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Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:55 pm

Is there supposed to be a plastic washer or felt or something between the mirror mounting nut and the auto body, or is it just metal on paint?

Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:56 pm

there is a vinyl seal.

Wed Sep 17, 2008 5:38 pm

you can buy thick vinyl from a fabric store, clamp two layers of it between two pieces of wood, drill clear thru wood and vinyl with a 5/8 forstner bit. then mount the vinyl over the mirror threads and trim around the chrome nut with a utility knife blade, using the wood you bored as a cutting surface with mirror threads inserted into the hole.

Wed Sep 17, 2008 5:48 pm

I've used the top of a 500ml water bottle, drilled a hole in the middle and trimmed the sides off leaving a tiny lip, almost the perfect size.

Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:02 pm

A good hardware store will carry nylon washers with a slim profile. That's what I used and they work great.

Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:08 pm

Yes. Nice. Thanks guys. The original seal would be good. I thought there should have been something there and I repainted the area, but... I have no money, so I'll be making one of these.

Wed Sep 17, 2008 10:43 pm

You know those clear, plastic spacers that come in the package when you buy 50 or 100 blank CDs?
Those are free and perfect for this. They look like washers.

If you are not a "taper", ask one of your dweeb friends for a couple of them.

Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:56 am

Go to the hardware store, spend 2 bucks for nylon washers and be done with it. They come in black or white too!

Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:29 am

I cut washers from a plastic milk jug - they work fine. I like the idea of the plastic spacers from CD packages, though.

I've never seen the factory original part, so I don't know what it looks like - anyone know of any repros that are available?

Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:14 am

Avoid any reproduction washer that feels like hard vinyl, I had one and it was crap. The originals are rubbery and flexible, the hard vinyl ones will distort and crack. I threw away my repros and used spark plug wire boots.