Mirrors and Door hinges

[Bellissimmo]

I've finally got to the stage where I feel nothing else can go wrong on the car so it is time to start 'upgrading'. First fix is to sort out the mirrors.

 

I want to resolve two issues and maybe attain some aesthetic improvement.

 

Issue one is that I think the standard Caterham mirrors are pants - both in looks and quality. I've currently got them attached to the windscreen stanchions on the 'SVA Sticks' which leads me to issue two...

I'm getting fed up with telling my passengers to 'mind the mirrors' when they open the doors - and even more fed up with having to get out and adjust them when they don't!

 

The aesthetic bit? I want my doors to 'gullwing' when they are open (not sure that's the right word but it does the job).

 

So I've come to the conclusion that I need to make up some sort of hinge+bracket (don't go there!) to allow the mirror to open with the door but be sufficiently close to the windscreen stanchion that it doesn't suffer from the vibration that door mounted mirrors seem to. Now I've seen the sort of thing I want on Blatchat somewhere but I can't find it so I'd appreciate a pointer from someone who knows what I'm talking about (and how to find it).

 

Which leaves me with a probem with the 'gullwings'. I've taken the mirror and mount off one side and my doors don't do the gullwing thing. The hinges are held on with roundhead bolts and these are stopping the doors opening far enough to stay open. I'm assuming that earlier(?) models had countersunk machines screws rather than roundheads and that If I could effect a replacement, verything would work as I'd like it to. If someone could confirm that and/or point out hwatever it is that I'm missing, I'd be grateful.

 

Edited to say: I've found the brackets I was looking for - manufactured by Kevin Russel (if you're still on here Kevin, great design). I plan to modify the approach somewhat but these look like a great start.

 

Steve

Bonnie Babies Charity Appeal

 

Edited by - bellissimmo on 7 Apr 2009 18:46:36

[Pete-B]

Go aero and all your problems are solved *cool*

 

Peter

[Gingerbread Man]

Hi.

 

I'd be interested in a link to the mirror mounts if you have it handy please.

 

 

My 1999 Seven's doors pivot around fully. The door has two mounts and the windscreen stanchion the same. Sticking out of the windscreen hinges are knurled metal pegs that the doors slide onto. I'll try find a picture.

 

Here is a link to what I'm on about. My cars not an SV but I don't see how they would differ? - Hinge and peg.

 

Here is the peg seperately.

 

David

 

 

 

Edited by - Gingerbread Man on 7 Apr 2009 19:11:13

[k.russell]

Thanks for the compliment Steve, my mirror mounts have been on since the car was new, around seventeen years ago, and are still doing the job of hinging the doors and holding my mirrors, there is a drawing on with the few piccies, i dont know if they would suit everyone as the door only open to around 90 degrees to the side of the car. this is good for me as it saves scratching the ali bonnet 😬 pics are here

 

Kevin R

 

black(but sometimes orange)-ali HPC

here

[Bellissimmo]

David,

 

Take a look here. As I said, I plan to modify the design slightly to suit my requirements.

 

Steve

 

Steve

Bonnie Babies Charity Appeal

[Bellissimmo]

Kevin

 

I want my doors to fully open so I was thinking that I could mount a slightly elongated version of your design on the door side of the hinge. The theory being that the mirrors would swing out (and back) with the door but, being closely connected to the stanchion, they wouldn't be subject to the vibration you get with the door mountings that Caterham supply. I've mocked it up with Duck Tape and it looks like it'll work but I need to sort out the issue with the hinges before I go much further.

 

Steve

Bonnie Babies Charity Appeal