Is the glass replaceable in a peace like this?

 

Not that I've ever heard of. Pretty sure that means it's time to buy a new mirror, or just live with it. You could try a glass shop, but I'd prepare to be disappointed.

 

I've thought the same thing as my mirror isn't crystal clear anymore. The reflective surface on the back has pitted and in certain light, has a slight haze to it. I'm assuming it will get worse over time. If you find a source for replacement, let me know.

 

The glass is 100% totally replaceable.Simply snap open the ring that holds it on.Ive done it quite a few times with these mirrors.

 

I tried that on one I got from advance auto, except that one wasn't so easy. I ended cracking the thing down the middle

I suggest a junk yard mirror. I got one from a 4th gen and it's much better than the kind you get at the parts store

 

Why would someone go from an old mirror that's just showing it's age to another old mirror that has not been taken care of as well as the original? The fact that your car is still on the road and the other one is in the junkyard tells me that the junkyard mirror glass will be in worse shape than mine.

FueledSoul, I think we will need to work with a glass company that makes custom glass. I know these dimming mirrors have a reflective property to them that allows it to flip. I would think a glass/mirror shop could reproduce the technique.

 

So the auto dimming components are within?, rather than having anything to do with the mirror glass itself? As in, it doesn't have to be a special type of mirror glass other than that of a standard mirror from one of these cars?
Is there not a size difference in length width or height in this mirror to the standard mirrors?..

 

From Wikipedia:
This type of mirror is made of a piece of glass that is wedge-shaped in cross section—its front and rear surfaces are not parallel.

On manual tilt versions, a tab is used to adjust the mirror between "day" and "night" positions. In the day view position, the front surface is tilted and the reflective back side gives a strong reflection. When the mirror is moved to the night view position, its reflectorized rear surface is tilted out of line with the driver's view. This view is actually a reflection off the non-reflectorized front surface. Since the non-reflectorized front surface allows most of the light to go through, only a small amount of light is reflected into the driver's eyes.

So, it's in the glass with our cars. The newer cars all use an electronic version of darkening the glass and removing the glare. We would need to locate the wedge shape glass and have it cut to size.

 

That info all has to do with the "manual tint mirror", we're referring to the auto dimming mirror though, As shown in First post.

 

But if you're at all familiar with these Auto dimming mirrors on our cars, you'd know that they are manual tilt mirrors with a small motor that automatically tilts the mirror. Our mirrors are not like the mirrors of today. They were the first generation of auto dimming. In reality, they are auto tilting mirrors.

There is a sensor in the front and rear of the mirror, if the sensor in the front is sensing darkness and the rear sensor senses lights, the motor activates and tilts the mirror.

 

 

No I'm not familiar with them at all. Hence the misunderstanding. My apologies;
I am however hoping to replace mine, one third of the way from the left it's broken, straight line break from top to bottom.

 

I got the top and bottom undone, but was unable to undo the sides as there's not much if Any give to sliding the ring sideways, and I'm afraid of bending it too much for risk of breaking it...any suggestions?
Are the sides clipped on like the top half? Or like the bottom half?...

 

The ring comes off by prying the clips all the way around. Some are a bit of a tight fit, but I used a small screwdriver to pry each one and they popped out without too much trouble. There's a whole thread on auto-dimming mirror repair that has lots of good pictures. They helped me get mine fixed and it's been working perfectly for the past year (so far).

 

No need to apologize. My wording might not have been the greatest, but my intent was to say that if you are familiar with the old style mirrors of the pre-80s and the new style, you'd know that these are the old style with a motor that flips it for you instead of you manually doing it. I didn't mean to sound like a jerk if that's how it was taken.

 

Ive found quite a few of these distance mirrors with nice clean glass as well as a fair share of them with those black spots on it.I have a box full of them and most still work.This same mirror was also used in Buick Riviera,Olds Trofeo and Cadillacs of the same era.

 

Hey guys, here's my two cents on the mirrors. I know that the fourth gen mirror glass (the ones with map lights) actually fits into the third gen mirrors that have map lights. Also, it would seem the fourth gen mirrors got that mirror "rot" less often because they had foam glued on the back. It looks to me like the auto-dimming mirrors have the same shape glass.

Anyway, for those looking to remove the mirror bezel but afraid of breaking clips, I hosted some pictures of the bezel removed and the tools I used on photobucket. You can buy those plastic prying tools on ebay, I got them when I bought a battery for a 4th gen ipod. The pictures show fourth gen glass fitting into a third gen mirror. Hope it helps.

http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...elwarg/Mirror/

 

The mods need to delete this thread pronto! We can't be having threads that actually help someone restore part of their car on the restoration forum! The History/Restoration forum is for pointless trivia, questionable production numbers, and questions about how to maximize one's investment potential!

I'm kidding of course, this kind of thing is what this forum ideally was created for. It's too bad there isn't more content like this. Good job!

 

^^Hey, I'm just thankful there is even a section dedicated to history/restoration at all. camaroz28.com does not have one, which is funny because 4th gens are now up to 19 years old...'bout time to start restoring 4th gens, too...

 

Why would anyone want to restore a 4th gen? LOL

 

For the simple fact that the powertrain, build quality and chassis rigidity alone are worth their weight in gold compared to a third gen???

Obviously, I'm on the third gen side of the fence myself...but there are some clear, real advantages to a 4th gen. I know that you can make a third gen stupid fast, but 4th gens are a great car in their own right. Some don't like the looks, and I can understand that.

But they are damn good cars, IMO...

 

I can't get past the engine under the windshield, the ridiculous blind spots, generally poor visibility, and how they're basically a cosmetic treatment + band aid applied to the thirdgen platform. Aside from the 6spd, LS1, and 17" wheels, I really see no advantages over thirdgens.

 

Not to stray too far off topic here, but if you'd ever owned both (which, from the sounds of it, I don't think you will ), you would see/feel a much bigger difference than that. The biggest thing is with a 4th gen, its simply screwed together a whole lot better, and the chassis is far, far stiffer. There is no improved handling whatsoever, but the ride quality is much, much better.

At the same point, I've never been crazy about the looks either, which is why I've only owned one. The look has never appealed to me the way third gens do.

 

Nope, didn't sound like a jerk. Just apologizing for my ignorance and argumentative phrasing.

 

Funny, I own a 4th gen and I don't feel that way. I felt that the build quality was one step lower then the Thirdgens.

 

I've driven a fourth gen and felt massively less safe in it than my 3rd gen. It feels so much smaller, as in - lack of crash/safety zone. That and I was a lot more uncomfortable in the 4th; being 6ft tall. I'll take the creaks and cracks of the 3rd gen over the 4th.

 

I bought a auto dim for my gen 3 IROC , where does the green wire hook up to ?

 

Where does the green wire plug into ?