Flag vs. trapezoid mirror ?

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mark99

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Can someone post photos and/or links showing the differences between the flag and trapezoid mirrors?


My car is a 72 but I think it has a ‘flag’ mirror
It had repairs before I bought it
 
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Yes. Mine had flags put on when repainted in the 80's. The trapezoid bases are slightly smaller so your paint will have to be in good nick in order to retrofit without noticing. My friend's 73 has traps and they are difficult to see out of. But I still want to go back to traps because they look better.


mark99 said:
Thanks! and to confirm, a 72 would have the trapezoid?
Click to expand...
 
Thanks,
My car is currently being repainted, so now is the time for these sort of things
 
twistinglane said:
1974 brochure. Do I see both types of mirrors here? And thanks for posting the nice brochure, Bert!
http://e9coupe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10224
Click to expand...

Those are all Trapezoid mirrors. The Orange Parts book 1/76 has no Flag mirrors. 2800CS at first had the swan style mirror, it was seen in that assembly line photo. Talbot was available but rarely seen in the US, I think Hoffman coupes all had Traps. My 69 NK would have had the swan mirror too along with early e3.
 
Stevehose said:
Yes. Mine had flags put on when repainted in the 80's. The trapezoid bases are slightly smaller so your paint will have to be in good nick in order to retrofit without noticing. My friend's 73 has traps and they are difficult to see out of. But I still want to go back to traps because they look better.
Click to expand...

+1
I think trap mirror matches the E9 design pretty well, or to be honest, it's more or less perfect :)

I could agree of the negative part of the functionality.
But what's in the rear mirror is just history. Keep focus what's in front of you instead ;)

Still, do not forgot to drive safe....
 
The Trap mirrors may look great...but are next to useless.

On my '72 2002 I replaced them with Flag mirrors the first week i owned the car. This was in 1978.

Same with the coupe...and thanks to Chris who gave me the mirror, i can actually see behind me. Drivers side only...passenger side to come.

Great visibility in these cars, but as in any car, knowing where you are and what is around you is critical at speed.

Swap them out for Traps at the car show...but Flag mirrors actually work.
 
HB Chris said:
Those are all Trapezoid mirrors. The Orange Parts book 1/76 has no Flag mirrors. 2800CS at first had the swan style mirror, it was seen in that assembly line photo. Talbot was available but rarely seen in the US, I think Hoffman coupes all had Traps. My 69 NK would have had the swan mirror too along with early e3.
Click to expand...

factory photos to backup @HB Chris's observations...
6.jpg

2800cs.jpg
 
Markos, Your photo shows the early swan neck mirror fitted to early euro spec 2800CS only, it was soon replaced by the trapezoid mirror. Europe got the coupe first in late 68, the US coupes weren't assembled until Sept of 69 and are all model year 1970 vehicles.
 
Simple choice. If you are a "form follows function" person use flag mirror.
If like DQ you are a "form follows form" person, then trapeziodal.
 
HB Chris said:
Markos, Your photo shows the early swan neck mirror fitted to early euro spec 2800CS only, it was soon replaced by the trapezoid mirror. Europe got the coupe first in late 68, the US coupes weren't assembled until Sept of 69 and are all model year 1970 vehicles.
Click to expand...

Why yes. That is why I put your quote in bold and added pictures.
 
I spent some energy sourcing flag mirrors, but plan to ditch them (sell them at a fair price to a forum member) and replace with trapezoid mirrors. Honestly, the trapezoids are the same size or possible larger than the mirrors on the M3, and I see out of those just fine. With a good position/adjustment, and a general high degree of awareness of what is going on around you while driving, I trust they will be perfect.
 
I guess I'm in the minority and I prefer the flag mirrors.

However, not as aesthetically pleasing, I'm going to put on my power E3 mirrors eventually.
 
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