1967 Door MIRRORS; help please?

[Charley PHX]

Hello all;

Need info on DOOR MIRROR & date codes for 2 1967 cars; 1) 04D/Van Nuys; and 2) 06D/Van Nuys (basket case)... 

For the 04D car; looking for best available OEM-style replacement for broken (& since lost) part.  NO BOWTIE...
Factory Mirror (broken) is M.I.A. at the moment (A search party has been mobilized/lol).

From the 06D Coupe 'basket'; we have a loose mirror (w/broken glass still in-place) dated 6-DMI-6.  This is believed to be OEM but seems way too early?  The 6-DMI-6 mirror armpiece has a recessed/dimpled nose where the mounting boss of mirror housing attaches.  There are no screws in the windward face of the mirror housing.  It has a prominent casting rib.  PHOTO BELOW...

There is a lot of discussion in prior CRG threads (noted below).  PARAGON is cited (Jerry M. and others) as the best repop in several older threads (circa 2007)?  But as of 2020, they do not offer a correct '67 Camaro mirror.  I am assuming the earlier posts refer to Paragon CORVETTE, as I am unable to find a Paragon CAMARO source? 

Paragon Corvette does still offer dated glass, at $12.  For Camaro, need to specify desired date.  I'm guessing this would be 2-DMI-7 for 04D?

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Regarding new mirrors:  Canvassing the Web; here's what I'm seeing as of today:

• OER: Currently-listed part looks nice.  Photo appears to have casting rib. "Nose" of armpiece is unclear in photo, appears rounded?  Product description says "correct style ribbed base with dimple head" at:  https://www.oerparts.com/product/1967/chevrolet/camaro/parts/3909197.html
• There is a one-off at CAR-ID referencing the OER part; whose photo appears to show a rounded nosepiece?  https://www.carid.com/1967-chevy-camaro-mirrors/oer-mirrors-137147910.html
• Dynacorn has one that appears to have no rib OR no dimple at:  http://dynacorndepot.com/mirror-outer-wo-bowtie-m1032a-camaro-67-67
• Camaro Central:  Can't tell; and it doesn't say:  https://www.camarocentral.com/1967_Outer_Door_Chrome_Mirror_Without_Bowtie_p/exm-6.htm
• Heartbeat: MANY offerings with and without date codes. ALL with BOWTIE.  Item descriptions refer to both rib & no-rib.  Photos not clear enough to tell either way?  Also can't tell (and not mentioned) if dimpled or not dimpled?  Also pricing seems way off market...
• Rick's:  Has 2 OEM-style, but both with bowtie.
• Restoration Partsource (RPS): From PHOTO; seems to be the clear pick of this litter?  No item description.  Their listing references the OER part #3909197 (OER #2273) discussed above. The RPS offering is at:  https://restorationpartssource.com/store/mirror-1967-camaro-ribbed-style-w-o-bowtie-oer-details.html
• Summit Racing: Also lists the OER mirror #3909197 though (IMO) crappy photo & description.  They also have several other variants (United Pacific, Sherman, Goodmark), all of whose photos are unclear, and insufficient descriptions.

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Previous threads on related topics include:

• http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=10613.0;all
• http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=1510.0
• http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=5079.0;all
• http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=16083.0;all
• http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=6753.msg44244#msg44244

[Charley PHX]

Re-reading my post:  I suppose it might help to clarify my questions...

(1)  Who makes/offers the best OEM repop 1967 Door Mirror at the present time?
(2)  What range of glass dates for 04D (Van Nuys)?
(3)  What range of glass dates for 06D (Van Nuys)?

THANKS !!!

[67CruiseMaster]

From what I gather you're wanting a original mirror without bowtie? I don't have one (missing) on my car. Wondering what is original?

Scot

[Charley PHX]

There may be many with better pictures but here are a few I could find quickly...

1) Photo above IS an original mirror.  Just not certain it is 'THEE ACTUAL' mirror off the door of the 06D car.

2) Image below is magnified & cropped from scanned vintage photo.  This is the 04D car.  Mirror broke a year or two after this photo was taken.

3) There is another photo showing a whole car at:  http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=18742.0 (bottom of page).  Unfortunately mirror doesn't show up much better.

