I've read some speculation here about 84 to 96 Vette power mirrors being the same at 3rd gen ones, and I'm here to tell you other than the wiring connectors, they are exactly the same. I got my set off of Ebay for $49 plus shipping.

Pics are of my stock lens back, and the heated vette lens back. The lens just pops right into our housings with NO modifactions at all. The only mod I did was to cut off the connector for the heated lens, and make two cuts with a razor in the wiring harness for my original power mirrors so I could push the heated lens wires through the grommet and not have to drill extra holes and figure out a new grommet for the additional wiring. After I fished the wires through I taped it back up with a good quality electrical tape. I ran the wires through the stock rubber hose from the door to the door jamb.

Be carefull when popping the new lens back in. They have a small swivel and they pop into a plastic part. Use a little lube on this part and don't do this on a cold day when the plastic is cold. I cracked my stock lens after taking it out to take the pics. Did the heated changover a few days later.

For power I used the stock rear window defroster wire to power a relay to turn the mirrors on when I hit the rear defrost. That way no new holes or switches on my dash, and I have the timer feature on the rear defroster working the mirrors and shutting them off in case I forget about them. The vettes use a 5 amp fuse to power the heated lens, so not much power requirement for them.

This is so easy I'm not sure I'd even call it a mod......more of a minor update really. Was waaaaaay easier than wiring my stereo and amp in. Hardest part was pulling my door panels.


t.com/albums/f107/alloyspecialties/wiring.jpg

 

Looks pretty cool. Pics of installed product? I don't see much use for heated mirrors, but I guess they would come in handy...

 

Well it's 75 deg here now, and I had frost on my windows this morning. Was nice just to hit the switch and defrost the back window and mirrors. Wish I'd have done this before last winter set in. But.....done now for next winter and all the winters and frosty mornings to follow.

Installed pics??? Other than the little heated mirror symbol on the left lens, there isn't any difference in looks at all. No extra switches, wiring is all hidden. Used my original mirror housings, so no difference in the color of the mirrors either.

 

Pretty cool mod!

Adding this to my to do list

 

im would assume but do you know if the mirrors would also fit and be adjustable if you did not have power mirrors

 

yea when i find threads like these i save them and use em later as needed =)

 

I know this is an old thread, but thinking of doing this myself. Anyone know if both the pass and drivers side from the vettes are heated, or just the driver's side? thanks!

 

Yes both sides are heated.

 

Awesome, thanks for the quick reply. If only they were auto-dimming too...

I just put a bid on a set on eBay - If I can get these and my defroster installed before winter's up that'd be awesome!

On a slightly unrelated note, I got the convertible top with rear glass for my Camaro. I'd like to tint it and install a defroster. I have read that tinting over a defroster gives less-than-perfect results...is there any reason why I couldn't put the tint on first, then the defroster? I've searched online but I guess no one has run into the situation of wanting to add both tint and a defroster to a window that has neither...

 

WOW, good call alloy! I even work at a Corvette-only dealership and never noticed that. Now I'm just wondering if anyone would notice if one of our white C4s suddenly didn't have the defrost logo on the mirrors...

 

You can tint over defroster grids and have it look good. If a professional tinter does the work and uses Llumar film or a good film, you shouldn't have any issues.

I have had 15% tint on the back window of my truck for 4 years. The tint is tight against the grids and makes cleaning the rear window easier. I did use another so-called good tint on my wife's rear window and after a couple years, it was lifting at the grids. Llumar is good stuff.

 

Alright thanks for the info. I'll probably ask the people at the shop I go to if they can show me a car they've done with defroster lines so that I can make sure they'll do it good, otherwise I'll just have they tint it first.

 

Is there anyway to make it autodimming too? Also anyway not to have that defrost symbol on it. Just a blank clear mirror?

