Type 44 RH Outside Mirror (Rear View)

["Christopher Ritchie" <cjr1@gte.net>]

Thanks to Fred Munro, I was able to swap '89-'91 glass into my '86-'88 RH
rear view mirror housing.

The '86-'88 5K RH rear view mirror is flat glass.  The '89-'91 100s and 200s
had convex glass ("OBJECTS APPEAR CLOSER..."), which gives a wider viewing
area to the rear.  It seems that the mirror housing and mounting to the door
is the same for all models.  The wiring colors and the motors inside are
different, but they may be compatible with each other.  I do not know if the
connectors from one would mate with the other.  I do know that the glass
mounting arrangement is different although one will fit with the other.

I wanted the later '89-'91 convex glass on my '86-'88 5K, but did not want
to change the mirror assembly.  That is because I could not figure out how
to snake the replacement mirror wires down the door, through the conduit,
and into the car.  Then I did not know if the connectors would mate.  I
figured I would leave my existing mirror assembly in place and just swap the
glass.  What I did not know is the glass mounting is different.

On 8'6-'88s, the glass is held on its back by a white plastic ring.  It has
4 notches in the bottom.  Inserting a small screwdriver into the slot on the
bottom of the mirror housing, lever the screwdriver into the notches to move
the ring counterclockwise when looking into the glass.  It will move.  It is
plastic on plastic, so it is not rusted together.  Catch the glass.
Disconnect the 2 leads.  Be careful with the leads.  The male spades on the
glass can be weakened by oxidation.  The connector has also bonded itself
pretty good to the spade after all these years.

On '89-'91s, the glass is held in on the 4 corners by plastic clips which
snap onto pins on the motor gimbal ring.  They can be released by pushing
the glass to its extreme positions in 2 axes which allows you to (barely)
look in there and see what you are doing and unclip them.  I did this with
the '89-'91 mirror assembly out of the car.  It would be more difficult on
the car.  Lighting was important.  If you can see in there, you will see
what I mean.

Fred Munro says that the flat '86-'88 glass will fit in the later '89-'91
assemblies.  I can confirm that the '89-'91 convex glass will fit into the
earlier assemblies.