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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6118 Posts |
 Posted - 24/04/2013 : 18:58:34
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The J2 road test car had an interesting rear view mirror mounted on a pedestal that appears to slope rearwards leaving the mirror sitting aft of the scuttle.
Can anyone throw any light on its provenance? it doesn't appear to be the same as the Lucas pedestals used on the J1, D etc., which are apparently not angled in this way. |
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Horst Wendling
Germany
464 Posts |
Posted - 24/04/2013 : 21:29:53
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Simon,
is it here what you look for ?
http://www.mgmmm.com/parts.htm
See Nr. 5 or 18
Horst
PA492 |
Edited by - Horst Wendling on 24/04/2013 21:30:48 |
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JMH
United Kingdom
911 Posts |
Posted - 24/04/2013 : 21:46:02
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There are also several other differences from "production" cars visible in the photo (& probably more than I can spot). Do I feel a quiz coming on?
JH
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bahnisch
Australia
674 Posts |
Posted - 25/04/2013 : 02:19:52
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| I think that the triangular brackets were meant to fit on the outside of the windscreen frame. The factory may not have fitted the one on the scuttle, that was left to the owners and, if so, that is why there is a variation. The factory was always trying to keep the price down and may not have fitted a rear vision mirror at all. |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6118 Posts |
Posted - 25/04/2013 : 03:59:58
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Horst, many thanks for taking the trouble to post that link but the ones our Dutch friends are doing do not appear to be angled. So the mirror would simply sit directly above the scuttle and not, as is apparent from the photo, aft of it and in more or less the same position as the production mirror ended up. This drawing from the Autocar road test, while perhaps not absolutely to scale, shows this more clearly.
Jeremy, a quiz? How could you think that of me? Shome mishtake shurely!
Barry, indeed it's my understanding that the brackets that Horst has identified were fitted by the factory to the windscreens on other cars. But the photograph is from the Autocar and other photos of the car in the road test also show this angled bracket so I'm wondering if anyone has ever come across one like it. Clearly the production mirror and mount would have been much less expensive than this one on the prototype. |
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Blue M
United Kingdom
1472 Posts |
Posted - 25/04/2013 : 06:02:53
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| Note the Wolseley style remote control. |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6118 Posts |
Posted - 25/04/2013 : 06:50:40
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| Ian, funnily enough when I posted that picture I thought exactly the same thing - the very topic being discussed on another thread! |
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Blue M
United Kingdom
1472 Posts |
Posted - 25/04/2013 : 08:22:56
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| Simon, thanks for posting that drawing showing the remote. I don't think anyone believed me! |
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David R
United Kingdom
289 Posts |
Posted - 25/04/2013 : 20:36:40
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Probably slightly off the point,but does this triangular mounting stop the vibration which renders my J2 mirror vitually useless? Also I find the standard mounting does not really raise the mirror high enough so if anything I get a view of my luggage rack but not the road behind it.
David
J 3355 |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6118 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2013 : 02:52:12
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David,
Not at all off the point as it was exactly these reasons that prompted me to look at alternatives! The mount that I currently have is one that Rich Hardy (www.vintagemgparts.com) supplies which is thicker than original and apparently greatly reduces the vibration. I say "apparently" because I have no experience of the original ones so can't say how successful it is. But it still isn't wonderful and, as you say, doesn't give much of a view of the road behind. The alternative that I plan to use is one of the triangular Lucas style mounts which Rich is in process of producing which would be mounted on top of the scuttle, rather like the one in the photo above. However it isn't angled in the same way - hence my original query.
The original mirror is also very small and I've been looking around for one that might be more like the one in the photo, i.e. a bit bigger and with a frame around it. The one I have in mind is the one fitted to the TDs and TFs which is readily available and would look the part. |
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Richard Hardy
United Kingdom
2159 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2013 : 23:40:01
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On the subject of Lucas style mirrors, we have just uploaded our new J4 mirror bracket on the website www.vintageMGparts.com. It is very similar to the bracket on the prototype J2 although the J2 bracket does seem to lean forward as Simon suggests. If there is demand then we will make this one too.
Rich
Vintage MG Parts |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6118 Posts |
Posted - 02/05/2013 : 09:55:36
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| Is demand from me sufficient, Rich? |
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Richard Hardy
United Kingdom
2159 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2013 : 21:33:14
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N0, sadly not Simon! Needs more interest. If there are interested enthusiasts out there then I would ask that they email me direct to enquiries@vintageMGparts.com. Thanks
These are rather costly and highly labour intensive brackets to make, hence why no one else offers them in a fully finished fettled up and chromed state
Cheers
Rich
Vintage MG Parts |
Edited by - Richard Hardy on 05/05/2013 23:43:22 |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6118 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2013 : 16:29:02
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Well, until Rich gets enough interest for an angled pedestal, I decided to use the standard D/J1 type, together with a Desmo mirror of the type used on TDs and TFs and here's the result.
I reckon it looks pretty good and for sure it works a lot better than the standard horn button mounted mirror. You can actually see the vehicles behind you and not just your left shoulder. And it doesn't seem to vibrate nearly as much as the standard one.
But if you just have to have the correct type, I'm putting mine in the for sale section now!
UPDATE: did a 250 mile round trip to Dublin and back yesterday and can report that this set up works perfectly. The mirror hardly vibrates at all and you can actually see what's coming up behind you. Of course you still tend to get a good view of your left shoulder but that's inevitable given how narrow the J2 is and how close you are to the mirror. But it now sits high enough to be able to see over your shoulder. Perfect! |
Edited by - Simon Johnston on 14/05/2013 06:13:13 |
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David R
United Kingdom
289 Posts |
Posted - 20/05/2013 : 21:12:09
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I have just gone down the same road as Simon but fitted one of Vintage MG Parts J4 type pedestals to my J2. The reason I chose the J4 type was because of its extra height,as I have a luggage rack of the usual over tank type on which I often carry a vintage leather suitcase. The idea was that the increased mirror height (using the standard J2 plain mirror)would provide a decent and steady view of where I had been,rather than the previous blurred view of left shoulder,luggage rack and case.
The plan has worked perfectly. No problem with the excellent quality of the pedestal and 2BA screws provided,although a longer bolt is needed to fix the mirror to the thicker pedestal but using the existing chrome cap cap nut.The clamp screw on the top of the mirror also required shortening a little to avoid fouling the top of the pedestal.
Actual fitting of the pedestal to the scuttle top had to be carefully done,involving removal of 2 tonneau studs and very precise drilling of 2 new holes for the pedestal so that the pedestal bolts just went through the scuttle and did not foul the wood frame. Too near the screen and the cap nut can touch the windscreen,too near the dash and the scuttle humps can roll the mirror forward with the same effect.The correct position means that the pedestal base covers the 2 former tonneau screw holes,and I also made a rubber gasket for the pedestal base to complete the job.
If you don't have a luggage rack etc.the D/J1 type shorter bracket that Simon used would probably be an easier fit,and like him I might use the TD/TF larger framed mirror at a later date. It would also match my Lucas 160 wing mirror.
David
(J 3355) |
Edited by - David R on 20/05/2013 21:14:23 |
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David R
United Kingdom
289 Posts |
Posted - 20/05/2013 : 21:20:54
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After I had typed my reply I realized you can't send a photo with a quick reply,so hopefully here is a photo of the completed installation
David
(J 3355)
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Edited by - David R on 20/05/2013 21:21:48 |
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