Early A-Body Interior Rear-View Mirror Repair
I just got a new, 38,000-mile 1964 Dodge Dart 270 to replace my old '67 Valiant 100 that bit the dust in 2006 (yes, I'm patient).
The car is very original and unmolested, down to the undated B78-13 bias-ply whitewalls and never-used spare.
I'm going to set about all of the usual maintenance for a car like this, and will need to fix a few small items, and will be posting a number of questions regarding things that can't be answered by the factory Service Manual and Parts Manual.
First, though, a quick fact that may be helpful to other early-A owners.
When I got my car, the first thing that annoyed me was the inside rear-view mirror – It was floppy.
Now, among the things that are not popular when floppy, a rear-view mirror is high on the list.
I theorized and considered all of the various ways that one might rough up surfaces, and stuff in materials to tighten up an old mirror.
Then I decided to take it off, to check the part number.
Much to my surprise, I found this:
The mirror is attached to the standard not with a rivet or a swaged connection, but with a 5/32" (4mm)-size Allen-socket screw.
It's an interesting screw, as it has a "countersunk" face. It's definitely a "special."
Both the standard and the shaft have corresponding flats, so the shaft can't spin when you're trying to loosen it. Pretty crafty, really.
So, all I needed to do was to tighten up the screw, and the mirror was fine.
On a modern car, the manual would tell you to replace the entire windshield, and re-synchronize it to the mirror computer.
Just a pleasant surprise I thought might come in handy to someone one day.
– Eric
I just got a new, 38,000-mile 1964 Dodge Dart 270 to replace my old '67 Valiant 100 that bit the dust in 2006 (yes, I'm patient).
The car is very original and unmolested, down to the undated B78-13 bias-ply whitewalls and never-used spare.
I'm going to set about all of the usual maintenance for a car like this, and will need to fix a few small items, and will be posting a number of questions regarding things that can't be answered by the factory Service Manual and Parts Manual.
First, though, a quick fact that may be helpful to other early-A owners.
When I got my car, the first thing that annoyed me was the inside rear-view mirror – It was floppy.
Now, among the things that are not popular when floppy, a rear-view mirror is high on the list.
I theorized and considered all of the various ways that one might rough up surfaces, and stuff in materials to tighten up an old mirror.
Then I decided to take it off, to check the part number.
Much to my surprise, I found this:
The mirror is attached to the standard not with a rivet or a swaged connection, but with a 5/32" (4mm)-size Allen-socket screw.
It's an interesting screw, as it has a "countersunk" face. It's definitely a "special."
Both the standard and the shaft have corresponding flats, so the shaft can't spin when you're trying to loosen it. Pretty crafty, really.
So, all I needed to do was to tighten up the screw, and the mirror was fine.
On a modern car, the manual would tell you to replace the entire windshield, and re-synchronize it to the mirror computer.
Just a pleasant surprise I thought might come in handy to someone one day.
– Eric