 

I emailed Gentex (the company that makes many OEM and aftermarket auto-dimming mirrors) to ask if they had any plans to produce auto-dimming side mirrors for the third-gen camaros/firebirds and C4 corvettes and they said they don't. Maybe if we could find enough interested people they would, but I doubt it. For auto-dimming side mirrors to work you need to have an auto-dimming rear view mirror because that has the light sensors and tells the dies mirrors to dime as well. AFAIK there would be no way to make them auto-dimming unless one of the companies that produces the auto-dimming rear-view mirrors decides to produce them.

As far as removing the symbol, I THINK the lettering on the passenger mirror (and the defrost on drivers) is from where the reflective metal is cut away. I would think they only way to have a blank mirror would be to separate the layers (glass, reflective metal, plastic backing) and put in new reflective metal without the letting. I think it would be more work than it's worth, and I don't think you could ever get it to look perfect. Personally, I like the defrost symbol - makes the car look more "luxary" or "sophisticated"



Oh, btw, I just checked with the tinting shop I was thinking of using and they use LLumar tint

 

Umm, but If I wire in a auto dimming rear view mirror which plenty here have done then I could run autodimming mirrors.. Hmm I'll figure something out.


It's Luxury btw

 

Yea, I'm installing one of the auto-dimming rear-view mirrors too, that's why I said too bad the C4 ones can't auto-dim. Like I said, you would still have to get Gentex (or similar) to make side mirrors capable of auto-dimming...unless you want to just install mirrors from a newer vette or camaro - not sure how good that would look though...

And yea, typing that much on my phone I'm bound to make some typing mistakes...

 

Could you not gut the newer mirrors and make them work in the older housing?

 

Theoretically, but aren't they completely different shape mirrors? You can't use the existing mirrors themselves because the dimming is built into the glass:

If you figure something out let me know, because I'd LOVE to have dimming side mirrors. SUVs, even without brights on, blind me from the side mirrors...I'm sure it's the same with everyone else...

 

Same of them are, some are similar I know certain 4th gens exported to Canada had auto headlights but no u.s. One did. Im gonna try and do some research and see what's do able.

 

Yea, definitely let me know what you find.

 

Im figuring that someone with a 4th gen has already done this or maybe a export car had these or something.

 

[quote=alloy;3293895]Well it's 75 deg here now, and I had frost on my windows this morning. Was nice just to hit the switch and defrost the back window and mirrors. Wish I'd have done this before last winter set in. But.....done now for next winter and all the winters and frosty mornings to follow.

Installed pics??? Other than the little heated mirror symbol on the left lens, there isn't any difference in looks at all. No extra switches, wiring is all hidden. Used my original mirror housings, so no difference in the color of the mirrors either.

[/quote

What did you use for a switch? I really like this and may have to do this to mine too. If you don't mind.

 

From what I read, The mirrors are tied in to the rear window defroster. The switch operates both at the same time.

Cheers!

 

Your right, that's exactly what I did.

 

Did you have to add another fuse to power the Mirrors? Or did you just splice into the defroster wire? I do tnot have power windows, but imagine it wouldn't be too much trouble to route the wiring and tubing.

 

I added another fused circuit. Wasn't sure if the defroster wiring would take the added power requirement.

The hardest part was getting the wires to the mirrors in the doors. The rest was easy.

 

And don't forget these mirrors also came on other GM cars like the Chevy caprice. a lot of these cars shared the same parts model to model year to year etc.

 

can someone provide a wiring diagram?

 

I can prob source you one. But in all actuality it's pretty easy to do it without. power, ground. relay, fuse, switch.

Cheers!

 

i like the luxury/sophisticated or modern/futuristic feel and function with the stock or barely modded look or at least on the firebird and the symbol would set that off , also im going to be making a auto tint miror of my own , the tint is like $50-$100 for each 12" x 12" sheet and even though i already have a auto tilt miror , im considiring upgrading to a rear veiw screen/compass/auto tint but im going to have sensors in each side mirror , either with a hole in the glass like some of the rear ones , or use the gaps around the glass and the case to let light hit the sensor