1968 How wide is rear view mirror?

[Bob Steur]

Seems like a simple thing... Mirror currently on my 1968 Deville Convertible measures 10 1/4 inches at its widest point. But the replacement I got from OPGI is 11 1/2 inches. Can someone with a known original car please measure your mirror and report?

The 10 1/4 mirror seems to match the width of the rear window perfectly. I didn't install the replacement mirror but it seems to wide.

Thanks for your help, as always. It's important to me to get details like this right.

[R Schroeder]

Sounds like one is for the convertible , and the other is for the hard top. Hard top having more window area to see out of.
 That would be my guess.
 Roy

[936CD69]

From the data book posted on the Modified Chapter website:

http://www.modifiedcadillac.org/documents/1960s/1968/1968%20Data%20Book/tn/68%20Data%20Book-99.jpg.html

Unfortunately it does not list the size......

[Gene Beaird]

I can measure that on our 68 Calais this afternoon.  I'm working now, but get done soon, and can head out to the shop and have a look.

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Bob,
 The correct width is 10 1/4" per my all original 68 Eldo. The 69/70 mirrors were 12+ ".  The repro guys always have the one size fits all mentality. There was never a special width for convertibles. Why not take yours apart & resilver the glass?
 HTH, Bob

[Gene Beaird]

10.25" for the one in our 68 Calais 4-door.  I believe it to be OEM.

[936CD69]

Just found this in the 69 Data Book:

Inside Rear View Mirror
The day-night inside rear view mirror on ali models
is 12" long, 2" longer than last year. This means
better visibility of traffic approaching from the rear.
The mirror glass is shatter-resistant and vinyl-framed
for added protection. The mounting support that
suspends the mirror is designed to break away on
impact from any direction. A simple twist of the
mirror's tab moves the day-night mirror from clear
daylight visibility to non-glare nighttime visibility.

[Bob Steur]

Many thanks to everyone who responded. This club is the best!

I called OPGI and am exchanging the mirror for part PZ00438, a 10 1/8" mirror which they list as for 1957 - 1966. But the comments confirm that this is really correct through 1968.

Bob, I totally agree about one-size-fits-all restoration parts. And it adds another degree of difficulty, when the car you are working on is not original, or is missing parts.

I'd rather get a new mirror than re-silver, because the back looks like it's been submerged for the last 45 years. Like the rest of my car, it's not pretty. But that's changing, slowly. This is actually the first "restoration" part I've bought - up until now I've been using used, or replacement mechanical parts.

Cheers
Bob

[Jeff Maltby 4194]

My 67 eldo 10 1/4"- 69 12".