66 interior mirror

[Rob M.]

First things first .... I wasn't even alive when they were new, so I really don't know. I am just trying to figure this quirky situation out.

My understanding of the current judging standard for the '66 interior mirror is that it should be a standard mirror (dated, configured etc. as stated in the judging guide). AND, that there was NO day/night mirror offered from the factory. This is a recent change and I believe is an addendum to the judging guide. So, I'm wondering how this is known and would love an education.

Here is what I think I know ... In, 1965 the factory produced and installed Corvettes with a day/night mirror as a part of the Z01 option (comfort and convenience group). In 1967, ALL Corvettes were delivered with a day/night mirror as standard equipment. So, why would GM have them as an option in '65 then COMPLETELY eliminate them in '66 and the very next year include them as standard equipment? It doesn't make sense.

By the way, I did look at the historical documents (from the "stickies" at the top of the TDB) and the '66 sales literature states that a day/night mirror was a factory option (see attached screen shot of options).

Thanks in advance

[Alan D.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

Rob, heard the same thing at last judging event and waiting for responses also.
Here is one thing you should look at, find the Z01 option in your AIM. There may be a list of items to be replaced/added for that option. Look for the add of the day/night part number.

A while back somebody posted a link to the museum where one could find brochures on C2's and lots of good stuff, if you can find look at those historical documents.

[David T.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

I also have a 66 conv and when I purchased an earlier judging guide it said day/ night mirror should be on car. When looking at Noland Adams. Restoration book there was a picture of 1966 cars coming off assembly line that upon close examination shows standard mirror. Shortly after that I found about someone in my same town who had purchased a Laguana Blue 66 NEW and had never replaced anything but water pump. It had the standard mirror and he swears it came that way. I emailed Noland Adams this info and am not sure if just this or this coupled with additional info resulted in the change in the new judging guide. Please understand I am not trying to boast or suggest that I had anything to do with the change, but just trying to shed some light on this. Thank you.

[Philip A.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

"Here is what I think I know ... In, 1965 the factory produced and installed Corvettes with a day/night mirror as a part of the Z01 option (comfort and convenience group). In 1967, ALL Corvettes were delivered with a day/night mirror as standard equipment. So, why would GM have them as an option in '65 then COMPLETELY eliminate them in '66 and the very next year include them as standard equipment? It doesn't make sense."

The Z01 option in '65 was the day/night mirror and rear back-up/reverse lights. In 1966, the rear back-up/reverse lights became standard safety equipment. Unless there was some kind of supply issue, with known documentation (like 1963 knock offs rims), I would suspect it was available as an option. Considering it is known that GM/Chevy kept records of how many of each option was sold each year, does the production record for this option indicate zero for 1966?

[David T.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

I was not implying that the day/night mirror was not an option for 1966, but simply trying to shed some light on Rob's question about possibly why the judging manual changed from saying the day/night mirror was what came on the car to say that a standard mirror was standard equipment.

[R N.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

First things first .... I wasn't even alive when they were new, so I really don't know. I am just trying to figure this quirky situation out.

My understanding of the current judging standard for the '66 interior mirror is that it should be a standard mirror (dated, configured etc. as stated in the judging guide). AND, that there was NO day/night mirror offered from the factory. This is a recent change and I believe is an addendum to the judging guide. So, I'm wondering how this is known and would love an education.

Here is what I think I know ... In, 1965 the factory produced and installed Corvettes with a day/night mirror as a part of the Z01 option (comfort and convenience group). In 1967, ALL Corvettes were delivered with a day/night mirror as standard equipment. So, why would GM have them as an option in '65 then COMPLETELY eliminate them in '66 and the very next year include them as standard equipment? It doesn't make sense.

By the way, I did look at the historical documents (from the "stickies" at the top of the TDB) and the '66 sales literature states that a day/night mirror was a factory option (see attached screen shot of options).

Thanks in advance

I received an email through the NCRS Webmaster about the 66 mirrors on August 16, 2014. See attached. 14433967859221554431824.jpg

[Rob M.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

Thank you for the response. I hadn't looked at the AIM, but I just did and it shows on UPC 1 E4 TWO part number options for the mirror - 911358 and 3886676 as "OPT". It doesn't call out which is which and I don't know what those part numbers represent (i.e., if one is a standard mirror and one is a day/night). But, I would think "OPT" stands for option.

Can someone tell me what those part numbers would be for?

