Fender mirrors: love 'em or hate 'em?

[timber]

Please vote. Fender mirrors: Love them / hate them/ meh....

I started out hating them and when I got my truck the first thing I did was take them off. But.....

So I searched "mirrors" on this site and figured I wanted some that 1) will stay in place and not fold in the wind 2) won't vibrate too much 3) can be folded away with ease since I keep a car cover on my truck (garage space issue) and 4) can have a solid line of site out each side without being obstructed by the ventless vent window strut. That said, I ordered these and installed them today (I'll post a picture later).
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/ksrce/17210047-P
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/ksrce/17210048-P
These are for CJ-5's and mount on the windshield mount. They are not identical; the arms are bent different for each L and R side. They mounted OK and I reviewed the line of site prior to installing but at $7.41 each I could not really go wrong. Well, the line of site is something to be desired but with an auxiliary convex lens glued to each mirror, I think it will be OK. On a satisfaction level, I am 6/10 right now.

Spector Off Road has some nice ones but I just can't see paying $250 for a pair....
https://www.sor.com/cat166.sor#166-01E-A

My issue with the fender mounted mirrors is that they get in the way when you want to do any kind of work under the hood or snag on the car cover. Has anyone made some sort of quick disconnect for these mirrors so when I put a cover on the truck or want to do a little work under the hood I can do so without the cover snagging or me accidentally chipping a tooth on them while I bash my knuckles under the hood?

Do all 60 Patrols have the fender mirrors?

Thanks,
Tom

[RiverPatrol]

Hate them.
Absolutely they are in the way when working under the hood.

The Spector Off-Road mirrors may be pricey but they are incredibly stout and can be folded out of the way. Also they have a variety of mirror heads; round, rectangular or convex rectangular. And if you bust one off in the brush they're readily available and easy to replace. I've used them on a few Patrols.

Up to '67 there was only one mirror on the left mounted under the windshield hinge. In '68 they went to one on the right fender on one on the left door. Sometime in the early '70's they both went to the fenders. Late '70s they went to the doors with a truck style mirror.

[timber]

Sometime in the early '70's they both went to the fenders. Late '70s they went to the doors with a truck style mirror.

Mine is a '76 from Columbia and has fender mirrors. I thought about the truck mirrors but I really don't want to drill holes in the sides of the doors. Plus I thought I might interfere with the mechanics of the roll up windows.....

Tom

[RiverPatrol]

It looks like they mounted forward of the window glass, so they wouldn't interfere. They can be found on eBay sometimes.

Screen Shot 2023-07-07 at 7.48.01 PM.png

[timber]

Thanks! Hesitate to ask for fear of going off topic, but referencing your picture, when did windshields have a folding hinge at the base as opposed to the solid base plate shown in the picture?

Tom

[RiverPatrol]

Thanks! Hesitate to ask for fear of going off topic, but referencing your picture, when did windshields have a folding hinge at the base as opposed to the solid base plate shown in the picture?

Tom

This is a pickup so the top isn't removable and the windshield doesn't fold down.

[timber]

Here's some pics of the mirrors I installed. I will leave them for now, but I think I want to install the fender mirrors and have a butterfly or wing nut under the fender for easy removal.....

Tom

[blubau]

Here’s my reply to an old thread.

I’m about to install the mirrors on my 1969 and am planning to do one on the passenger fender and one on the driver’s door and in the parts book photos.

I had the same thought about it blocking access under the hood. The solution for me will be installing Rivnuts to mount the passenger side mirror.