Period correct mirrors for my car

[Driv3r]

What is the correct side mirror for my March 73 Tii? RogersTii description says that Trapezoidal mirrors were installed up until 1972 on 02s. Since I bought my car in pieces as a project, a set of flag mirrors were included in parts box. I have seen a lot of 73 Tii's with Trapezoid mirrors and like to know if my car originally came with flag mirrors or trapezoids. Thanks

[jgerock]

I think the flag mirrors started with the square light cars in 74 (late 73).  The flag mirrors certainly provide better viewing, which may be why so many cars still have them.  Both my 69 and 73 2002's came to me with (1) flag mirror.

[02Les]

I have yet to find a sales brochure for the 2002 that shows a car with a "flag" mirror.

The 1975 sales brochure shows a Siena car with a "trap" mirror.

Edited May 28, 2017 by 02Les

[Driv3r]

So do you reckon mirror style was a customer option?

[jgerock]

Les is correct.  I just looked at all my sales brochures including the 76 and all show the trapezoid on them (not the early cars). Maybe the E21 series introduced the flag - or the 1502?  I have a 1502 brochure scanned - need to look at it again.

Edited May 28, 2017 by jgerock

[MatthewCervi]

58 minutes ago, jgerock said:

I think the flag mirrors started with the square light cars in 74 (late 73).  The flag mirrors certainly provide better viewing, which may be why so many cars still have them.  Both my 69 and 73 2002's came to me with (1) flag mirror.

It seems odd to me that so many cars had their mirrors replaced.  I almost never see the trapezoidal mirrors and those are often new replacements of the incorrect flag mirrors.  Where did all the trap mirrors go and why did people in the 70's and 80's decide en masse to replace them?

 

Incidentally, flag mirrors were introduced for the E3 in 1/76 (and my 6/71 Bavaria has a flag mirror).  If that was done across the line then it would have been after the 76 2002 brochures were printed.

[Mike Self]

2002 Mirrors 101...the early, thin mirrors (AKA swan-neck) were used from the beginning of production until sometime in late 1970/early '71 (possibly until the "modell 71" cars came out in mid-71).  Those mirrors were also used on NK sedans, and were mounted on the very leading edge of the driver's door.  This same mounting (one stud, one screw) were used on 66 and 67 1600s, but AFAIK never on the 2002s (at least US spec cars), which began with the 1968 model year.  

 

The factory then switched to the trapezoid mirrors, which were used through the end of 1974 production.  The flag mirrors were used on the 75-76 cars in the US, and also on early E21s before they received built-in electric mirrors.  

 

All US cars were factory fitted only with driver's side (left) mirrors; right side mirrors were dealer or owner installed accessories.  Early mirrors aren't "handed;"  trap and flag mirrors are.

 

Two confusion factors:

1.  the larger (and thus safer) flag mirrors were commonly retrofitted to earlier cars--also because right side flag mirrors were much more commonly available.  

2. BMW had a habit of recycling photos for their sales brochures, sometimes airbrushing in new features, sometimes not.  That "75" car with the trap mirrors was either a picture taken of an otherwise identical '74 and used in that year's brochure, or was a very early production car that didn't have the new mirror on it.  Look at the 1975 and 1976 brochures (also '72 and 73) and you'll see identical pictures used for both years.  Plays holy hell with us 40 years later trying to determine what's "year correct" and what isn't.

 

hope that helps.

 

mike

 

PS--note post number:  12002...

Edited May 28, 2017 by mike

[Simeon]

Are the flag mirrors a US thing? Larger and therefore presumably safer mirrors fits with the US only market in those days. The rest of the world could put up with the smaller mirrors. 

 

All sales literature = never US spec cars. 

[Driv3r]

That means turbo was also released with trap mirrors.

[esty]

my 76 arrived with a single flag..

[SydneyTii]

My Australian  74tii  had trap mirrors (which I have changed to flag, I think they look better on a later car), however nearly all my later (plastic grill) 02's in the UK had flag mirrors, my UK rrl had trap mirrors if that helped.....

Edited May 28, 2017 by SydneyTii

[Glen Karr]

My 74 Tii came with a single trap mirror.  Because of it's deteriorating condition I replaced with a flag mirror in '89.  I don't think a new trap mirror was available for purchase in '89.

Glen

[Russkcpa]

Love the look of trap mirrors. 

[mgben]

Has anyone compared reproduction Trap or Flag mirrors from different vendors or are they all the same? or are OEM available? 

Any good sources for them? (Blunt, Vintageautobahn?, etc etc.. )

Any brands to avoid? (PM is fine).

I have single trap 73.. trying to resist the urge to go flag. 

[Driv3r]

Has anyone compared reproduction Trap or Flag mirrors from different vendors or are they all the same? or are OEM available?  Any good sources for them? (Blunt, Vintageautobahn?, etc etc.. )

Any brands to avoid? (PM is fine).

I have single trap 73.. trying to resist the urge to go flag. 

 

 

I have new pairs of spare repro trapezoids and flags that I'll be selling soon but I'm not in USA. I'm installing new chrome talbots.