[Rob M.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

Thanks Kurt. I saw that too, but it didn't show the research or survey findings to back up the change. Not that I don't believe them, it is just easier when you know how they came to the conclusion by being able to see the "data."

[Philip A.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

I was not implying that the day/night mirror was not an option for 1966, but simply trying to shed some light on Rob's question about possibly why the judging manual changed from saying the day/night mirror was what came on the car to say that a standard mirror was standard equipment.

Dave
I too am trying to shed some light. I agree that it would be nice to know how it was determined the day/night mirror went to being a dealer installed option 1966.
Phil

[Jack M.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

For many years, I too have wondered if the day/night mirror was ever factory installed in the 1966 Corvette. Although brochures and literature could be entirely misleading in regards to text, I've also seen some pictures that give me pause.

Corvette News - Volume 9 - Number 1:
- Day/Night Mirror Photo
- Text Description - NEW Shatter-Resistant Mirror
- Closeup of Day/Night Mirror
1965-Corvette-News-5-7.jpg1965-Corvette-News-5-8.jpg1965-Corvette-News-5-9.jpg


Corvette News - Volume 9 - Number 4:
- Back Cover - Daytona Continental 1966 - Shows Day/Night Mirror
1966-Corvette-News-2-17.jpg


Revs Digital Library - Stanford University:
- Daytona Continental Race (after accident) - Shows Day/Night Mirror
1966-Daytona-REVS.jpg


Car & Driver Magazine - November 1965
- Front View - Shows Day/Night Mirror
- Rear View - Shows Day/Night Mirror
1965-Car&Driver-1.jpg1965-Car&Driver-2.jpg

By all means, this is NOT proof one way or another... yet it leaves me wondering why I 'sometimes' see the day/night mirror in situations where I find it unlikely they were installed after delivery. Then again, there are many other images (including the assembly line) where 'standard' rear view mirrors are clearly seen.

Questions:
1) Since the Car & Driver vehicle has 'Manufacturer' plates, was it typical that a Corvette delivery skipped a dealership prep/accessories and was delivered directly to a zone office? How did it work back then... I've seen many shipping reports where a zone office was listed in place of a dealership.
2) Dick Guldstrand picked up the 1966 L88 Corvette at the factory and skipped all dealer prep... this was prior to the Daytona race. Back in the 60's, was it common for race car drivers to install aftermarket day/night mirrors on their own?
3) Corvette brochure literature for 1966 listed a NEW shatter-resistant mirror... could there have been delays in shipping/receiving that resulted in the substitution of older day/night mirrors?

Still wondering,
Jack

[Joe R.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

Thank you for the response. I hadn't looked at the AIM, but I just did and it shows on UPC 1 E4 TWO part number options for the mirror - 911358 and 3886676 as "OPT". It doesn't call out which is which and I don't know what those part numbers represent (i.e., if one is a standard mirror and one is a day/night). But, I would think "OPT" stands for option.

Can someone tell me what those part numbers would be for?

Rob,

A good way I've found to search this board is to use the GM #. Here is what the first number brought up:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/search.php?searchid=132972

And the second:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/search.php?searchid=132973

It's not as much as I expected to see, but hopefully has some additional info for you.

Joe

[Alan D.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

Tried Joe's idea and did a search on "916177" which is the part number I showed. It found one thread, a very extensive one, take a look.

[Tom B.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

Rob...I've owned my 66 for 34 yrs and it has day nite mirror and Car has quite a few options and was delivered to GM engineering in Warren Mi.

[Gary B.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

All,

Isn't it the belief put forward by the current '66 team leader, that a new '66 could be purchased with a Day/Nite mirror, but that mirror was a dealer-installed option, not a production line installed item.

Gary

[Alan D.]

Re: 66 interior mirror

OPT meaning - not what you would expect. From 3-1-09 a comment by Jack Humphrey

The use of [OPT] in AIM books to denote a second or third PN for a given application, typically means there was more than one qualified source of supply for the part (like fan clutches: one from Eaton another from Schwitzer) and for whatever reason(s) Chevy decided to issue separate PN's rather than inventory the two together in the same bin.

So, I would NOT presume the use of the term 'optional' means a mirror with a different feature silhouette, like day/nite operation. My hunch is we're looking at one mirror from, say, Guide, and another with virtually identical attributes from, say, Donnelly mirror.

That would explain why some of the correct/original interior mirrors from that era have 'GUIDE' embossed on the housing and others don't...