Re-silvering rear-view mirror glass

Conaway2

Conaway2

Well-known member
The original silvering on the back of the rear view mirror glass on my 1929 sport coupe is pretty much gone. This is the inside mirror mounted on the header panel just below the top. I’d like to resilver the original glass rather than buying a repro piece.

Has anyone done this using the flexible Mylar silver film ? Or is there another simple way to do this ?

Many thanks - Jim
 
Guess I am not seeing how using some sort of fakey film would be any different then replacing the mirror? Don't know of any film that would give the reflective view that would or should be needed for a rear view mirror.
 
Conaway2 said:
The original silvering on the back of the rear view mirror glass on my 1929 sport coupe is pretty much gone. This is the inside mirror mounted on the header panel just below the top. I’d like to resilver the original glass rather than buying a repro piece.

Has anyone done this using the flexible Mylar silver film ? Or is there another simple way to do this ?

Many thanks - Jim
Click to expand...
I'd bet that you can find an orig. Perseverance Pays.
 
redmodelt said:
Guess I am not seeing how using some sort of fakey film would be any different then replacing the mirror? Don't know of any film that would give the reflective view that would or should be needed for a rear view mirror.
Click to expand...
He wants an original mirror. In his original car. Anyone in this interest can understand that.

Obviously you're from 'somewhere else'.
 
Conaway2 said:
The original silvering on the back of the rear view mirror glass on my 1929 sport coupe is pretty much gone. This is the inside mirror mounted on the header panel just below the top. I’d like to resilver the original glass rather than buying a repro piece.

Has anyone done this using the flexible Mylar silver film ? Or is there another simple way to do this ?

Many thanks - Jim
Click to expand...
I'd bet that you can find an original. Perseverance Pays
 
highbeams said:
He wants an original mirror. In his original car. Anyone in this interest can understand that.

Obviously you're from 'somewhere else'.
Click to expand...

Every time you drive the car you are wearing out the originality. Each day,even if you are not driving the car, fabrics degrade,paints fade, tires rot..acids in engine oil eat bearing material. It is an automobile (a mass produced one) and used as intended it will wear out..Now if this was true concours de elegance car I’d see your snide comment.. but it’s a Model A Ford..ok, that being said resilvering costs anywhere from 100 to 350 bucks on a piece of mirror you can buy from the vendors for a few bucks..
 
jack backer said:
Every time you drive the car you are wearing out the originality. Each day,even if you are not driving the car, fabrics degrade,paints fade, tires rot..acids in engine oil eat bearing material. It is an automobile (a mass produced one) and used as intended it will wear out..Now if this was true concours de elegance car I’d see your snide comment.. but it’s a Model A Ford..ok, that being said resilvering costs anywhere from 100 to 350 bucks on a piece of mirror you can buy from the vendors for a few bucks..
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Thank you.
 
Rustoleum makes a mirror effect spray paint that is awesome. Clean off all the old silver with whatever works, clean the glass and spray 5 coats as per instructions.
 
jack backer said:
Every time you drive the car you are wearing out the originality. Each day,even if you are not driving the car, fabrics degrade,paints fade, tires rot..acids in engine oil eat bearing material. It is an automobile (a mass produced one) and used as intended it will wear out..Now if this was true concours de elegance car I’d see your snide comment.. but it’s a Model A Ford..ok, that being said resilvering costs anywhere from 100 to 350 bucks on a piece of mirror you can buy from the vendors for a few bucks..
Click to expand...

I bet you’re fun to be around at parties.
 
"Geez Louise"
My vote for the most (and best)diplomatic, non passive aggressive reply. Thanks for that one. And you're right Oldbluoval, some days are better than others for some (or all of us). Best not to take comments too personally.
....Still very grateful for the/this site though.
 
jack backer said:
Every time you drive the car you are wearing out the originality. Each day,even if you are not driving the car, fabrics degrade,paints fade, tires rot..acids in engine oil eat bearing material. It is an automobile (a mass produced one) and used as intended it will wear out..Now if this was true concours de elegance car I’d see your snide comment.. but it’s a Model A Ford..ok, that being said resilvering costs anywhere from 100 to 350 bucks on a piece of mirror you can buy from the vendors for a few bucks..
Click to expand...

Jack, I think where some of this comes from is, many of us are 'restorers' that have been in this hobby for several decades. I have been around the restoration of Model-As for about 6 decades. The mentality of this hobby in the last 2 - 3 decades is to now 'replace' instead of 'restore'. Most will agree that it is WAY harder, -and more challenging to 'Restore' instead of 'Replace' a component, ...and especially when someone is replicating a period of time with something where authenticity is judged by functionality and aesthetics. A great argument can be made where most people in the hobby cannot do authentic restoration, ...therefore many choose to diss the ones that do have the desire to expand their skillset trying to restore.

BTW, the mirror that the vendors sell as a replacement is not the correct thickness, -nor is it the proper dimensions. So what does someone gain by destroying history by replacing with something that is easy to do, and is unauthentic when compared to an original component??


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Far be it for me to tell anyone what to do with their money or car. Hell, you can fill it with concrete and use it as a doorstop if you want.

They are original only once, re silver to your hearts content, it will never be original again, maybe you can convince some judge in the personality contest that’s “fine point judging” of its authenticity.. I’ll be driving mine with the repo mirror and using the car as it was designed, economical transportation.
 
highbeams said:
I'd bet that you can find an original. Perseverance Pays
Click to expand...

Thanks Highbeams - I’d like to keep this car as original as I can with the parts that came on it. If I can’t make the original mirror glass usable again, I’ll look for a good original, as I know that repro mirrors don’t fit well.

This coupe I’m working on will be a driver, not a fine point car.

Jim
 
This mirror has a wind up clock with a Ford logo on the face and I sent it to someone years ago that Steve Becker at Bert's recommended. No way would I try a DIY job on this!
 

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