Removing glass from rear view

[jim1932]

OK I bought a rear view mirror and need to get the glass resilvered. How do I get it off the metal part? I am afraid to break it or soak it i the wrong stuff.

[jim1932]

Has anyone ever taken this apart? Is it glued? Or is the silvering just deteriorated and stuck?

[DavidG]

They weren't glued together; it's likely the deterioration of the scrap topping material that was used to cushion the glass in the bracket. A single-edge razor blade should free it without damaging the glass.

[Clem Clement]

wear protective eye and hand wear.

[Bruce Lancaster]

The two halves of the bracket unscrew, already done, what's left is a strip of insulation that is something rather like friction tape. That insulation is just melted.
Since the silver is long departed, you might want to just put the whole thing into a can of thinner...I suspect that the goo sticking it all together will dissolve and you can then take it apart with no risk of breaking the class.

[jim1932]

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Thanks, Will give it a shot tonight. Anyone know what the finish on the edges should be when it is done? Do they silver the back AND the sides of the glass?

[DavidG]

If you have it re-silvered, the back will likely end up being a flat medium gray, not silver. It is likely that 'they' will not re-silver the edges as that could create some unwanted distoration of the image on the flat front surface. According the original engineering release, the back was painted silver, although some brown-painted mirrors have been encountered on original cars. Judging from your photos, your mirror was painted silver on the back surface.

[jim1932]

Painted like with paint? FYI...this is not the mirror that was on the car (which is incorrect). The thinner soak for an hour or two in combination with the razor blade and it came right apart.

Note for your future concours restorations you should stamp a red "N" on the padding.....{Couldn't resist}

[jim1932]

Originally Posted by jim1932

Painted like with paint? FYI...this is not the mirror that was on the car (which is incorrect). The thinner soak for an hour or two in combination with the razor blade and it came right apart.

Note for your future concours restorations you should stamp a red "N" on the padding.....{Couldn't resist}

I looked and looked and looked in the book (and probably still missed it , so sorry) but What is the material that acts like a pad on the back of the mirror. I am talking about the piece that has the N on it in the picture. With age and the thinner it is hard to tell that is was orginally. Looks like vinyl with the cloth on one side? I have the pattern, just trying to decide what to get for it. Or was there not a pad on it originally?

[DavidG]

Yes, painted with silver paint; see page 16-9 of the book. Have you found the index yet?

[jim1932]

I do know where the index isn read 16-9 and 16-10.

I am not an expert on how glass becomes a mirror so I was trying to clarify if the plain clear glass was treated with the silvering... and then back of the mirror was painted (over the silvering), or if the plain glass was painted with silver paint and that created the mirror (similar to the Krylon paint products).

[Lawson Cox]

Getting someone to re-silver the mirror will probably be impossible, or at least very expensive. Just have a good glass company cut you a new one and bevel the edges as per the original. That's what I did.

[DavidG]

While sources for re-silvering glass exist (I've had it done on some household mirrors), as Lawson says, you'll be way ahead money wise to have your mirror duplicated by a competent glass shop. If you don't have access to such a glass shop nearby, you may wish to buy a reproduction from Roy Nacewicz as he has access to a very competent shop.

No paint would create a reflective surface comparable to the silver coating on mirror glass. The paint was applied on top of the back of the silver refective surface. Likely its purpose was to protect the silver refective surface from deterioration. Any fast-drying aerosol flat silver enamel will do the job after you mask off the front and edges of the glass.

[Charlie Stephens]

Anyone know of a good source for a small amount of the "interior grey" used for the mirror bracket? (ref page 16-9 of the book) Does anyone know where else on the interior this color was used. I assume the sun visor brackets was the only other place on a deluxe 4 door. On a standard 4 door I assume this was also the color of the dash and window garnish moldings. Am I correct on my assumptions?

Charlie Stephens

[ken1939]

In the silver department, and I wish I could remember the product, but I think they make a product to do it yourself at home. I heard them refer to it on American Restorations one night, but missed the details.

Not sure this link would help.

http://www.make-stuff.com/formulas/mirrors.html

[DavidG]

Interesting to learn that it can be done on a DIY basis, but probably a lot more effort than called for in the case of a readily-replaceable piece of rear-view mirror glass. It was also informative that the silver is painted to protect it, just as was the case with the subject Ford mirror 79 years ago.

[51 MERC-CT]

Yes you can do it yourself. I bought this kit a number of years ago to do a wedge shaped day/nite mirror. (came out perfect)


http://angelgilding.com/A1204B.html


You can download instructions to see what it's all about.

[jim1932]

WOW...that looks like a pain. Especially with fumes and disposal of the chemicals. I'm going to just get one from Roy.

[jim1932]

Well.... I found a company in Kansas that will resilver it for $40 plus shipping. I'm going to give them a shot. I will let everyone know how it comes out.

[Bruce Lancaster]

Pad is original...do not remember if the book identifies the material...likely some sort of oilcloth. Nacewicz does repro that, already punched to shape.