Outside Mirror Position - '56

["Dick Benjamin" <dickb@xxxxxxxxx>]

I don't know when the factory started installing mirrors as standard
equipment on cars, and it may have been different with different brands of
cars.

The first car I recall having standard factory installed outside rear view
mirrors was the 1957 Cadillac ElDorado Brougham, and that was an inside
adjustable mirror, really a breakthrough!  (Isn't that right, Chris H. [the
right coast Chris H.]?)

I'm not able to remember when all cars started having them as factory
installed standard equipment, the way heaters and backup lights became
standard in about 1966 or so.  But I do know that in 1956, at least for one
luxury car, the Packard, the mirror was a dealer item - it did not show on
the build sheet so it was not a factory installed item.   I guess that would
be the way to tell if it was original factory equipment - see if it shows on
the broadcast sheet.  I would guess that the transport damage possibilities
to protrusions from the body would have made the car companies prefer that
dealers install them, just like wheel covers and other external trim items.

Dick Benjamin
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <RandalPark@xxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2004 10:54 AM
Subject: Re: IML: Outside Mirror Position - '56


> Dick,
>
> I agree with you. I have long thought that the mirrors on '55 and '56
Imperials may have been installed by the dealer which would explain the
differences between the cars. Many photos of the cars show no mirror at all.
>
> I also think it is at least possible that the mirrors on '55 and '56
Imperials were installed at the factory, but we may never know for sure.
There are factory photos of '60 Imperials with no mirrors, and I am sure
that they were installed at the factory. Go figure!
>
> Paul
>
> In a message dated 3/8/2004 11:21:22 AM Eastern Standard Time, "Dick
Benjamin" <dickb@xxxxxxxxx> writes:
>
> >I'd like to contribute the following to this discussion of mirror
placement.
> >
> >I don't know anything about the issue with regard to Imperial, but I do
know
> >about industry practice in 1956, especially with regard to outside rear
view
> >mirrors (I bought a new Plymouth in 1956, so I was there!). The cars did
> >not come from the factory with mirrors, as they were considered a dealer
> >item. The dealers could put them anywhere they wanted, and they could buy
> >their mirrors from any source.
> >
> >There WAS a factory recommended mirror, which could be ordered from the
> >accessory catalog, and there was a factory recommended location for the
> >factory recommended mirror, but not all dealers paid any attention, to
> >either which mirror they put on the car or where they put it.
> >
> > To be specific, on Packards, (about which I can speak with some
authority),
> >the recommended mirror was very plain looking, and recommended to be
placed
> >on the driver's door, just about even with the vent window. Some dealers
> >complied (if you want to see an example, e-mail me for a picture). Many
> >dealers sold much more elaborate mirrors, (the famous "Yankee Pacesetter"
> >for example), and there was a fad in those years of putting them up on
the
> >front fenders -where they are pretty useless, given the distortions of
the
> >wrap around windshields of those days. I have examples of those also.
> >The fancy mirrors might be put on the door also. About 20 years later,
the
> >"mirror on the front fenders" craze hit Japan - if you look at pictures
of
> >cars sold in Japan in the 70s and early 80s, you'll see the same odd
> >placement.
> >
> >Dick Benjamin
> >----- Original Message ----- 
> >From: <Black55Imperial@xxxxxxx>
> >To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >Sent: Monday, March 08, 2004 5:22 AM
> >Subject: Re: IML: Outside Mirror Position - '56
> >
> >
> >>
> >> On my '56 Crown Imperial, the mirrors are on the fender and it is a
> >basically
> >> unmolested original car so I believe they came in that position on MY
car.
> >>
> >> Randy Still
> >> '56 Crown Imperial
> >> '55 Imperial Sedan
> >> '64 Imperial Crown Coupe
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
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>
>