[ski-doug]

The 2.5 would fit in my mirrors too


Mod Edit: Thread split from "LED lights in rear vents"

 

[pvcar]

where did u get those mirrors i want some like that???

 

[ski-doug]

mirrors Try this link if it doesn't work I got them at Autobarn. I needed to do a little trim work on the upper ballsocket with an exacto knife to allow it to come back to horizontal because the door angle is so flat, but they work good now. I just wish I could get them in electric remote, but then for 20 bucks what can you expect?

 

[pvcar]

thanx for the info. how did u wire um did u hook them up as running lights or blinkers or are tehy dual fillement so they can be both??? also how did u run the wiring thru the door?? and any other hints.

 

[ski-doug]

The only tricky spot was figuring out how to get the wires from the door to the car but I already figured that one when I put power door locks in. The wires exit the door just below the upper hinge and are protected by a spiral wire wrap and then zip tied to the bottom of the hinge. Then you need to file the slot in the fender that the hinge retracts into when it closes so that it does not cut the wires when you close the door. I filed it down quite a bit and then covered it with a slit open piece of vacuum hose glued on top to further protect and give a finished look. You should be able to see the black hose in the picture just below the hinge. The wires then leave a small loop and enter the car through the original dome light switch wire opening. If I remember correctly it is a hugh hole with a very large grommet already. The bundle in the photo has seven wires wrapped in plastic spiral wire loom( two for the blinker and five for the door locks) Also the mirrors are only single filament so I have them wired as blinkers. With JJ's LED's though, you could do both.

 

[Old Hippie]

Very nice look to them. Dual function: mirror and to let the SUV folks see that little car at the corner!

 

[Excelsior]

Can we please get a profile shot of the car? It would help me decide if I want em or not.

 

[ski-doug]

It's too dark out right now, so I'll try to post one tomorrow

 

[opelgtman1973]

JC Whitney sale

Hey, I just saw that JC Whitney has these CIPA lighted mirrors on sale - buy one, get one free. Regular price is $19.95, so 2 for this price sounds like a bargain. It says the sale lasts until the end of Feb. Would make a nice X-Mas gift though

http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs...1&langId=-1&storeId=10101&TID=190003874X21203

If the link doesn't work, just go to the home page and search for "CIPA mirror".

 

[free4u2nv]

I see I got something started here!!! Guess I am Not the only paranoid, hunh!!!!
Thanks for the photos! Really would like LED mirrors on mine but thought the idea was about half crazy...glad to know I am not alone! Having a hard time finding the BODY MOUNTABLE type. Yours are nice, but I want something without the part that looks like a flex hose.

 

[ski-doug]

Here is a view from further away. I like them, but am not in love with them. If I could find a higher quality version, I would be willing to pay alot more. But for twenty bucks these are great $20 mirrors.

 

[ski-doug]

And Here is from the front.

 

[houserc]

Ok, two questions, Ski-Doug.

What and how did you do your taillight covers?

AND,

How did you get you ski racks mounted? Are they suction?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[cougar6]

Incandescent vs. LED mirrors

Thought I'd send a couple of photos of the mirrors I modified to use the DESTEC LEDs from the "Lights in Rear Vent" thread.

Here are the two compared:

 

[cougar6]

DESTEC LED mirror

Here's a shot of the DESTEC LED installed (minus wires). Watch when you drill the second hole (the first is used from the original incandescent socket) to ensure you don't hit the back of the mirror. You will have to open up the original hole where the wires went through for two reasons:
1. Provide clearance for the LED bar to allow use of the original socket mounting hole;
2. A place to run your new wires.
You can use the original screw from the incandescent socket for one mounting position but the other has the resistor too close to the hole so you'll have to use a screw with a smaller diameter head.

 

[ski-doug]

Chris,

First the easy question, The roof racks are magnetic and I picked them up in Europe where I personally tested them on many seven hour endurance runs at 190 KPM with no problems. I lived in southern Italy and drove 700 miles on the Autostrada, to and from the Alps on the weekends. You just have to make sure the roof is clean before you stick them down.

The Tail light covers are a lot more work. They are not really covers, instead they are complete sealed units that are designed for trucks and trailers, that use either flange or grommet mounts. They are DOT approved and come in either red or amber. I used red for tail and stop, and the amber for turn, just like the original Opel, only I did the common swap of putting the brake/tail lights on the outside so drivers behind me would not mistakenly think I was further away than I was. I also put a third brake light set up in the rear vents, and added the Destec LED's to my Mirrors.

The lights are available at www.buytruckstuff.com or most likely at your local truck stop. For the front they were a very simple replacement. I just gutted the housing and then took one of the grommets that come with these light and trimmed much of it away with an exacto until it was small enough to simply wedge in to the housing. You could ad some RTV if you were afraid of it shifting, however mine are pretty tight and have not moved in the six months I have had them, and the car is a daily driver.

For the rear it was a lot more work. I ordered the stainless steel flange trim covers from the same place, and then drilled three more holes in them so they would look simetrical. The original Opel assemblies were removed and I noticed that they were held in by three screws spaced pretty close to what the truck light flanges had. I used stainless hex socket head bolts to attach to the car and three dummy screws to fill the dummy holes. I then had to fabricate a wedge spacer that would do two things.

First they had to plumb the lights perpindicular to the road because the rear of the GT tilts quite radicaly toward the ground.

Second they had to flare slightly from the size of the flange to the car body. This is because the outside diameter of the flange is almost the same as the inside diameter of the old taillight opening.

To make the flare I used a rubber plumbing reducer that I got at Home Depot that I think is used to join a piece of five inch sewer pipe to a six inch pipe. I then carefully traced the angle I needed and cut the flanges by hand.

Then the stainless trim rims had the words "TRUCK LITE" stamped into them so I took a 60 grit disk on my 4 inch grinder and ground the words off and continued the swirl around the entire ring, giving a brushed SS effect.

Unless you are really looking for something different and are willing to do all the modifications I would instead strongly recomend looking into the LED units that Destec has put together. I have his LED units in both my rear vents and my mirrors and they are top notch and well worth the money. His tail light units pop right inside your existing assemblies.