wing mirrors on old cars

fryup

Question for you vintage people

why were the wing mirrors so far forward on old cars like this Austin 1300..surely the driver would have difficulty seeing them and wouldn't they be more prone to damage in that position?

macplaxton

They're easier to see in some respects as you don't need to re-focus as they are in a normal field of vision rather than having to take your eye off the view ahead. Normally they are convex glass too, so have a wider view.

Not necessarily more prone to damage either, they are spring-loaded and can pop round fairly easily if struck.

Whilst door mirrors more or less took over from the mid to late 1970s, UK government ministerial cars still had wing mounted mirrors for a long time after that.

If you look at the black Rover SD1 at the start of this clip, you'll notice the wing mounted mirrors. Also in the picture of Mrs T leaving Downing Street, about to get in Daimler F496 PYT.

corktina

wing mirrors are positioned there because they are on the wings.

Anyone you hear referring to wing mirrors on a modern car just isnt thinking about what they are saying.

bijapos

Wing mirrors are safer and give a better field of vision. They were moved to the doors for aerodynamic reasons and because they look aesthetically better.

In macplaxtons clip of Thatcher in the Rover SDI the car has both wing and door mirrors, I guess this is for security reasons as the policeman in the passenger seat will also have a good field of vision to work with.

Nice video all the same, I like the reporters reference to Mark Thatcher as a "would-be racing driver".

fryup

macplaxton wrote: »

They're easier to see in some respects as you don't need to re-focus as they are in a normal field of vision rather than having to take your eye off the view ahead. Normally they are convex glass too, so have a wider view.

really? but wouldn't the A pillar be in the line of vision?

Justjens

fryup wrote: »

really? but wouldn't the A pillar be in the line of vision?

The A pillar was a lot smaller in that bygone age, none of those EU directives on road safety.


Oh the youth of today;)

Sam Russell

macplaxton wrote: »

They're easier to see in some respects as you don't need to re-focus as they are in a normal field of vision rather than having to take your eye off the view ahead. Normally they are convex glass too, so have a wider view.

Actually, the rear-view mirror and the door mirror are the same focus, the wing mirror and straight ahead are the same focus.

Change could be more to do with blind-spots, and the ease of adjustment for the driver. (Never heard of electric wing mirrors).

macplaxton

Sam Russell wrote: »

Change could be more to do with blind-spots, and the ease of adjustment for the driver. (Never heard of electric wing mirrors).

aerodynamics (and no where decent to stick them when everything went pointing down at the front)
pedestrian safety

mb1725

These were everywhere once upon a time: