How do you replace the interior rear view mirror glass?
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Cruising
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 10
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From: Mattawan MI
How to replace the interior rear view mirror glass in a 1984 Corvette
Here's how I did it with a mirror without any electronics in it from my 1984 Corvette Coupe.
The mirror was in bad shape with a lot of the backing already flaking off.
My options were: Buy a new complete mirror for $130, have my mirror reconditioned for $80, or replace the glass myself for less than $30.
The mirror case is a single piece of molded plastic on the 84' Coupe. So here was my glass replacement solution...
I went the cheaper way and went online to Corvette Central and bought a replacement mirror glass for about $27. Once that was in hand I was ready to begin.
First, take a look and see how the new mirror glass is supposed to be oriented in the casing. The thicker part of the glass goes towards the top where the mount is (double check yours to be sure).
I broke the original glass with a small ball pen hammer in a medium sized garbage can so glass wouldn't go all over the floor. Once the original mirror glass was removed (be careful, because the glass can cut you. I got a couple of small cuts while doing it), your ready to put in the new glass. After the old glass was out, I could see the mirror casing was a single, molded piece. It does not come part.
I went to the kitchen and pulled out a large pot that was wide enough to emurse the entire width of the mirror casing into. I filled it with water and put it on the stove until it was just about ready to start boiling.
I then dipped the mirror casing in the near boiling water holding it by the mounting bracket. I let it soak in the hot water for about a minute. (Try not to touch the casing on the side of the pot or let it touch the bottom, just in case it's hot enough to melt the plastic.) I'd pull the casing out every now and then just to check and see how soft the plastic was getting.
After a minute or so, I would test putting the new glass in the casing and kept checking the softness of the plastic.
The best way I found to get the glass in was to insert the thicker part in the casing first. Then work in the sides, then slowly work in the bottom (thinner) part of the glass. It helps to try and get a finger in behind the plastic lip of the casing, to get the bottom edge to pop out a little. Just stick your finger into the hole in the back of the casing where the dimmer lever is. Start at one side of the bottom of the mirror, then the center, then over to the other side. It should just pop right in.
-Chris
The mirror was in bad shape with a lot of the backing already flaking off.
My options were: Buy a new complete mirror for $130, have my mirror reconditioned for $80, or replace the glass myself for less than $30.
The mirror case is a single piece of molded plastic on the 84' Coupe. So here was my glass replacement solution...
I went the cheaper way and went online to Corvette Central and bought a replacement mirror glass for about $27. Once that was in hand I was ready to begin.
First, take a look and see how the new mirror glass is supposed to be oriented in the casing. The thicker part of the glass goes towards the top where the mount is (double check yours to be sure).
I broke the original glass with a small ball pen hammer in a medium sized garbage can so glass wouldn't go all over the floor. Once the original mirror glass was removed (be careful, because the glass can cut you. I got a couple of small cuts while doing it), your ready to put in the new glass. After the old glass was out, I could see the mirror casing was a single, molded piece. It does not come part.
I went to the kitchen and pulled out a large pot that was wide enough to emurse the entire width of the mirror casing into. I filled it with water and put it on the stove until it was just about ready to start boiling.
I then dipped the mirror casing in the near boiling water holding it by the mounting bracket. I let it soak in the hot water for about a minute. (Try not to touch the casing on the side of the pot or let it touch the bottom, just in case it's hot enough to melt the plastic.) I'd pull the casing out every now and then just to check and see how soft the plastic was getting.
After a minute or so, I would test putting the new glass in the casing and kept checking the softness of the plastic.
The best way I found to get the glass in was to insert the thicker part in the casing first. Then work in the sides, then slowly work in the bottom (thinner) part of the glass. It helps to try and get a finger in behind the plastic lip of the casing, to get the bottom edge to pop out a little. Just stick your finger into the hole in the back of the casing where the dimmer lever is. Start at one side of the bottom of the mirror, then the center, then over to the other side. It should just pop right in.
-Chris
Last edited by Chris Young; May 20, 2011 at 04:36 PM.
