Bonnet mounted wing mirrors?

[laam999]

I've been thinking a bit about my project car and a few classics I like and I have decided I think wing mirrors mounted on the front of a cars bonnet loo REALLY good. I know they're not on cars now likely due to some health and saftey thing but I'm thinking about fitting some (or trying) to my MR2, I even think they would look good on my C2.

I'm just wondering what they don't seem more popular, I mean they would basically eliminate blindspots right? Maybe fellows PHs disagree with me but I link loads of modern cars would look just that little but better with a few wing mirror alterations, for example a BMini with a couple of round ones just near the side of the headlamps would looks loads more classy (all IMO)

here is a 240z to kinda show what I mean


vs



I REALLY think it looks better.

I'm sure not ALL cars will look better I mean I think no modern Audis will off the top of my head, but I think most EuroBoxes, German saloons and most Jap cars would look a tad if not more better.

Anyway just thought I'd share

[Rostfritt]

There probably is some health and safety reason you couldn't put them on a new car but the main problem is they are rubbish. I suggested them on my Volvo Amazon as they would look good but all advice from anyone who has used them is that you cannot see a thing with them. They are usually quite small and quite far away, which amplifies any vibrations.

To be pedantic though wing mirrors are mounted on the wing whereas all cars today have door mirrors.

[collateral]

I'd guess they are a bit of a pain in the arse to adjust. Unless you're an orangutan or something

[ewenm]

The image is tiny. Much better detailed view in door mirrors.

[Steffan]

The bonnet will vibrate significantly more than the wings as revs rise and fall etc. Bonnets are designed to open therefore they cannot be anywhere near as rigid as fixed bodywork.

Siting the mirror on the bonnet will also reduce the field of view dramatically.

You will get a vibrating view of your windscreen. Not Good.

I think you could do it. But these mirrors will not be of any practical use.

[laam999]

fair point about the vibrations, I never thought of that and I geussed they would be small but not so small you'd see nothing, modern cars are just so big (bikes may be a problem)

And I assume you spend an age adjusting when you first fit them and then not let other people drive your car? That was my plan at least :P

You still have to admit they look good. Maybe not a "true" PH thing to say but I want a car I enjoy to look like I want it to, that's the main reason I got a mk1 MR2, slow but looks great and it's supposed to gokart-esque in handling, sounds like fun times to me.

[Dogwatch]

One of the issues with wing mounted mirrors was the fact that punching a hole through a wing was the starting point for rust to bubble away as the tyre underneath flung up all sorts of muck on the underside. No-one had got round to mudguard liners in days of yore! Door mirrors give a much better field of view.

Not so sure about the lack of blind spot either. There were stories of plod creeping up on the unattentive on dual carriageways and sitting in the mirror blind spot while checking their speed....

[KelWedge]

Back in time, Wing mirrors were common then it changed to Door Mirrors, which give a much better view. The other problems with wing mirrors were they often came undone and flapped about and any impact and they smashed, you couldnt see anything part from a vibrating image, and the biggest problem if they were not in the right place to see, you need a friend or bloody long arms to adjust them.

Or and the final problem back in time water would get in around the fixing on the wing and after a year or two the mirror would fall thro the wing leaving a hole

[oldcynic]

My first car had wing mirrors rather than door mirrors - a 1967 Triumph 2000. They were almost impossible to line up correctly, very sensitive to seating position, and tended to vibrate as the car got moving, although they definitely looked nicer.

Maybe, just maybe, they'd be handy to eliminate the blind spot door mirrors leave but I'd rather compensate for that with good observations and keep the good view of the road my door mirrors offer.

[attym3]

They do look very cool on that "Z" but they always make me think of import Pajero. They had both wing mirrors and a little bonnet mounted one. Something to do with a blind spot I would imagine.

[Perd Hapley]

I don't think they look better than door mirrors. They remind me of the feelers or antenna on insects.