[T3] Installing right side mirror

[Jim Adney]

On 16 Dec 2013 at 10:52, SAW DUST wrote:

> Hey there, just picked up a NOS right side mirror. I need to retrofit
> this mirror to my door. The door on my car doesn't have the hole or
> internal nut for the new mirror. I know there's a correct way to do
> this, and I know one of you guys know how. 

This is probably more work than you expect.

1) find a door with a mirror hole and make a template to drill a hole 
in your door. Take that door apart and chip out the welded-in nut

If you can find such a door that's the same color as yours, stop 
right there and swap the whole door, changing only the internal panel 
if necessary. This is, BY FAR, your best option. What year and color 
is your car?

2) Take your old door COMPLETELY apart. Everything has to come out. 
You can stop once you get the vent window assembly out.

3) Using your template, drill the new hole.

4) Remove the paint inside and out, around the hole. Get the nut 
welded inside, centered on the hole, then smooth out the outer door 
skin and repaint. Rust proof the inside

5) Put the door back together. Screw in the mirror. Don't forget the 
flat translucent washer between the mirror jam nut and the paint. 
Note that Beetle jam nuts are completely different from Type 3 jam 
nuts. The mirror you bought probably came with the Beetle style, but 
that can be swapped if you can find a correct one. The Beetle one 
won't work correctly on a Type 3.

You can probably get by for a short time without all the work of 
welding the nut in place, but if you don't weld it, it WILL 
eventually come loose, and you get to do all that work over again.

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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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