When I bought my '69 442 it had aftermarket side mirrors on the driver and passenger side. After removing them I noticed the Driver side has 2 large holes with slots in them (looks factory), but the passenger side just has small screw holes. Am I correct in assuming this means my car would not have originally had a passenger side mirror?

 

Welcome aboard

I am not expert but someone else will chime in shortly. Mine don't have them but I order so repros from Fusick for the passanger side. They may have been avaliable but weren't near as popular as they are today.

 

It's an educated guess, but I would say your car did not come with the passenger side mirror originally, in particular since you say you have an after-market mirror there now. As I understand, if you can find a NOS passenger side mirror for the 68-69 A-body, it will come with a template for the holes that need to be made in the passenger side door, and that those holes look exactly like the double hole-slot for the driver side. And it stands to reason - Olds wanted to install the side mirrors without having to take off the door panel. With the original fasteners, you can simply put the fastener screws loosely into the mirror, put the fastener heads through the big holes, and then slide the entire assembly into the slots. The fasteners can then be tightened from the top, using an Allen wrench.
One thing I don't like about the 68-69 passenger side mirror is that you can't get the remote style (unless, perhaps you can find one in Australia!). It would be nice to adjust both side mirrors without having to roll down the windows. Never-the-less, I plan on installing the passenger side mirror on my '69 442 convertible that is currently "in progress". I finished a '68 a couple of years ago and went with the remote driver side mirror only.
Hope this helps.
Randy C.

 

On my '71 Vista the driver's side mirror has another pieces of metal doubled up under the slotted mounting holes for reinforcement. Without it there is a possibilty of bending the metal, not strong enough to keep from bending around it if it was bumped hard IMO. I like having a passenger side mirror so I got one and cut the slots and all that. The passenger side door doesn't have the reinforcement and those screws bottom out on the mirror base and don't get tight enough. I would guess you have to make a reinforcement piece and attach it under there somehow or just slip it over the heads from the inside when installing the mirror?
I will assume the factory passenger door mirror cars with the holes already there have that piece?

There is a converted Vista in Australia a member here has and the remote mirror is still on the left side.

 

Well my 69 - 98 convertible has no passenger mirror but I can get one from Fuisck that is identical. If you want mirrors that it would have had you can get from them. They are good people to deal with as well.

 

That's why it is important to grow up with really long arms..

 

They call me gorilla arms, better than alligator arms. .

 

Hi,

i was wondering if anyone has a template for a 1968 cutlass passenger mirror as the aftermarket don't have it with them. Thanks

 

I will check the garage this weekend, I know I had the template as I put the holes in my passenger door already.

Tom
68 442 (piece by piece)
70 F85 (postie)
95 Aurora

 

Make your own template from the drivers side and then flip it over...

 

So I looked at the templates that I think came with the NOS right hand mirror...the bigger one says "406508, template use to locate outside rearview mirror R.H. front door - For all F-85 models" notice the pics the front edge to align with front of door is rounded which lines up with my 70 F85's lines. I beleive I used this on my 68 but just for the holes themselves, I just reversed the drivers side measurements. THen on my next post below...there was another template in the box.

Tom

 

So this other template reads "401081= template use to locate the outside rear view mirror on rh front door , for 1968 E Series". Again the "align with front edge of door" nothing like our a bodies...so useful for hole size but not so much placement. Just reverse the drivers side locates. If you are still wanting either one let me know...

Tom

 

lets try this again with pictures...
So this other template reads "401081= template use to locate the outside rear view mirror on rh front door , for 1968 E Series". Again the "align with front edge of door" nothing like our a bodies...so useful for hole size but not so much placement. Just reverse the drivers side locates. If you are still wanting either one let me know...

Tom

 

yes I'd be interested what one do you think would be best for my car not sure what a e series is. also what are C.V windows? Thanks

John

 

E series is Toronado, C.V. is crank vent windows. On a car equipped with vent windows you have to locate the mirrors where the vent window doesn't hit the mirror when it's opened.

1970 A-body Sport Coupes with sport mirrors especially seemed to be susceptible to this and were the subject of a tech bulletin. Yeah, the factory screwed up and put them in the wrong place, and new owners couldn't open their vent windows more than an inch or so. Relocating them involved body and paint work, so the vast majority of owners just said forget it.

And we Toronado owners were both cursed and blessed by the mirror interchange with Cutlass. Before the repops came out, we had to fight and pay out the *** for new mirrors and especially a passenger side. The Cutlass demand convinced Fusick to reproduce them.

 

yeah mine has the crank vent windows so is the location the same for 68 to 72 on location or slight change?

 

So I think I made a copy of the 406508 template and used that one to do the holes on my 68 442. So since the front edge didnt align (this template is for 70 and up) I mainly used it for the hole alignment after measuring the drivers side holes from the front edge...Now I can send you this template or I can make you a copy of it and send it to you...but if I send you the original template, I would ask you send it back to me when you are done as I need it to put my 70 F85's Sport Mirror on the passenger door. Now granted, I have been forbidden to do anything project wise to my F85 by my boss (read wife) until the 68 is done. So PM me your address and I will get you a copy or the original!!

Tom
68 442 (getting so close)
70 F85 (has been patiently waiting to wear its 70 Sport mirrors, boxed lower control arms, rear sway bar and fatter front sway bar)

 

I recently installed the Fusick repo mirror on my passenger side. Made a template using the drivers door as suggested. No problems.

The sheet metal on a 1968 442 is pretty thick. My car does not have extra metal under the drivers mirror, and none was needed on the passenger side.