71cutty

I have a 71 cutlass supreme. the problem is that it didnt come with a passenger side mirror and the other day i got pulled over by the law and they told me next time they see me with out a mirror ima get a ticket. i wanted to keep the car pretty much original but now i guess ima have to add a mirror....... im the do it myself type of person so can anyone tell me how to do that and where to get a matching set of chrome mirrors? and is it as simple to do as it looks and would ya recommend going to a shop and having a tech do it for me......... please comment and thank you for the help

svnt442

What?!?!?!?? The cop that did that has his head rammed squarely up his rear end.
The law states (as far as I know) you have to have 2 rear facing mirrors. It says NOTHING about 2 rear facing outside mirrors. So if you have a drivers side outside mirror and an unobstructed interior mirror then you are good to go.
Up until the 1990s most cars only came standard with 2 mirrors and the passenger side mirror was optional.
Look up your states laws on mirrors to confirm this, but I'm 99.999999% sure this is the case.
Changing a law like this would also require the expense of adding mirrors for A LOT of cars that never had them in the first place. I highly doubt that would fly very far.

Four Four Tony

You can get replacement chrome mirrors from Year One, Fusick, the Parts Place, etc. You have to remove the door panel and drill two holes to mount it if you're going to use a stock style mirror. There are cheapy sport mirrors you can buy at K-Mart and those kind of places that install from the outside of the door if you want to go that route.

joe_padavano

Where are you located? The passenger side mirror was optional and not a federal requirement. In fact, my 1984 Custom Cruiser did not come with a passenger side mirror. I'm not aware of any state that makes you retrofit equipment that was not required when the car was new (well, except for the Calif-mandated NOX device).

Allan R

X2!!!

My car was built with a fixed chrome side mirror and nothing on the right side. I decided to put the sport mirrors on cuz it looks cool and gives better visibility. That was my choice, not a legal requirement. Much as I appreciate the tough jobs they have, I'd be sooooo tempted to tell him, " Officer, here's your sign"!!! I'm guessing he was a young un who's never seen cars without 3 mirrors.

Bluevista

Never heard of that either?
The cop is most likely envious of you and your car because he leads a bitter and meaningless existence degrading an demoralizing others to build up his own hideously distorted image of himself at their expense, but it never helps.
You weren't towing a 40 foot Airstream were you?
The only time you have to have a right side mirror to my knowledge, and that's a trailer mirror. I put a ton of the temporary type on cars when I worked for U-Haul.
Get the facts in black and white for the next time and kindly present them to the nice policeman when he stops you again.
It could go either way.

Olds64

The cop doesn't know what he's talking about.

Lady72nRob71

What state are you in?
Cop must be uneducated about the law or is a trouble maker.
Sure, now days two might be required, but older cars that did not come with them should be exempt.
In other words, if the car did not come with it from the factory, then it should not have to be added for normal driving.

Shoulder belts are the law, right? My 72 does not have them and many a cops waved to us but never pulled us over. Even the TX law states that if the car did not come with something (like seat belts in the 50's), then they are not required.

Check with your state's vehicle inspection criteria - it should be similar.

wolfman98

That is the case here as well. If the car came without it then you do not have to add one and that goes for seatbelts. The 52 Chev had no seatbelts and did not require them.Next thing is that cop is gonna ask if you have airbags

442much

Never heard that before. Here, if your car didn't come with seatbealts, you can drive around and they can't ticket you....we'll I suppose they could, but you'd win in court. Call the police station and ask them. Maybe the cop had a bad day.

70 cutlass s

I wouldn't add the mirror unless you wanted it. Look up your state to make sure it is legal which I think it is. Just like every one has said. Get a copy print it out what ever you have to do. Keep a copy with you in your car. If the cop pulls you over again then show him the law. Let him feel like the fool. Just remember because they are the law doesn't mean they are always right.

CHRISH8846

A long time ago my Father told me there are two things you should say to a policeman"Yes Sir and No Sir".Print a copy of the law and carry it with you. If stopped advise the policeman of what you have found out. I would not be confrontational or you will end up with something that you will have to pay for.

rocketraider

What state/province are you in? To my knowledge, NO local or state government can require or force you to retrofit equipment THAT WAS NOT REQUIRED BY FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS WHEN THE CAR WAS BUILT.

They also cannot force you to remove factory-installed equipment the car was delivered with new. An example are 64-5 Starfires/J-1's with their factory chambered exhaust intact, as my blue one was. Virginia outlawed them in 1969 but as long as the original exhaust system is intact without leaks, they can't touch you.

If Chevrolet had put a resonator on Camaros/Chevelles that had the chambered pipe option, doubt it would have ever become an issue.

