Based on the catalog breakdown, my 1969 MKIII should be the same as those from 1962-70, on removal, it appears to be none of them.
The mirror base is definately looks to be from a later Spitfire, but the connection between the mirror and the base doen't match what's in the catalogs.
Maybe the catalogs are selling a non-original design, maybe my car has a mirror from some other car. Maybe it is original, and as it is common with this transitional year, replacement parts are just generalized that it will "work". Will investigate further.
The current mirror base was dirty, faded but in very good shape generally. A little bit of goo-gone cleaned up the "funk of ages" but it left the black base looked faded white. I put some Black Magic on it, looked good, one day later, it looked just as it did the day before. Another layer of Black Magic + one day left me with the same result.
Google is my friend, with a little research, Back to Black claimed to be better than Black Magic. Well, I added it to my shopping list. I went look for some of my cleaners and low and behold, I had a bottle. It's years old but it worked wonders, first application looked great, a day later it suffered somewhat like before but it was definately blacker, one more application left it an acceptable matte black.
The mirror base was lightly painted with a matte flat black. Handling it, the paint was flaking off, a quick pass of the wire brush removed all, I mean ALL the paint. Cleaned up the mold lines, primed and painted black.
The mirror itself was only mildly faded, and the Black Magic made quick work of it (Hey if it works, it works, if it don't it don't). The glass is stained on the mirroring and the plastic surround encasing the mirror is somewhat sun cracked.
Plan for future project.
I like the base and post, the mirror itself is somewhat iffy to me. I want to build a metal/wood hybrid replacement mirror. I will likely eather get a mirror cut, or get a good looking one out of a junk car and re-use the mirror (I think there is some sorta anti-fogging stuff on auto mirrors)
Original Concept Drawing
Parts on the Top to be re-used
Detail of the connection that would have to be imitated
More concept drawings and basic measurements
The mirror is quite serviceable and there is no driving need to have this RIGHT NOW so I am filing this one as a future project. I like the concept of the wood and Aluminum mixture and will likely make replacement sun-visors in the same basic manor. I will be making measurement drawings of those as well for Future Project #2.
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