How in the hell did TVR attach the door mirrors?

How in the hell did TVR attach the door mirrors?

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dnb

Original Poster:

3,330 posts

243 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
I broke a door mirror upstand last week. This wasn't much of a problem since the mirror needed to be removed to be resprayed (only 10 years in the waiting) and the glass motors and heater element needed some attention.

I bought a new upstand, painted the mirror and fixed the motor unit and heater. Reassembly was not difficult. I carefully lined up the grub screw with where it is supposed to go, and then I tried to attach the assembly to the car.

I don't have a special 3mm allen key that can seemingly pass through fibreglass as if it's not there but can still tighten metal grub screws. I am unsure where I can get one of these. wink

What am I missing? How did TVR make the mirrors stick to the car? What kind of mad scientist special tool do I need to make? A sketch would be most appreciated. Have I taken sufficient parts off the door, or is the mirror mounting point supposed to come off too? If so, how? It looks like it will be reluctant to move. Surely I can avoid drilling holes in the door - TVR didn't do this.

All help greatly appreciated!

dnb

Original Poster:

3,330 posts

243 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
Yes, but how do you actually get an allen key to the screw in the first place, except when it is clearly in the wrong place. Do I need to make a really short ball ended 3mm allen key?

dnb

Original Poster:

3,330 posts

243 months

Monday 30th March 2015
quotequote all
OK, so I have to unscrew the thing with no flats on it that looks to be seized in to the door... That'll be easy and not involve bad language in the slightest. wink What fun!

Thanks all. I was beginning to think I had lost all grasp of sanity.

dnb

Original Poster:

3,330 posts

243 months

Tuesday 31st March 2015
quotequote all
Yes... The door is thoroughly dismantled. I have already distorted the gaps in the upstand attachment by trying to rotate it. It's got thoroughly used to being there after 20 years.

dnb

Original Poster:

3,330 posts

243 months

Thursday 2nd April 2015
quotequote all
spend said:
Face the facts. only a French design office could come up with something like those mirrors rofl
And only TVR could take a thing designed by the French and mount the key item to assembly down a blind hole, thereby making the design even more silly.