avalonjohn

Fellas,

My LH mirror popped off. No wonder considering I discovered someone (I know who...not me) riveted the bracket onto the door.

Anyhow, I know there "should" be a plate inside that the screws go into. Evidently, the guy who mounted the mirror for me knew that it was missing, broken off, whatever and decided to use rivets. I know.

So, as a fix, I bought the rubber plugs (well nuts?) that expand (typically used for the pass side mirror if desired). I have owned the car since 1985 and had it restored about 12 years ago. Original car but I am not a show guy.

Here is my question. Has anyone used these plugs? What size drill bit should I use? 3/8 looks right but I am not sure. Would you suggest using some adhesive like a good silicone around the lip of the well nut?

Thanks in advance for any advice. Driving w/o this mirror really stinks.

avalonjohn

BTW, the kit did not come with instructions.

bigredbrad

no way Id put an outside mirror with well nuts.

You know what to do - Take the door panel off and secure the bracket from the inside of the door like its supposed to be done.

Doing it right is never easy, doing it easy is never right.


bigredbrad

avalonjohn

I get that. I believe the bracket inside is MIA. Also, weren't well nuts used by dealers to install passenger side mirrors if desired?

bigredbrad

I cant say if a dealer installed mirror used rubber well nuts. To me, there could be a lot of wind pressure that might pull them loose, or worse break the fiberglass out leaving you with a bigger mess.

cant you go inside the door and put 2 washer nuts inside the door and screw the mounting base that way? You could also make up a flat piece of 14 gauge tin and put threaded u-nuts on it to screw the base plate to. You have the template on exactly where the holes need to be with the base plate.

I see the corvette suppliers sell the well nut kit to retrofit a right side mirror, maybe it works. For the hour it takes to get the door panel off, I sure wouldnt risk the chance of damaging your paint if the well nut blows out.

bigredbrad

avalonjohn

Hey, I like that idea on the washer-nut combo. Never thought of that. Thanks Brad! Really appreciate your advice!

gbvette62

Use the Well Nuts, that's what they're made for. They work just like a drywall anchor, and are perfectly safe to use.

68-79 Corvette chrome passenger side mirrors, were always installed using Well Nuts. Every RH mirror Chevrolet sold, came with two Well Nuts and a template, to properly locate the mounting holes.

Besides right hand mirrors, GM used Well Nuts to mount Corvette voltage regulators, TI amps, 78-82 rear storage compartment security shades, luggage racks and other parts.

According to the template that came with the mirrors, the size of the hole needed is 3/8". There's no need to use silicone, or anything else with them. Just drill your holes, push the two Well Nuts into the holes, position the bracket, thread the screws into the Well Nuts, and tighten the screws.

By the way, the Well Nuts take a different type thread, than the screws for the nut plate, originally installed in the driver's side door. If I'm remembering correctly, the Well Nuts use a course thread screw, while the nut plate used a fine thread, though it could be the other way around. If I think of it, I'll check which thread they use, when I get to the shop in the morning.

Rescue Rogers

make sure the backing plate is gone, if it is use the well nut. Same size drill diameter as the well nut. it will slide in tight and expand. My passenger side mirror is on with well nuts and the fiberglass isnt cracking and the mirror is still tight.

1. measure 5 times to get the front hole in the right place.
2. use a small diameter drill to get the hole aligned
3. drill it to the full size
4. insert the well nut
5. insert the mirror mounting plate on top and install using 1 machine screw and hand tighten until it s snug, not tight
6. align plate so its level and mark rear hole.
7. remove the mounting plate and use the same procedure to mount the rear well nut.
8. install both nuts and the the plate and tightend very snugly.

avalonjohn

Thanks GB. I have the screws that came with the well nuts purchased from Big City Corvettes so I should be ok there. I still wonder what happened to the plate. The car was restored in 2005 (ish) by a pretty reputable company. It must have been damaged either before that or during the job because that guy used those rivets to secure the bracket. Why I have no idea.

pigfarmer

Has a similar problem on my 69. PO put a RH mirror on. Used the standard kit with surface mount plastic/rubber backer with the mirror bracket on top of it.Drilled holes out with the bit the kit recommends, used well nuts, done. No issues.

I had both door panels off over the winter and I also thought there was supposed to be a plate. If I remember right there is a steel channel formed in the door and you really don't have access to the back of the area the mirror mounts to. Can't go too radical because it'll interfere with the window.

USAFVeteran

I bought 2 new mirrors for my 69, and installed both with the well nuts that came with them. They work just fine. But, if you enjoy pulling your door panels off.....well, have at it.

avalonjohn

Convinced otherwise. I am going to likely drill tonight. There are already holes there from the previous install, just need to make them the 3/8 size. Thanks for all the help!

bigredbrad

I agree, but my concern is the voltage regulator doesnt take any where near the side stress forces that the side mirror does. The voltage regulator just sits there, the mirror is taking a lot of wind resistance at 70mph. Or it can get bumped when walking by it.

The other concern I have is there is a considerable amount of rubber sticking up above the fiberglass after the well nut is installed. The external mounting plate needs to sit square and flush against the fiberglass so it doesnt rock and move. Yes, there is the base plate gasket, but that is a lot thinner than the top of the well nut, even when it is tightened down and compressed.

Not trying to argue here, just thinking if it can be done the right way with a couple extra hours of labor, why not?

Open the door up, who knows, the factory plate might be laying in the bottom of the door!

bigredrad

pigfarmer

So I found myself standing there with my drill and the big 3/8 bit looking at the two smaller ragged holes that were there.

It only took two seconds to do but gawd, it took a little mental effort to jam a drill into that door.

BTW - I probably wouldn't have added a RH mirror but had to do something with the existing holes. I admit that having one made it much easier to back into my garage

avalonjohn

LMAO, hence the reason for my post. Had the Dewalt in hand yesterday staring at these 2 smaller holes for at least 10 minutes. 3/8 bit (brand new) loaded and ready. I started to breathe heavy and stopped. Put the drill away and generated this thread. Brutal. Now I have to do it all over again (standing there staring).

20mercury

"If I remember right there is a steel channel formed in the door and you really don't have access to the back of the area the mirror mounts to - pigfarmer."

Agree, this was the problem with my 68 when I decided to add a passenger mirror so I reluctantly used the rubber well nuts. No problems to date.

gbvette62

The Well Nuts work just like a dry wall anchor. Once inserted into the hole, and the screw tightened up in it, the back side of the Well Nut pulls up tight against the fiberglass, sandwiching the fiberglass between the Well Nut's outer flange, and the inner flange created when the screw is tightened.

As I said, besides the right hand mirrors, GM Well Nuts for installing luggage racks, including the factory installed 77 T-Top carrier racks. I've seen people put quite a bit of weight, and some pretty large items, on Corvette luggage racks, and have never seen a rack come loose.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of 68-79 Corvettes running around, with mirrors installed using the Well Nuts. One of the Corvette vintage racers I've crewed on, had a mirror installed using well nuts. That mirror easily survived 140+ mph trips down Watkins Glen's main straight.

The rubber doesn't stick up that much, and the base gasket has oversize holes in it, so that the Well Nuts sit inside the gasket, not on top of it. When the mirror base is installed, the Well Nut crushes down some, and the mirror, base and gasket, all sit snug against the door.

69Vett

well nuts are the standard mounting method, on the passenger side their is no support bracket underneath. so well nuts are used they will allow mirror to bounce slightly.
normally on the drivers side there is metal cross brace.

USAFVeteran

predict 6 pages hahaha

avalonjohn

All done. Took a deep breath and did the deed. Looks great and is solid! Thanks fellas!