S1 Esprit Door Mirrors, Federal USA

[p1renn]

The USA S1 Esprits originally came with chrome door mirrors with a really thin stem. My car didn't have them prior to starting my restoration, although I have seen pictures on the Web. The mirrors don't seem to match any other British car from that era.

Does anyone know what car these mirrors were sourced from? My Esprit is in the shop being painted this weekend, and I left my doors with the original threaded inserts that stick out of the fiberglass. Fitting any other mirror may be problematic so I'm really hoping I can get lucky and find some originals.

Below is a bad photo but you can see where the threaded inserts are located. Thanks in advance to anyone who knows, or has any extras they are willing to sell.

[Moxie]

Renn,

They're the epitome of unobtanium. If you find a set it would be like winning the lottery. Original from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GTrPalyKpQ...

Take a look at Vitaloni Baby Tornados at http://www.talbotco....ni_mirrors.html

Only available in black, but aren't you refinishing yours to the original black? I'm putting a set of dual convex Baby Tornados on my S1...

But you could also get the non-flag Baby Turbos in silver.

- Matt

Edited August 6, 2011 by Moxie

[p1renn]

Thank you for the help. The Tornados look ok - any idea if they anchor into the same mounting holes? With respect to the original mirrors, they must have come from another car and not exclusive to the Esprit, but I could be wrong. I'll have to continue looking as they may have been sourced from an American car. The closest mirror I can find is from a 60-70 Ford Falcon, so I may try that route and make it fit into the existing mounting holes.

[Moxie]

I'd worry about those butting up against the window. The mounting surface is only about 15 degree pitch and the flag doesn't look far enough away from the body. For what it's worth (not much since the camera autofocused on it's own reflection) here's a blurry closeup of the real deal...

[p1renn]

I see - so it's you that owns the famous original orange Esprit! I'd love to see that car in person. Thanks for the tip. Yes I see the offset and I agree that it will probably hit the side window. This is going to be a difficult one...

[Moxie]

I wish! That's Jeff Ippoliti's car, along with the Bell & Colvill/Scott Walker yellow RHD all-out restored yellow S1...

The latter also seen here: http://www.coachtrim...ork-Esprit.aspx

Those photos were taken at the 2010 Celebration Exotic Car Festival -- http://www.celebrati...ccars.com/2011/ -- which Jeff organizes. I think he's a TLF member but doesn't post much.

Anyway, my S1 mongrel's been lovingly repainted Colorado Orange by MikeH...

...but originally it was red...

(Cameo by MikeH and Tony K)

Jeff's is head to toe legit.

[richardvg]

Have you tried www.europaspares.com

They have a lot of chrome mirrors....

[b69lotus]

The side mirrors from Caterham for the seven are made by Raydot and look like the original. Caterham USA have some in stock and I may get a pair as an alternative to the chrome originals.

[Tony K]

The S1 chrome mirrors are indeed Raydyot, and were also used on the S1 Elite and Eclat.

Some early Series 1 Lancia Beta saloons in the UK had them, but many/most had a similarly-styled mirror common to FIATs.

In the end, I believe those original Raydyots were just "off the shelf" items.

For what it's worth, here in the U.S., at a store like "AutoZone" or "Advance Auto", you can buy for $20-$30 a pair of imitation Vitaloni Baby Tornado mirrors that are made in China and are actually branded as Raydyot . . . and with a small amount of modification you can make them fit the S1 doors using the original mounting holes. I used to use these on 260H to save the original chrome ones. I thought it was appropriate in a cheeky way, as the originals are Raydyot garbage from an auto parts store, as were my substitute mirrors!

[77 esprit]

Also mounted a pair of somewhat similar Vitaloni mirrors for Summer use.

My chrome mirrors were rebuilt after the springs broke way too many years ago. Kept the parts. Modified the mirrors to accept an internally different mounting system. Worked fine for the LOG's I've attended. The Vitaloni's installed with only one additional hole drilled into the body. If anyone wants photos of my modification to the chrome mirrors, please e-mail me.

Lyn

[GordonMasson]

^{I fitted a couple of what look to be the mirrors that Lyn has.}

^{That was about 20 years back when some oink kicked my original pod mirror off the drivers side.}

^{You don’t see that much out of them but then if you compare it to the overall rear view from my GT3, where the rear spoiler fills most of the interior rear view mirror, then you can live with it.}

^{They don’t look too bad either.}

^{Mine are fitted to the triangular plate on the body rather than the door since that was where my pod mirror was fitted originaly.}

Edited December 6, 2011 by GordonMasson

[7veloce]

I looked in my Caterham Super 7 spare parts box today and found a pair Raydyot mirrors just look like the ones on S1 but in black color. Otherwise, they are exactly the same. So you cannot find the original ones. This will be a good alternative. These black ones are standard equipment for the Caterham cars. Check http://usa7s.net and you may find a pair for a resonable price. Tom

[jamesthepest]

I'm a proud owner of 275 S1 1977 white esprit. I have had my car since 1980. I caught a pocket on my drivers mirror and the spring pulled out. I was able to redrill a new hole. But I don't trust the strength. I have found and purchased a close backup in matt black from ebay Aug 2016 It matches the holes dead on. Hope this helps the next searcher http://www.ebay.com/itm/281954254150?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Caterham StyleRaydyot Wing Door Mirrors Pair

 

Edited August 24, 2016 by jamesthepest
spelling add pic

[jamesthepest]

the link maybe gone by the time you find this: the seller is in Kent UK ebay name cbs_online

 

http://www.ebay.com/usr/cbs_online?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

[77 esprit]

James,

 

Broke my US spec side mirrors twenty plus years ago.  Did repair them.  Believe there are photos posted at the S1S2S3 US site.  Not sure if there is enough bandwidth available here to post all the photos here.  Only use them at car shows.  Daily mirrors are Vitaloni Turbo's.

 

Lyn