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MG MGB Technical - early windshield center-rod mirror

Not previously knowing that there are two versions of the windshield center rod (fat and thin) I purchased a center-rod mirror for my 75 B and tried to install it today.


Since the later B's have the thin rod, the mirror clamp can't close on the rod. I wrapped a few turns of electrical tape on the rod and the mirror seems to stay in place but there is a little rotational wobble.

Has anyone come up with a more stable solution for this? Maybe something like a brass ferrule?

(What is very frustrating is that I had the windshield out last week and could have replaced the rod with the correct one.)
Steve Rechter

I used some 0.005 brass shim stock. I think that about 2 layers did the trick. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Surely a 75 has the mirror screwing to the top rail (it was like this from 1970 on) of the screen so the thickness of the rod is immaterial? As such the later rod is correct, and if the earlier one *was* fatter it wouldn't fit the later upper bracket anyway as it screws into it. Neither would a thinner rod fit an earlier bracket which used a special chrome cap-nut. If you are choosing to use an early clamp-on mirror with a later frame (why would you?) then metal packing as David suggests is going to be far better than plastic tape, which is more than likely to slip and bend down when it gets hot.

Paul Hunt 2010

Paul,

My original 75' windshield was badly cracked and needed replacement. I found and installed a replacement window already mounted in a 68' frame at a small fraction of the cost of putting new glass in my 75' frame.

Frame mounted mirrors for a 68' frame are no longer available so I went with the rod mounted mirror.

Before mounting the 68' frame on my car I swapped center rods from my 75' frame because it was in better cosmetic shape. So the fat/thin rods are interchangeable.
Steve Rechter

I used an earlier mirror on a 78 car with the mounting at the top of the spoke mounting bracket. I am not sure my mirror is even from an MG actually (it's rectangular). It works well though. Best rear view mirror I have used probably since is is so close. I filled the holes in the original late mirror plastic cover with epoxy and sanded it all smooth then painted it black to cover the original mounting point.
Simon Jansen

AFAIK frame-mounted mirrors never were available pre 1970, and I thought it was the rod-mounted that were unavailable. But you *should* be able to replace the rod with the screen in-situ. Whilst the bottom bracket is rivetted to the bottom rail, it is only done so to stop it getting lost, much like brake drum screws on stud wheel axles. It's not that difficult to remove the bracket from the frame (mine came off anyway whilst removing it to replace the glass) and it only needs bolting down to the dash top on refitting, it doesn't need to be reattached to the frame as it's main purpose is top the top rail lifting up from Bernoulli pressure on the closed top.
Paul Hunt 2010

Steve
I had this very problem and cut a piece of 3/16" Dia tube about 3/4" long, i split it down the length and pushed it over the rod then clamp the mirror over this.

Pete
PJ Thompson

This thread was discussed between 25/06/2010 and 28/06/2010

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