Day/Night Rear View Mirror 1966
 

The day/night mirror has been referred to as an option for '66, but for the life of me I cannot find the RPO code for it. Am I not looking in the right places? Thank you

I don't know if 66 is the same as 65 but on my 65 it was only available in the convenience package which was the day night mirror and back up lights.

Thanks, 68hemi. I did read that somewhere, and figured '65 and '66 might be the same. I just figured that everything standard and/or extra on these cars had an RPO code slapped on them, so why wouldn't the optioned day/night mirror.

The RPO code for 1965 is Z01

You might see if there is anything for 1966 here--it is 58 pages
http://jameshalderman.com/images/RPO_Codes.pdf

No factory installed day/night mirror was available for the 66 model year. If a 66 has one, it was a dealer installed GM accessory item.

I guess when the back up lights (in the package in 65) became standard the factory cheaped out by not making the day night standard too.

So the day/night mirror is an option, but since it's a dealer option, and not part of a convenience pkg (like the '65 Z01) there wouldn't be an RPO code for it.
Makes sense. Thank you.

Right, RPO stands for regular production option (or order) for ordering purposes when ordering a new car. Over the counter items such as dealer options were ordered by part numbers through the parts department.

I believe just the opposite. All 66's had the day/night mirror as standard equipment and therefore no RPO. Every 66 I have ever had, had a day night mirror in it and I doubt that it was dealer installed. Backup lights also became standard equipment in 66.

I wasn't going to say, but every 66 I've had owned also had day/night mirror.

I won't argue with you but I could not find anything that said it was standard but id did find info that stated the BU lamps became standard. I have had two 66's and they both had them too.

What are you basing your opinion on?

This has been debated for a few decades. In the end, there is no such thing as a day/night mirror in production for 1966. It didn't happen. Many discussions over at the NCRS that I was involved in and proved that the DN mirror was never at the St Louis assembly plant. The part numbers in the assembly manual show this to be true.
There are also pictures of new 66's in production in the Noland Adams book that show standard mirrors.

I looked for an RPO code after I read this in Vette Vues 7th Ed, pg. 182

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...24a68f7aac.jpg

The day/night mirror shown in the dealer showroom accessory brochure as dealer installed items.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...33c2ecff15.jpg

Chevrolet described the dealer installed item as "Mirror, inside - non glare" part #986600. The standard mirror (and, the only one available from the factory) was simply described as a "chrome backed mirror".

As Critter 1 stated above, there was NO day-night mirror factory installed in any 1966 Corvette. This was extensively discussed on the NCRS board previously noting that the 5th Edition Judging Manual listed that two interior mirrors were available and either would be judged correct, and this information was noted to be wrong. See this thread https://www.ncrs.org/forums/showthread.php?118061-1966-Rear-View-Mirror-Interior&highlight=1966+interior+mirror and there are similar threads at the NCRS TDB if you do a search. The 1966 Judging Team Leader issued a Revision to the Judging Guide which states "There has been on-going research on the “origin” of Day/Night Non-Glare mirror installation on 1966 Corvettes. The objective data/research compiled by the membership has determined that the Day/Night mirror was NOT a factory RPO installed option. It was a Dealer offered/installed item. The only mirrors that will be considered typical and appropriate for 1966 Production cars for Flight Judging etc. are the 2 Standard Mirrors, which were supplied by Donnelly Mirror Inc. AND Guide." Eventually the 1966 6th Edition Judging Guide will be published and will have this area corrected. Many 1966 Corvettes have the day-night mirror and these were either dealer or owner installed :)

The only thing with this ad is that the radio and antenna are factory options and the knobs pictured on the radio are '65 and not '66

I am basing it just on personal ownership and observation. I have seen many 66's since they were new and they all had the 65/66 style day/night mirrors installed. What are the odds that all of those cars received dealer installed mirrors. Why would GM offer it in 65 as an upgrade then discontinue it in 66 but make b/u lights standard as part of the safety feature upgrades which day/night mirrors are also and then bring them back as a redesign in 67 as standard equipment. Does not make sense but a lot of things that GM did left a lot to be desired. Maybe John Z can help us clear this up since he was there at the time. I consider his first hand experience to be the most accurate. I will agree with John no matter what he says on this matter.

Jay

This from JohnZ here a few years ago on this subject.

"I don't have a '66 JG handy, but Noland's book says that the Z01 C&C option for '66 was cancelled just prior to start of production, and both the backup lights and the day-night mirror became standard equipment on all 66's. Maybe someone with a '66 JG can verify that in the "Interior" section."

I think that's a great idea. Maybe he can explain it to you better than I did.