So since I am in the vicinity removing my window regulators to clean the tracks and figured I would drill the door for the factory mirror BUT as I look from the inside of the door. There is NO welded nut for the mirror screws like the later doors have.

So what have other members done to resolve this ?

Weld the nuts there, nut certs or hold the nut from the inside and tighten the screw from the outside and hope it doesn't gets loose.

Is the early doors not suppose to have mirror on the passenger door, does it not look original. What does everyone think ? My 71 is pretty stock looking and I would like to keep it that way.

Let me know folks.

Hmm. That's odd. As I recall, the /6 had the passenger mirror as an option and your car falls within the same year.

FYI, Most use the regular driver mirror as the passenger mirror. However, the passenger option mirror is SLIGHTLY different. The dimensions and housing are the same. The mirrored glass is ever so slightly different in that the reflected image is different. I don't remember if you see more in the mirror of if images seem closer, but it's almost not noticeable. They are available, but nearly impossible to differentiate by sight unless side by side. Also, I believe the part number on the back is different. I can look it up if you like. They are rare and more expensive. Most people don't bother.

Odd though there are no holes in your door. I wonder what year the passenger mirror became an option? Maybe '72? That would also explain the /6 option for that year as well.

My early doors on the my 70 has them as did my 72. I would just back the screws up with nuts. weld the nuts in place if your repainting the car.

Both my '71's had nuts in place for the mirror even though the holes weren't drilled. If you want to make it easy, rivnuts would be one solution. Weld a nut if you want it to look stock.

Rivet nuts, or pem nuts look kinda oversized like pop rivets and are installed the same way. Once properly installed, they don't need a wrench to hold them.



You can install them with a bolt, but the proper tool is highly recommended.



Once the mirror is on the car, you would never see them because the mirror base would cover them.

Just measure carefully so the mirror ends up in the right spot. Copy the measurements from the left side.

Good luck.

Maybe the door was re-skinned at some point?

This is most unusual for the pre-drilled holes to not be there. I presume at some point there was a mirror there and a previous owner didn't want it there, so removed it and possibly welded metal in. Or possibly it was a fluke that it wasn't drilled in at the factory. Stranger things have happened.

This is good info. I have a second, near mint side mirror I considering putting on my LE. It would be authentic as a factory option, but I haven't convinced myself yet to alter my door as I'm very particular to keeping it all OG. I'm sure I'll end up with another 914 at some point. I may put the second on that one. I was also considering selling it due to its condition. Not sure yet.

Just to clarify:

There should not be any holes. The doors were not pre-drilled. However, there should be weld-nuts inside the door, in locations that correspond to the weld-nuts for the driver's side mirror.

Note that these put the passenger's side mirror in a poor location, where much of it is blocked by the bar between the wing window and the main side window.

--DD

Yes, that's correct. I worded it wrong. There were not pre-holes there, but the nuts underneath as an indicator of where to drill if a mirror was installed.

Hi folks, just an update of what I found. So there was holes on the passenger door. My old eyes and I did not know what to look for. I was expecting to see some nuts actually welded to the back of the door. The holes are actually on the l bar. It looked way to small for the mirror screws when I saw it. I had to prove it to myself and screwed in some screws to convince myself. Dont mind the other outer set of holes. Those were from a previous Vitaloni mirror install. Since I went through all the trouble of disaasembling the door I drilled the holes for the mirror. .

So YES there are holes on my 71 door for the outer mirror.

Thanks folks.

Click to view attachment

And there you have it.

Do ALL, (at least '73 doors) have the nuts pre-installed?

AFAIK, they all do.

...Of course, with 914s that sort of answer usually brings out at least one case where it did not happen...

--DD

so this brings about another puzzle. Who forgot to weld the nuts on the back that day? A little too much at lunch.

I laid it out. I center punched. I drilled on faith, and they were right there. Exact. 5 minute installation.

Is there a way to find exactly where these holes are without taking the door apart?

As Dave Darling said, they match the location on the driver's side. But all you have to do is pull off the door panel to verify the location. What does that take ..... a minute? Then you can use a spring loaded punch through the holes and make a pimple on the outer metal. Start drilling with a small bit and work your way up to the size you need to get the screws to thread.

IIRC, they DO NOT match the location on the driver's door. I think they're offset farther aft so the mirror becomes visible to the driver. I "could" be wrong, however.

The Cap'n

They are exactly where the left door ones are. I just drilled my right door yesterday. Easy.

Same location driver & passenger side ...

Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment

Hmmmmm. Musta been thinking of the 911. Sorry.

The Cap'n

Must be OldTimers disease...