replace both outside mirrors on my 63 with the round remote control version. Currently fitted with two round genuine  Buick accessory fixed versions but like the looks of the remote.

 

Currently I have only one mirror at the moment but looking for another one, daily driver. Will probably mount them with one on each side, for those who were wondering!

 

1. Understand that fixing points may be already in the door., however do the  remote units usually mount in the same place as the fixed units?  If you remove the hold down screws you should be able to tell by the thickness of the threads if there's a plate in place or if it's just screwed to the door skin.  If you're replacing stanard mirrors with remote mirrors, you'll want to remove the door skins anyway to install a backing plate

 

2. Is there a fixing point inside the doors on the trim part or do you just put it wherever? Trim is for power windows and power vents. Put it where your old one was.  Match the passenger's side to the drivers side, you can't see out of it anyway so make it look good.

2a. Is the remote lever on the passenger side fitted on the door, in same place as drivers side? This was never done at the factory but the ones that I've seen done DIY have the joy stick mounted on the passengers door.  If you can see out of it, you'll have to have a passenger riding along to adjust it.  I took the cable from a remote GM sport mirror and used it to replace the cable on a factory driver's side mirror, flipped the mirror head, and now have enough cable to bring the remote to the driver's side of the car but have yet to find a good place to mount it.  I think my best solution for rear view mirrors on the passenger's side and a wide angle mirror on the driver's side are the two baby monitor mirrors that are mounted with suction cups to the inside of the windshield.  I just take them off when I don't want them to be seen. 

 

3. Is the lever face plate square or oval shaped as shown in the manual? '63's are oval, '64's and '65's are the rhombus shaped.

 

17 hours ago, rodneybeauchamp said:

 

4. Anything I need to be aware of when making this conversion? The factory installed a 'bend over tab' on the inside of the door to keep the cable out of the way of the windows

 

5. Are 63-64-65 remote mirrors interchangeable for Riviera? Interchangeable but they don't match

 

6. Are remote mirrors off other intermediate and full size Buicks in those years the same as Riviera.

 

any help is much appreciated down under, And pictures always help,

Rodney

 

[TexRiv_63]

My 63 was a very early production car and had adjustable mirrors on both sides. The mirrors looked identical and the interior adjuster was mounted in the same location on both doors. The passenger mirror was just screwed into the doorskin sheet metal with no backing plate, can't remember if the drivers door was the same. Here are some photos.

[rodneybeauchamp]

Ed, I gather I can fit them by just removing the inside door trim or is it best to remove the door skin?

 

and Don, your photos are superb, just what I needed to see.

 

many thanks to you both. 

 

Kind regards

Rodney

[rodneybeauchamp]

Ed, just re-read your reply, yes, best to remove the door skin to install a backing plate.

 

I gather that is not a huge drama? Is there anything to be aware of?

 

[RivNut]

The T-bolts may want to turn inside their housings.  If that's the case, take a small screwdriver, or better yet a plastic interior panel remover, and wedge it between the skin and the door in order to keep tension on the T-bolt.  Just remember where the capped nuts go.

[steelman]

Note the locations and what Don said. His was an early 63. Sometime in the 63 production year, the driver's mirror was moved farther forward on the door. 64 and 65 use the same late 63 location. While a second mirror on Don's car matching the early 63 location will work, it would be too far forward if the second mirror matched the driver side location on a late 63, 64, or 65.

[RivNut]

When I went to the ROA's meet in PA in 2010, I toured the 1963 - 1965 class with the sole intention of trying to tie mirror position to build dates.  The hoods were open so I could see the data plate and get the build date off of it.  I found that there were both 63's and 64's with mirrors in each of the two positions and there was no correlation between year, build date, and mirror position. It's still a puzzle as far as I'm concerned.  I'm going to do this again in Williamsburg, this time I'll try to get someone to do it with me taking notes as I go.  Perhaps two minds can come up with something logical.   

[TexRiv_63]

On ‎4‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 7:59 AM, steelman said:

Note the locations and what Don said. His was an early 63. Sometime in the 63 production year, the driver's mirror was moved farther forward on the door. 64 and 65 use the same late 63 location. While a second mirror on Don's car matching the early 63 location will work, it would be too far forward if the second mirror matched the driver side location on a late 63, 64, or 65.

 

I can tell you that while the passenger side mirror looked great on the car, it was utterly impossible to see anything from it. Not sure if the forward location would improve this but I doubt it.

[SwedeDownUnderR63]

The 2 remote controlled external mirrors that I have on my -63 looks original but one is of course likely to have been installed later (if not both), not certain if the location is original correct..

I agree that they are useless as original but I have put on a small Blind Spot Mirror on both mirrors as can be seen in the pictures and now they are acceptable in my view but it might not suit everyone. I guess the size of the person driving the car (I am 181 cm and I have the manual seat as far back as possible) would make a difference to what can be seen but they are now OK for me.

[1965rivgs]

On 4/25/2016 at 11:19 AM, RivNut said:

When I went to the ROA's meet in PA in 2010, I toured the 1963 - 1965 class with the sole intention of trying to tie mirror position to build dates.  The hoods were open so I could see the data plate and get the build date off of it.  I found that there were both 63's and 64's with mirrors in each of the two positions and there was no correlation between year, build date, and mirror position. It's still a puzzle as far as I'm concerned.  I'm going to do this again in Williamsburg, this time I'll try to get someone to do it with me taking notes as I go.  Perhaps two minds can come up with something logical.   

Ed,

  This is most likely due to many exterior mirrors being dealer installed because an outside rearview mirror was not standard equipment. In an NOS mirror package there is an installation template which should have been followed by the installing mechanic. If it were me back in the day I would have installed the mirror based on customer preference and seating position and disregarded the template. Obviously a person barely over 5 feet in height would have a different preference as compared to someone over 6 foot tall. Perhaps that is why the mirrors are installed in various places on the door?

  Tom