My rearview mirror must have gone with the screen some time early in the car’s life - it came with a mirror fitted on the tensioning rod a la MGB - but the vibration in the rod makes for a fuzzy view and the mirror won’t hold it’s position for too long so I’d like to get a screen mounted mirror again.
Does anyone know what car the original mirror came from or has anyone found a suitable alternative off a later vehicle? I’d like a day/night mirror but everything I’ve seen on cars I’ve been checking out in carparks recently is very wide/large and would tend to dominate a bit like a large plasma screen when setup in the Elan.
rgds,
I decided not to use the tensioner rod mirror.
The mirror I used is stuck to the screen and came from an early 90’s UK Ford Escort. I think the size looks about right, it’s perhaps a bit bigger than it should be but is my only rearward view - I don’t like mirrors (or indicator repeaters) spoiling the exterior lines of the car
Elliot
The tension rod mounted mirror was orginal on the S4 DHC I thought… My FHC S4 has a mirror that mounts on the roof and has a arm with rubber stop that rests on the screen to stop vibration.
cheers
Rohan
The clamp holding the mirror to the tensioning rod should have a flat face on the screen side. I cut a slice of bicycle brake pad slightly over size and super glued it in position. The vibration is still there but much reduced.
Jim
Ah, must be one of those running changes again: my '72 Federal Sprint has the mirror glued to the windscreen, right next to the rod with no provision to be clamped to the rod.
I took a sprite rear view mirror and drilled two holes in the center top of the windshield surround added 2 plastic plugs and hung on the mirror down ----ed
my '72 Federal Sprint has the mirror glued to the windscreen, right next to the rod with no provision to be clamped to the rod.
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Ditto - Mine has “Wingard Pat. No. 909769” on it. I wonder if Wingard was/is a UK manufacturer supplying to other British cars.
Dave 72 Sprint DHC
The glued on mirror business sounds DPO–my 72 +2S130 had a glued on mirror but peel back the headliner and there is the mounting point molded in the fiberglass roof, old screw holes and all–don’t think glued-to-the-windshield mirrors were happening in 72 for Lotus. Gordon Sauer
This is for a drop head Elan-not a plus two.Totally different interior!
From my experience the interior mirror was attached to the tensioner rod and changed to the windscreen attachent up to and around 1971 with the Sprint changes.I’ve seen Sprints with both fittings up to this date.
The windgard mirror is probably 25-30% bigger than the rod mounted mirror I replaced.
My own preference is a windgard windscreen attached interior mirror and no wing mirrors…
[quote="robcallFrom my experience the interior mirror was attached to the tensioner rod and changed to the windscreen attachent up to and around 1971 with the Sprint changes.I’ve seen Sprints with both fittings up to this date.quote]
I believe that the mirror on DHC Elans became screen mounted during the S4 run, earlier than 1971. I have just looked at some of the contemporary roadtests and it was there on a 1968 S4 roadtest, amongst others.
Tim
Interesting Tim!
I have noted a few DHC’s later than '68 with the tensioning mounted mirror,my own included.It still has the original screen,going by the glass date and no traces of a glue residue.
Who know with Lotus
My 69 S4 SE DHC RHD. came new with the mirror attached to the windscreen.
Tim and Keith are quite correct.
I dug out my brochures from 1968 and 1970.
The windscreen attached mirror is present in both.
My late build 67 S3 DHC, titled 68, owned since 72 has mirror on rod. My 72 +2S 130 is still suspect–what are the mirror brands, mine has CHAMP etched in the mirror itself. If it’s original (my goal) would sure like to avoid trying to remove glued-on-button and perhaps break glass. And where do you find manufacture date on glass/screen? Gordon Sauer
Hi Gordon,
I tried to copy a page to this site,but would not fit.
this is the link-
triumphspitfire.nl/identific … windscreen
Unfortunately the code is only relevant to manufacture in a particular decade
So it is entirely possible that in my case and on other s4s I have seen,that the windscreen has been replaced,with either the correct mirror not available,or an owner preference for a tensioner rod fitting.
My late 72 Sprint has the mirror stuck to the windscreen…
Carl