Lucas 104

[jolsen42]

Thanks Jeff and Stacy, I think I'll be safe. I just measured my repro mirror and it should be OK. It falls within the parameters.

John O

[1985 CCX]

All great stuff.
When my neighbor comes home I’ll compare the his.
He has an Ace and three Bristols.
Might add to a later casting or confuse this even more ???

[Armrer]

Originally Posted by 1985 CCX

All great stuff.
When my neighbor comes home I’ll compare the his.
He has an Ace and three Bristols.
Might add to a later casting or confuse this even more ???

Jeff,

Bring 'em! The more we know (or can guess at) the better : D
Would be nice to somewhat get a time frame of what mirror style was on any given AC model.

[rsk289]

Good luck with that, chaps! My experience of our low volume manufacturers of that period was that they slapped on whatever came out of the bin nearest them, no two necessarily the same.
A lot of photos I've seen of RHD cars in period show the stem mounted the other way around, i.e. leaning forwards towards the windscreen. This does help give a wider field of vision, and that's how I've mounted my (fantastic) repro - thanks Jeff.

[Armrer]

Originally Posted by rsk289

Good luck with that, chaps! My experience of our low volume manufacturers of that period was that they slapped on whatever came out of the bin nearest them, no two necessarily the same.
A lot of photos I've seen of RHD cars in period show the stem mounted the other way around, i.e. leaning forwards towards the windscreen. This does help give a wider field of vision, and that's how I've mounted my (fantastic) repro - thanks Jeff.

Hi Roger,

Well, with the amount of down time these days, projects are easy to come by ; D
Yeah, may be futile trying to assign order to chaos..

[1985 CCX]

Ok
Just pulled the one off the gold car
No 75?
Just like Jeff’s
Dan help........

Anyway Jeff’s parts are awesome very high quality.
Theee cars always keeps you guessing.

[LMH]

Standard mounting direction on a production leaf spring car is post towards the windscreen. I see them backwards often though.
Larry

[rsk289]

Larry, does that mean the post is parallel with the windscreen, or leaning towards it at the top?

[LMH]

Tilt is forward towards the windscreen, away from the cockpit.
Larry

[LMH]

Note mirror post tilt:



Larry

[rsk289]

Yes, that's how I've fitted mine. Just those few millimetres further away makes it easier to focus!

[1985 CCX]

I too have mounted mine that way. I would say when it comes to mirror if you can get a convex until its better.

[LMH]

There were a very few mirrors that were curved. I have one. I don’t know when they were used or why but apparently a few were curved.
Larry

[rsk289]

Originally Posted by LMH

There were a very few mirrors that were curved. I have one. I don’t know when they were used or why but apparently a few were curved.
Larry

Again, Larry - there were probably a few convex mirrors mixed up with the others, and when whichever Surrey lad was fitting them dipped his hand into the box he came up with one instead of a flat one. Probably didn't even look at it as he screwed it through the dash.

[LMH]

Originally Posted by rsk289

Again, Larry - there were probably a few convex mirrors mixed up with the others, and when whichever Surrey lad was fitting them dipped his hand into the box he came up with one instead of a flat one. Probably didn't even look at it as he screwed it through the dash.

All the better for me as I love the rarity!
Larry

[1985 CCX]

Larry

You yourself is a rare bird

[Dan Case]

Over time new Cobras (427 Cobras not discussed here) used several versions of Lucas® rear view mirrors. We could imagine all kinds of reasons why somebody decided to change from one model to another several times 1962-64.

There is the first source of variation, i.e. different models chosen. I partially roughly determine chassis range of chassis in old new car pictures based on which version of mirror they have installed. I might be only to postulate a broad chassis number or time frame but most cars had plenty of other clues as to what time frame they were built to help.

Most chassis did not have a mirror installed when shipped from AC Cars. Likewise, windscreen assemblies, windscreen wiper arms, and wiper blade assemblies were not installed for most shipments. In the USA Continental Cars or Shelby American did those installations as incoming rolling chassis were completed into running cars.

There is the second source of variation, i.e. no one in England or the USA seemed very concerned with first in first out inventory control. There is no guarantee that any part AC Cars supplied separately for chassis X stayed with chassis X in the USA. Evidence suggests all parties stored parts in bulk and as one design phased out and a new phased in there were periods where any car could get either version of anything. Think of parts for the next one hundred car contract ‘dumped’ into the stores still on hand from the last contract. Don’t forget standard ACE’s also. (Example: Some late 1950s dated electrical components were installed in very early new Cobra chassis in 1962. I suspect that since they were the same parts ACEs used they were just by happen stance left behind for the ‘newest’ chassis.)

Installed mirrors with No. 104 stems the stem normally leaned towards the windscreen. I suspect this was done for two reasons, educated guesses on my part: 1) because the mirror was installed so close to the driver with the steel tube over the dash fascia being the only solid mounting point the mirror head was probably deemed too close to the driver and 2) leaning the stem forward left room for users to access the tonneau cover snap right under the mirror, or both 1 and 2?????

[Riverside racer]

csx 2000 faced rearwards.....admittedly a different style but fun to notice. Very difficult mirror to find

[rsk289]

Originally Posted by Riverside racer

csx 2000 faced rearwards.....admittedly a different style but fun to notice. Very difficult mirror to find

I'll bet which way round they are depends on the age and eyesight of the driver.
They probably all used to be one way round, and over the years they've all got turned around as we get older.....

...does anyone make a good replica of original Shelby reversing sensors, by the way?

[LMH]

Originally Posted by rsk289

I'll bet which way round they are depends on the age and eyesight of the driver.
They probably all used to be one way round, and over the years they've all got turned around as we get older.....

...does anyone make a good replica of original Shelby reversing sensors, by the way?

The one used on CSX2000 is a Lucas 584 dip mirror I believe, with a 103 stem. I've seen a couple Cobras with that mirror but it's not the more common clamp-style mirror with the 104 stem.
On standard production Cobras, I think a lot of "restorers" put the mirror back on facing rear wards but my experience is it gets wacked more easily sticking into the cockpit. Facing it forward, it doesn't happen as much.

Pics from Ross showing CSX2000:





Larry