[Charley PHX]

Better picture.  This is the 06D car (with 'THEE ACTUAL' mirror) before it was disassembled.

[LVN 67]

 Mirror on my 02E NOR L-35

[Mike S]

Interesting......on my 67 04B LOS the mirror doesn't have DMI. It has a circle with an 'S' in it. Was that a different supplier during the 04B period?

Mike

[Charley PHX]

Things work in strange ways sometimes.  New revelations about the mirror(s) now allow me to answer some of my own questions...  Posting an update in the event this info. may help someone else, sometime, who may have similar questions(s)...

(1)  A series of recent coincidences culminated in locating the long-lost ORIGINAL MIRROR (broken) from the 04D convertible.  The glass is dated 2-DMI-7 and is reusable.  We will put it back into the restoration (photo below).
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(2)  With respect to the 06D coupe; I am now thinking the 6-DMI-6 mirror (pictured above) IS in fact the original mirror off the car (despite the very early date).  Finding the broken mirror brought back some long forgotten (suppressed?) memories...

• At one point long long ago (like late 70's) I remember pulling the mirror off the coupe, to put on the convertible.  Unfortunately... I DROPPED IT & IT BROKE... so (disillusioned) I just put it back.  Where it stayed, 'till my restoration guy pulled it roughly 40 years later.
• When discussing this, he suggested the possibility that as-of 06D; the plant may have been tooling-up for 1968 production, and the 6-DMI-6 mirror perhaps came from the bottom of a bin?  Whatever, however... I'm now certain that IS in fact the mirror from the coupe.

Sounds crazy... but sometimes facts are stranger than fiction!
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(3)  As far as repop mirrors are concerned... unable to comment (at this time).  We'll be trying to rebuild the broken mounting; and best of the two OEM housings will go to the convertible.  If this doesn't play out, perhaps there may be a need to re-examine the repops.

IF ANYONE CAN COMMENT ON THE REPOPS; PLEASE ADVISE YOUR FINDINGS?
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THANKS ALL & best regards... Charley

[jeffschevelle]

Seems unlikely to me that a June 1966 manufactured mirror would be without the bowtie.  All 66 Chevelle mirrors (which is the same mirror except with the bowtie) had the bowtie, and those cars were being produced through the end of July, while Camaros were not to come out until late August.

Remember that the 67 style non-bowtie mirror was still made by the OEM mfr. well into the 90's.  The Chevy Luv trucks of the mid 70's also used them with the same bracket and gasket.  Your 6-DMI-6 mirror is most likely a June 1976 manufactured mirror that was installed as a replacement some time after that date.  Donnelly Mirror Inc. (DMI) was still marking them with the same m-DMI-y format at that time. 

They changed their name to Donnelly Corporation of America in 1984, and at some point after that they changed the mirror marking to m-DCA-y.  Then later it changed to m-DCA(R)-y (with the (R) being the trademark emblem).  Somewhere I have a list that pins down the change dates pretty good, but I cannot find it now! 

[KurtS]

All 66 Chevelle mirrors (which is the same mirror except with the bowtie) had the bowtie...

That I didn't know!

[Charley PHX]

Your 6-DMI-6 mirror is most likely a June 1976 manufactured mirror that was installed as a replacement some time after that date. 

I just noticed this, somehow I did not get notification of the Dec. 16 comment...

Jeff; thank you for your input.  What you say makes good sense.  I'm struggling though to reconcile this with the history of the car?

I acquired the car in Jan. 1979 (after a 2 year pursuit).  At that time it was in a serious state of lengthy neglect (like what they call a 'barn find' today except no barn).  Papers found in the car indicated its registration had been revoked in Dec. 1968.  The car appeared to have been essentially ignored since then (except only to pull the engine).  Its condition and surroundings when I discovered it in 1977(8?) make it hard for me to conceive someone might have traipsed through the debris field (junkyard adjacent to a machine shop) to replace a mirror... which wasn't broken to begin with (I did that myself later)

[Charley PHX]

....... to replace a mirror... which wasn't broken to begin with (I did that myself later)

Trying to edit previous post, edit failed, posting as reply... 

I guess if the mirror was replaced in 1976, it wouldn't be broken when I found it in 1977...  but the point being; under the circumstances this scenario seems most highly unlikely