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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Clamp on Mirror

Dear Members,

I have a question.

Its been some time since my last post - I have been successful in acquiring a Mk 2 in Wales and drove it home all the way.

Now I have to prepare for the Austrian MOT and I need side mirrors. Since I am not sure where I want to drill holes in the body, I thought of using clamp on mirrors
first. In an old thread there was a short discussion about this, but I canīt seem to find a real answer to this.

Where exactly can I attach the clamps without breaking the quarterlight windows?

Thanks for your input.
WB Bankowski

They clamp to the quarterlight window channel with 2 allen screws. It does work, but is a little precarious as effectively it's a bracket attached to a bracket. So it will tend to vibrate a bit - and if encouraged will probably fall off. As it's mounted on the drop glass side you will need to chop out a section of rubber channel to get enough clearance - and I will be adding a couple of registers and loctiting the screws,to better prevent the bracket sliding off the frame.


Fergus Pollock

If this is a MK2 sprite with the bolt on windscreen then AH Spares or Cape Austin Healey, sell a mirror that goes into one of the windscreen bolt holes. They look good but not cheap at around Ģ45 each!
Bob Beaumont

Fergus,

thank you for the picture - it is exactly the one from the old thread.

Are there any close up pictures where I could see better, how it is mounted? Iīd like to get a better impression of that, as I donīt want to kill a quarterlight window buy mounting the mirror in the wrong way.

WB Bankowski

The bracket attaches to the sliding glass or open window side of the quarterlight. Once you get it - it should be fairly obvious.The drawing shows a clamping piece - mine didn't have this, so the screws tighten directly onto the frame which is a bit dodgy. In addition I had to cut off the sponge rubber to allow sufficient clearance for the window glass to slide up and down.


Fergus Pollock

And this solution really works? It looks to me like it could break the window.

Or is it attached to the outer rim of the non-moving part of the quarterlight (e.g. the frame holding the tilting window)?

How long did you have this installed?
WB Bankowski

http://www2.mg-cars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=&mode=archiveth&subject=97&subjectar=97&thread=2011041420001028603

This may help
Fergus Pollock

The clamping piece was missing from my secondhand mirror, so I cut a strip from a large cable-tie and fitted it between the screws and the frame.

It seemed stable enough on the road, although I did walk into it at least once, in the garage, causing it to fall off!


Dave O'Neill 2

And another...


Dave O'Neill 2

Thank you Dave, now I get it!

And the side window doesnīt get scratched during wind-up and wind-down when the mirror is used that way?

I am a bit anxious to damage the glass...
WB Bankowski

It didn't seem to scratch it, although I did have a problem with the glass pulling out of the lower channel sometimes, when I tried to lower the window.

Whether that was related or not, I'm not sure.

I did fit a similar mirror to my first midget, many years ago and had no problems with that.


Dave O'Neill 2

I have a clamp on bullet style mirror that clamps to the door. It's ok. I do regret not trying to source stainless steel allen screws because the ones it came with have gone rusty.
Daniel Stapleton

Thanks to everyone for your help. I will try this.
WB Bankowski

This thread was discussed between 17/03/2015 and 18/03/2015

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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