Go online and find your state's motor vehicle code and do a search. Once you find your supporting document, print a copy and keep in the car at all times. If you get the ticket anyway, go to court and present it to the judge. I can about guarantee that cop will tote a hard-core scolding in the courtroom.

Honest to god, sometimes I wonder what's going thru some cops' brains. The good ones who use their common sense will tell you dumbasses like this one are an embarrassment to the profession.

71cutty

im in florida and im gona try and look that up now

442much

Right on. Also, when you're stopped by a cop and he says "Do you know why I stopped you?" Another thing you shouldn't say is "Because you thought I had donuts?"

Allan R

LOL Ken!

True story: My buddy was RCMP stationed out of Williams Lake BC. He pulled over a lady who he clocked doing 130 in a 90 zone. What's your hurry? he asked. She said.......

I'm trying to get to a gas station as fast as I can. My tanks almost empty......

Forgot to ask if she was blond

71cutty

she had to b

GoodOldsGuyDougie

Florida has no Law like this at all. Call his Boss and report his actions. I'm in Florida. I had a cop try to give me a ticket saying even though my tag lights were both working he was sure he couldn't see them from 50 ft away and was going to right me a ticket. I called his supervisor at that moment and explained it to him differently. He came out and I was told be on your way. No measurement took place.

71cutty

he was prob just jealous and wish he had an olds

70 cutlass s

Maybe so. I wish mine was finished.

stevengerard

I'm sure it is a young or new cop just going "by the law" but as others have said look the law up and then keep it in your car. Unfortunately sometimes you need that. I had a pickup that had RV plates on it and a cover on the bed, as the law read I was legal to be on all streets ecept boulevards, but it was a new law so I got stopped all the time for "driving a truck on a local street"

I do know here in Illinois if you lost your vision in your right eye you need to have a passenger side mirror. We also do not need to have shoulder belts in our 1970 because they were not mandatory in 1970 either (though mine does have them) - when authorities have done a seatbelt stop they just waive me by, don't even look to see if I have lap belts on.

66ninetyeightls

This is one of the area my job runs into in Canada so I can ONLY speak for Canada. Up here the vehicle only has to meet the safety requirements for the year it was manufactured.

I'm pretty sure it would be the same in the US as well. Safety standards in relation to vehicle equipement and what has to be on the car is a Federal regulation even in the US.

If he pulls you over again tell him to write the ticket and you will have his boss and your lawyer check it over.

I used to get idiot cops pulling me over all the time trying to bust me for running without catalytic convertors on old cars. IDIOTS!!

71cutty

maybe i can get a lil law suit and they can finance the rest of my resto

71cutty

if i get that bull sh!+ ticket

Bluevista

You only need one rear view mirror on anything according to Florida motor vehicle laws.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/...>Section%20294



316.294 Mirrors.--Every vehicle, operated singly or when towing any other vehicle,shall be equipped with a mirror so located as to reflect to the driver a view of the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet to the rear of the motor vehicle. A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.

mugzilla

If the vision out the rear window is obscured ( dark tint/ fully loaded package tray/towing) you need two outside mirrors. . I used to have a tow mirror that hung off the window sill. California Laws ...

71 Cutlass

You haven't broken any laws. Next thing you know they will ask me to add a shoulder strap on my 71 convertible.

mugzilla

If I had the ultra rare 71 vert straps I would wear them to show them off ...

Bluevista

Air bags too.

The funny thing is that it isn't funny.

I always forget to put the shoulder belts on in my Vista, if you have them you have to wear them or they will nail you just for that now.
Need T-shirts that have a simulated shoulder belt strap printed on them to fool the cops, you would have to have a passenger and driver style to cover all the bases.
I have to get ahold of Slap Chop Vince, they'll sell themselves.
It would be a public service too, anybody that would buy one so they wouldn't have to wear their belts would be pretty stupid. They would be helping to thin the herd and paying for the right without even knowing it.
I guess a steel buckle imprint and everything that is printed on the back of it embossed on your chest is better than the steering wheel rocket emblem imprinted on your face?
The columns do collapse a little bit in crunches.

Cecil Anderson

Read 26709 B Calif Vehicle Code. Two required -- I don't know if exceptions exist. I am not aware of any Calif exception in the Vehicle Code. Fed law will supersede if you can find one it would be fun to go and fight it in court. 25yrs sence I was an AH in a skunk colored car.-- Andy

svnt442

And here it is (CA).
And here is what FL says:

joe_padavano

Yes, and the two are one inside and one on the driver's door. Of course, there must be exceptions for older cars, because even the driver's door mirror was optional on my 62 F-85. So were the backup lights (which this car does not have). Similarly, cars from the 30s frequently had only one brake light.