Outside Mirrors?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,176
Likes: 263
From: Henderson, Nevada Nevada
I'm thinking about folding my drivers side mirror to provide more clearance when entering my garage. Is it realistic to think I could do this daily by reaching out my window and folding the mirror? Of course I could get out of the car and do it but that would be far less convenient. Also are these things engineered to withstand folding on a daily basis?
Too bad they're not power folding.
Too bad they're not power folding.
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,860
Likes: 12,293
From: NE South Carolina
I'm thinking about folding my drivers side mirror to provide more clearance when entering my garage. Is it realistic to think I could do this daily by reaching out my window and folding the mirror? Of course I could get out of the car and do it but that would be far less convenient. Also are these things engineered to withstand folding on a daily basis?
Too bad they're not power folding.
Too bad they're not power folding.
It would be nice if they were powered. I ordered my C7 five months before they started production. The specs showed the C7 was wider than my C6 and early reports said the mirrors were bigger (which they are) so I was concerned about how it would fit in my 8 foot garage doors! I built two things while waiting for delivery. The one pictured below is probably the best and inexpensive. (The other is a spot light mounted on the door track that goes on with the garage door opener light.) It is a contact switch alarm that warns if I’m too close to the passenger side! I have it set so it goes off with 2 inches of clearance. Not really a problem accept perhaps backing out at night. I have about 4 inches per side from the garage door frame. This is a PDF of what I built: http://netwelding.com/Mirror_Proximity_Alarm.pdf
Made This Alarm for ~$20! Warns if the passenger mirror is within 2 inches of the door frame when backing out; useful at night.
Last edited by JerryU; Mar 1, 2015 at 09:41 AM.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 97
Likes: 1
From: Round Rock Texas
Indeed it a pity they are not powered to fold. Is it an option NOW.
I "tried" to fold mine to see if they did fold and man they are both real stiff so I gave up trying to fold them. scared I would break something.
I "tried" to fold mine to see if they did fold and man they are both real stiff so I gave up trying to fold them. scared I would break something.
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,860
Likes: 12,293
From: NE South Carolina
Just feels like you're going to break something! Did it once and after you get past the detent it moves easier.
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Advanced
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 97
Likes: 1
From: Round Rock Texas
Seems logical that if it an option now they could be installed at the service department
My wife's 2013 Cadillac mirrors fold manually but those delivered in Europe and Suadi were powered. It's possible to put them on her car. About $800. Must have someone to program them into the Cue system as that is where the inactive gray button is now. Won't spend that on the Caddy but would on Vette if possible to do
My wife's 2013 Cadillac mirrors fold manually but those delivered in Europe and Suadi were powered. It's possible to put them on her car. About $800. Must have someone to program them into the Cue system as that is where the inactive gray button is now. Won't spend that on the Caddy but would on Vette if possible to do
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,860
Likes: 12,293
From: NE South Carolina
Seems logical that if it an option now they could be installed at the service department
My wife's 2013 Cadillac mirrors fold manually but those delivered in Europe and Suadi were powered. It's possible to put them on her car. About $800. Must have someone to program them into the Cue system as that is where the inactive gray button is now. Won't spend that on the Caddy but would on Vette if possible to do
My wife's 2013 Cadillac mirrors fold manually but those delivered in Europe and Suadi were powered. It's possible to put them on her car. About $800. Must have someone to program them into the Cue system as that is where the inactive gray button is now. Won't spend that on the Caddy but would on Vette if possible to do
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,162
Likes: 114
From: Prosper, TX
It would be nice if they were powered. I ordered my C7 five months before they started production. The specs showed the C7 was wider than my C6 and early reports said the mirrors were bigger (which they are) so I was concerned about how it would fit in my 8 foot garage doors! I built two things while waiting for delivery. The one pictured below is probably the best and inexpensive. (The other is a spot light mounted on the door track that goes on with the garage door opener light.) It is a contact switch alarm that warns if I’m too close to the passenger side! I have it set so it goes off with 2 inches of clearance. Not really a problem accept perhaps backing out at night. I have about 4 inches per side from the garage door frame. This is a PDF of what I built: http://netwelding.com/Mirror_Proximity_Alarm.pdfMade This Alarm for ~$20! Warns if the passenger mirror is within 2 inches of the door frame when backing out; useful at night.
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,860
Likes: 12,293
From: NE South Carolina
Thanks, fun to do while I was waiting for my C7 to be built and get delivered. Tried to measure at Laguna Seca in August of 2013 where I saw my first C7. Those were ~10 of the preproduction cars on display. I brought string purposely to measure the mirror tip to tip! It was not a good measurement! The measurements in the PDF were made with a plumb bob after I got the car. Fortunately enough room to pull in even when not perfectly perpendicular to the door opening.
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,860
Likes: 12,293
From: NE South Carolina
That was made with a plumb bob from each tip to tape on the floor. My 8 foot garage doors are 93.5 inches molding to molding leaving 4 1/4 inches per side. That's if I am perpendicular to the opening, which is not easy to achieve since our garage doors cannot be visible from the street (covenants) so it requires a 90 degree turn from the driveway. With one back-up I get close. Not really a problem.
I moved the C7 to the center garage and my Street Rod to where I always parked by C6 on one end. The ’34 Ford is narrow so when it was in the center garage it gave my wife more room to open her SUV door. Now she has to be careful not to open it fully and hit the Vette!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 2,535
From: New Jersey
4 inches on each side requires definite care when entering. When I get my car, I may consider lining the car up about 1 foot or so before the door, totaling centered, and paint lines in back of the front wheels. These lines would be centered in the middle of the tread and maybe go back a foot or so. Therefore when I approach the garage I would make a mental note what I see either on the garage or dash or some other reference point when I am dead center on the lines and look for that reference whenever I drive up. Does that make sense or is just stupid?
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,860
Likes: 12,293
From: NE South Carolina
4 inches on each side requires definite care when entering. When I get my car, I may consider lining the car up about 1 foot or so before the door, totaling centered, and paint lines in back of the front wheels. These lines would be centered in the middle of the tread and maybe go back a foot or so. Therefore when I approach the garage I would make a mental note what I see either on the garage or dash or some other reference point when I am dead center on the lines and look for that reference whenever I drive up. Does that make sense or is just stupid?
My alarm warns if I get closer than 2 inches on the passenger side. Happened once in 1.5 years! In fact the benefit of the alarm is when I get complacent about it not being a problem! Easy to get into that frame of mind!
Last edited by JerryU; Mar 1, 2015 at 07:06 PM.