Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
Does anyone know what the correct GM part number is for a 63 interior rear view mirror. I have a replacement one in my car and I need to find a correct dated one. Any info is appriecated. Thanks Jeff
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Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
Does anyone know what the correct GM part number is for a 63 interior rear view mirror. I have a replacement one in my car and I need to find a correct dated one. Any info is appriecated. Thanks Jeff -
Re: Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
Jeffrey,
The original mirror was part number 3770185 with an optional mirror as 3770186. Probably was a day night mirror that I have never seen on a 63 in my lifetime. Well actually there was one on my 14,XXX car but I'm sure it was dealer installed.
BUT the mirror was changed later in the 1963 run for the pot metal backed mirror WITH a date. Not in the AIM on the date for the change.
Early 63 mirrors (sheet metal backed) did not have a date and the later ones did.
Maybe Michael can shed some light on this as I don't know the time for the change.
Jeffrey, how is knowing this part number going to help you find the correct dated mirror for your Corvette????????
JRComment
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Re: Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
From time to time I have seen people advertise on Ebay with so called NOS items with the part listed on the advertisment. As we all know parts for these cars are not cheap, so I just wanted to make sure I understand that much more. Thanks JoeComment
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Re: Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
Jeffrey,
Hope that helped but finding an NOS mirror may be easier than finding the correct dated mirror. Like you said, it does happen.
This will be an interesting thread as it progresses. Just wait and see what I mean. I'll check later this evening for some very interesting responses.
JRComment
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Re: Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
thanks joe. I was appreciate your help and adviseComment
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Re: Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
Jeffrey
The judging guide is a little vague on this subject, so I turn to Noland's book for further information on this subject. He states four types of mirrors were used with two different part numbers. Build date will determine which mirror style you need. According to him, we will see part # 3770185 used in most applications, but there were three variations of this same part number. he also states part # 3770186 was used by line workers as an alternative to 3770185. If you have Noland's book, see the entire theory of mirror usage on page 70.
Here's a shot of the page. I hope you can read it.
Tom Hendricks
Proud Member NCRS #23758
NCM Founding Member # 1143
Corvette Department Manager and
Specialist for 27 years at BUDS Chevrolet.Comment
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Re: Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
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...Comment
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Re: Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
Jack,
Here's what I have observed. Early mirrors are made from thin steel and chrome plated. They have two rivets on the back and Guide. They have crimped in glass with no date. These could have been replacement mirrors BUT the later mirrors are made of pot metal (chromed) with no rivets and the glass is glued in and dated DMI etc. etc. These chromed pot metal mirrors carried over into 1964. In 64 with the accessory group, you got a day night mirror as I recall.
What is your observations?
Where the hell is Hanson, he surely will have some input here.
JRComment
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Re: Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
Yep, it'll say Guide on it if Guide made it...that's my point. Until you know the meaning of [OPT], you're simply wandering around.
You'll note the only reference to date coded glass in the JG book comes into play when the mirror is a Donnelly unit. That's because Guide never dated their glass...
On day/nite mirrors. They were a dealer installed option until 1965 when the day/nite mirror became part of the Z01 factory option package (comfort and convenience).
We seem to go through this frequently. The AIM calls out more than one supplier quoting the primary PN and then listing one or more [OPT] part numbers below it. But, because our supply of 'untouched/original' cars is small, we ignore the clear call-out for multiple suppliers and decide only the one's we've seen before on 'untouched' cars are correct.
I wonder how many good, factory original parts were discarded by this practice? I saw it when I campaigned my '65 and we didn't recognize there were two fan clutch suppliers. Then, until rather recently most thought only Trico wiper blades on Trico wiper arms were correct....
Both are shown in the AIM books to have [OPT] part listings. Plus, there's a similar situation with the glove box lamp/switch. But, I think some judges believe there was only one supplier/style that's 'correct' for each year and, yes, that item is called out with an [OPT] substitute defined for it....Comment
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Re: Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
Joe, that's mostly correct. The two part numbers listed in the AIM mean that "either" standard mirror could be used in production. As Jack mentioned, the option word after the 2nd part number didn't mean it was an option a buyer could select, such as a day/night mirror, when ordering a new car. It was just an option for the assembly plant.
I agree, it seems the majority of early 63's had the Guide style mirror and later cars had the one from Donneley with the date and DMI in the glass. However, there are quite a few early cars with what was once considered the late mirror and also a lot od unrestored late production cars with what was considered early style mirrors.
These things would have been somewhat mixed as delivered to the St Louis assembly plant. One shipment may have been one vendor source and the next srom the other source.
I don't think it's possible, or proper, to judge the mirror source/style on the basis of assembly time.
The 66 folks had quite a problem with the same issue a while back. There was an extensive discussion about day/night mirrors for the 66 model year. Many posters were convinced that the "optional" part number in the assembly manual was a day/night mirror.
I suggested that, for 66, there was no such thing as a factory installed day/night mirror and the "optional" only meant that either source for the standard mirror could be used. No 66 Corvette ever left the assembly plant with a day/night mirror on it. You can imagine what the next several posts were like.
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Re: Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
Tom
As you suggested I went to Nolands book. In fact look at page 126 and you will see a mirror with no rivets.
Bill
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Re: Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
Adding on to what Michael said, if you buy and compare the AIM books for the various Chevy passenger cars from the mid-year era, you'll find the SAME PN's called out for their interior mirrors (depends on year + relative size of rear window). So, this is NOT a 'Corvette only' part/issue...Comment
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Re: Rear View Mirror - GM Part Number
Thank you everyone for the info, this will help me go in the right path. Thank you all for the help and info. JeffComment
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