Scratch building mirrors

[NOBLNG]

A lot of kits have ugly, lumpy mirrors.? I decided to scratch build one for The AMT Corvette I am working on. I wish I could find the kit piece to compare,  which had a big ejection pin mark right on the face…but it somehow disappeared.? I started wth a piece of .030”x.100” evergreen strip 1/4” long. This makes a 2-1/2”x 6-1/4” mirror which should be close to the correct size? Chamfer the back edges and round the corners a bit and drill a shallow .050” hole to receive a chunk of evergreen rod.

Then drill a hole in the .050” stub to accept a piece of .020” beading wire. A pin or brass would work as well, but I figure the soft beading wire can be tweaked slightly after installation for angle adjustment if needed. The wire will also double as a mounting pin. Next, drill a .0225”(#74) hole in a piece of styrene for the base.

Cut and file the base to shape.

The farther away you get, the better it looks.?

Add some foil candy wrapper to the face with CA, and carefully trim to size with a sharp blade.

A touch of Molotow and it’s finished. I ran a sharpie around the edge to give some contrast and it sorta looks like a mounting gasket.?

This could easily be a side mirror too by adjusting the size of the mirror, or using a round slug for the mirror. If anyone has any alternate tips or techniques, or just pics of your scratch built mirrors…please post ‘em up.?

 

Edited October 15, 2023 by NOBLNG

[ColonelKrypton]

Very nice.  I have taken some notes.

cheers, Graham

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

I've done several interior mirrors in various ways, but by far the most difficult for me was trying on several occasions to replicate late 50s/early 60s Mopar exterior mirrors.

They're available almost nowhere, (about the only acceptable version that I'm aware of is in the AMT '57 Chrysler 300 kit) and they're a pretty funky design that's kind of a bear to duplicate.

I can't really recount exactly how I did any of these as they were done some time ago, and attempted in various manners, but at least a couple of them came out okay, although over sized in a couple of instances.

 

I don't think I'll shy away from another attempt on my current '59 Desoto project when the time comes.

 

 

1962 Chrysler 300-H

 

 

 

 

1960 Chrysler New Yorker

 

 

 

 

1964 Chrysler 300.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

Edited October 15, 2023 by StevenGuthmiller

[NOBLNG]

49 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I've done several interior mirrors in various ways, but by far the most difficult for me was trying on several occasions to replicate late 50s/early 60s Mopar exterior mirrors.

They're available almost nowhere, (about the only acceptable version that I'm aware of is in the AMT '57 Chrysler 300 kit) and they're a pretty funky design that's kind of a bear to duplicate.

I can't really recount exactly how I did any of these as they were done some time ago, and attempted in various manners, but at least a couple of them came out okay, although over sized in a couple of instances.

 

I don't think I'll shy away from another attempt on my current '59 Desoto project when the time comes.

 

Steve

Wow! Those are not easy to replicate!? I think I’ll stay away from ‘50s mopars.? You did a fine job on them though.? Here’s a site with lots of good pics and info on them.

https://www.chrysler300club.com/tech/mirror/all.html

Edited October 15, 2023 by NOBLNG

[StevenGuthmiller]

3 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

Wow! Those are not easy to replicate!? I think I’ll stay away from ‘50s mopars.? You did a fine job on them though.? Here’s a site with lots of good pics and info on them.

https://www.chrysler300club.com/tech/mirror/all.html

Great reference!

 

I'll have to try to save that for my next attempt.

 

 

 

Steve

[Roadrunner]

One thing I've been rather strongly considering, is plastic mirror film. This, theoretically, should work well for mirrors that are molded in a non-chromed fashion.