[OldTee]

It has been recommended that I remove the mirrors before painting on my 79SC. The book says to remove the mirror from the clips. If I understand it correctly there is a chance the mirror will break. Any tricks here? Am I unduly concerned?

ARF

[markwemple]

I tried to remove mine on my '76 and broke the mirror. The only concern is if you want to stay with the heated glass. It only cost me about $5 but for a plain mirror. The heated one was ~$75!!

[William Miller]

Mine came off fine. They were sort of like door panel clips they clipped into the holes that were lined with little soft plastic bushings.
I used a 1" wide putty knife to start the prying.

I have also seen a picture of a different mechanism that holds them on.
The picture showed the insetrion of a small, thin screwdriver that engaged into something that turned to unlock the mirror.

Good luck!

[OldTee]

Sounds like a 50-50 Sunday job. Since one is bad anyway I'll bet I break the good one!!! Life in the fast lane! :P

Thanks,
ARF

[William Miller]

Try the basdone first so you'll at least learn on it!
Luck!

[OldTee]

Bill wrote:

basdone

Done. However....

I think Porsche employes the dumbest mirror engineers on the face of the planet. I wish I could offer some hints, but I can't. Removing the mirror the way the official service manual says won't work, exactly. Prying the mirror broke both electric heater backing plates. ($200+) The keepers that hold it are too strong, no matter how carefully you try. Then there is the electrical connection. There is a plug that is too small to go down the hole in the base. First you must disconnect the connector to the wires. It is so finely designed that you cannot see how the thing comes apaprt the first time. Bently helped here. Then you must uncouple the mirror housing from the pedistal. No problem, 3 8mm bolts and 3 phillliphs head screws does that. Then you must remove the bottom 1/2 of the connector. To screw things up they have you remove the wires from the female end by inserting a scribe and pulling the wire. Out of 12 I broke the wires on 5 and must now try to find replaceable pins. To make sure you don't have it easy they designed it so you had to fish around inside the door to try to find enough slack so you can pull the car side connector far enough away from the car to remove the pins.

In 1979 we were sending men to the moon, designing high speed aircraft and other high tech stuff with the word 'maintainability' in mind. Why they put together this abomination, I will never know. Stupid, stupid.

[William Miller]

I was lucky on one of mine. Someone had previously cut the wiring harness inside the door. I couldn't make it worse, so I just cut them again!

I guess I shouldhave warned you but already forgot the agony.
When you put them back on don't forget to thread the gasket on first. No matter how many times I reminded myself I still forgot on one.

I have a little tool that punches the wires out if you still need one.
I was lucky on the mirrors. I was able to pry them off with out breaking.
My mirrors had the element, but I guess cab's didn't get the switch because no rear window!