

| Subject: | Re: Power mirror conversion how to?? |
| From: | Andrew Grebneff |
| Date: | Mon, 17 Feb 2003 22:59:48 +1300 |
You don't have to use Vanagon power mirrors, either. If you don't mind small (car-size) ones, those off a doorskin-mount Subaru Leone (1984-1988) look as though they would be easily adapted (some of these cars have window-mounted power mirrors). Myself, I don't like the looks or flimsy design of the VW mirrors. So i looked around, went as far as taking off a set from a Leone (sold in some markets as Omega) before I thought of a Hilux. So I snagged a nice set of 1990-or-so Japanese-market-only window-mount Hilux Surf (sold as 4-Runner in most markets) mirrors. I had to remove the mirror mounts and use them as a pattern to make balsa mounts (lots of carving, triomming, filing, sanding), from which I had aluminum mounts cast (warning... make the balsas a bit larger than life, as the alloy slugs will be rough and need finishing). The slugs fit the van's door skins at the morror mounts. I have yet to machine out the mirror mount cups and drill the mounting holes... this can wait until I'm closer to getting the bus back on the road. But those big chrome rounded-square mirrors will look great! The switch I have is from an 80s SWB LandCruiser, and the wiring is done, ready to install and connect to a fuse. In the US I guess late-model LandCruiser mirrors would be the most similar to a late Hilux Surf's. The US Hilux mirrors I've seen in pictures, as well as the NZ-market ones, don't look at all good... but still better than VW items. An 80s LandCruiser Prado/s mirrors might be easier to adapt, but don't look so good... though they are angular, like the VW van. If I had thought about it I'd have looked for a set with electric foldback function... my old Skyline had this, most useful in tight passages.
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