wawazat
wawazat Reader
3/15/18 8:59 p.m.

I'm going to be mounting a passenger side mirror to my '69 Cougar.  It wasn't equipped with one from the factory.  I'm concerned about the paint being brittle as temps are still only in the 40's here now.  The car was repainted with a 2k finish in 2015.  Should I wait until it warms up before a break out the center punch and drill the two mounting holes?

MrChaos
MrChaos GRM+ Memberand Dork
3/15/18 9:02 p.m.

tape over it, maybe hit it with a heat gun or hair dryer?

EastCoastMojo
EastCoastMojo GRM+ Memberand Mod Squad
3/15/18 9:05 p.m.

Yep, single layer of masking tape, pressed on well to remove air bubbles, and hit it with a little heat. Use a good, sharp bit. I would probably tap a starter dent with a punch to keep the bit from wandering.

stuart in mn
stuart in mn UltimaDork
3/15/18 10:05 p.m.

Is there some sort of backing plate to go with the mirror mount?  If the mirror is just bolted to a single layer of sheet metal it may flex and vibrate when the car is in motion.

wawazat
wawazat Reader
3/16/18 6:17 a.m.

Thanks everybody.  I'm going to use painters tape just forgot to mention it.  I am more concerned about ambient temps and the paint being brittle.  I will use a center punch before drilling the holes.

There is no backing plate with the mirror.  Ford didn't use them back in the day.  The passenger side mirror was a dealer installed option in '69. 

914Driver
914Driver MegaDork
3/16/18 7:43 a.m.

You also want to drill the pilot hole with a center drill.  Ever have a drill bit walk around for a while before finding a place to settle in?  Center drills don't do that.

Dirtydog
Dirtydog GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/16/18 8:29 a.m.

Park in the sun,if your lucky to have it. All of the above, and dab some color match paint or similar in the holes.

Toebra
Toebra HalfDork
3/16/18 9:36 a.m.

Similar to how it is done for a 914, except there is a nut tacked to the inside of the door for it from the factory.

Ian F
Ian F MegaDork
3/16/18 9:57 a.m.
Toebra said:

Similar to how it is done for a 914, except there is a nut tacked to the inside of the door for it from the factory.

That's what I plan to do with my Volvo.  Probably try out a few mounting locations prior to painting, then when I find the locations I like, tack nuts onto the inside and then fill in the rest.  That's one thing about a door with vent windows - sometimes the mirror locations are not intuitive and may require compromise. 

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