[T3] Mirrors

[Jim Adney]

On 16 Feb 2014 at 15:04, Max Welton wrote:

> Out of curiosity, I'm wondering what is correct and not correct on my 68.
> 
> This is the left-side mirror
> http://www.maxwelton2k.net/squareback68/IMG_7994.jpg

That's the better, later version that superceeded the OE version that 
would have come with your '68. It's the correct Type 3 replacement.

> and this the right one:
> http://www.maxwelton2k.net/squareback68/IMG_7995.jpg

That's a somewhat unusual RHS mirror made for a Beetle. There are 2 
differences: The arm is shorter and it's got the wrong nut. Transfer 
your old Type 3 nut to it and it will work pretty well. That beetle 
nut will damage the paint. You need a plastic washer under each nut, 
to seal out water and to protect the paint. I have nice washers for 
this. The "knuckle" on this one is also a bit odd looking.

I REALLY hate to see those Beetle nuts ground down into the Type 3 
door paint. For some reason, the Beetle doors had the mounting nut 
recessed, so that nut had to have a different shape, and it took a 
completely different black sealing gasket, which you don't have.

> It looks different from the right side mirror I broke:
> http://www.maxwelton2k.net/squareback68/IMG_7996.jpg

That may have been an original '68 mirror, or it might have been one 
of the replacments. It has the correct long arm, but you don't show 
the other half. On the 68 mirrors, you had to loosen the locknut 
before you could adjust the up and down of the mirror. On the later 
versions, as in your first photo, you don't.

The later version is much more desirable, and the early versions are 
probably all gone by now.

I believe there were lots of different makers of these mirrors, both 
OG and aftermarket. Unless you have an original car that you KNOW is 
still original, it's impossible to know what YOUR car came with, 
because it's likely that not all new Type 3s of the same year came 
with the exact same make and design of mirror. There are lots of 
variations.