Wing mirror issue

Ouch

If I remember correctly, when I replaced my chrome mirrors there was a note in the fitting instructions not to overtighten the nut at the bottom of the arm.

The nut tightens up against a spring washer so that the mirror can be adjusted, but still remain secure, and if you overtighten it can strip the thread.

Mine are fine at the moment, but it may be worth considering tightening the nut up to the correct point, with some Loctite or Threadlock on the tread so the nut can't come loose.

Found the bit about not overtightening....

https://www.vwheritage.com/shop/211857514FWW/door-mirror-right-68-79-bq-wb-s-s-head-best-quality/

Several years ago, I noticed that the factory-fittted, over-under-under, twin-lens door mirrors of the 2003~13 Ford Transit Connect and related Tourneo minibus model (available in USA from 2009 onward), might have the potential to be adapted for use as cab-door mirrors for the 1968~79 VW Type 2.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Transit_Connect

The black, plastic mirror housing, is approximately 210 mm tall x 140 mm wide, so it's not much larger than the stock 1968~79 VW Type 2 mirror or Brazilian “bay-window” VW Type 2’s Transporter T3 style mirror.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=327517



I envisage trimming off the stock Ford mirror mounting (flat, trapezoidal section which fastens to the door) and making an intermediate, moulded GRP or cast metal adapter, with sigle M16 x 1•5 mm bolt, to fix it to the profiled body section, just below the bottom of the cab window.

The top mirror lens, is the normal rear-view driving mirror, which is electrically adjustable, by means of the usual electric servo motors and four-way switch. I am told that on some or all of the vehicle-models, the mirror lenses are also electrically heated.

The bottom mirror lens, is a fixed, highly convex, blind-spot mirror, which enables one to see vehicles in the rear-quarter blind-spot, such as those associated with freeway on-ramps (i.e. motorway slip-roads), or simply overtaking on the freeway, one-way street or roundabout, of which there are numerous in Great Britain.

There appear to be a large number of Brazilian built, “bay-window” VW Type 2s and associated cab-door mirrors for sale on the following website:

http://lista.mercadolivre.com.br/

I have no knowledge of the Portuguese language, so I resorted to the Bing translator, to learn that “rear-view mirror” in English = “espelho retrovisor” in Portuguese. »

https://www.bing.com/translator/

After typing “VW Kombi espelho retrovisor” into the search facility, I found several links to rear-view mirrors, of which these are just a few for the late-model VW Type 2 cab-door mirrors, similar in style to those of the 1980~92 VW Transporter T3 (aka Type 25): »

http://lista.mercadolivre.com.br/vw-kombi-espelho-retrovisor#D[A-kombi-espelho-retrovisor]

Late-model Brazilian VW Type 2 door mirrors

http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-745518812-retrovisor-kombi-97-2014-karat-adaptavel-na-clipper-_JM

http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-772672916-par-retrovisor-cromado-kombi-clipper-1998-2013-_JM

http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-745630116-par-espelho-retrovisor-kombi-97-98-99-00-01-02-03-ate-2013-_JM

http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-763650409-par-retrovisor-kombi-97-98-99-00-01-2013-_JM

Trawling further through the list of Brazilian VW Kombi, cab-door mirrors, there seem to be at least two distinct types of Vanagon style mirror; one with a single M16 x 1•5 mm fixing socket-screw and the other with a pair of side-by-side M16 x 1•5 mm fixing socket-screws. Those available from the Bus Depot in the USA, are reported to be of two-screws fixing type, which would seem to be the least appropriate.

Cab-door mirrors – two fixing screws

http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-733559756-retrovisor-kombi-cliper-pe-de-ferro-direito-97original-_JM

http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-723500407-retrovisor-ext-kombi-cliper-fixo-original-97-par-_JM

http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-820793720-retrovisor-kombi-1997-a-2013-original-ld-passageiro-_JM

http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-804524152-retrovisor-kombi-97-2014-clipper-lado-esquerdo-original-_JM