Vitalonis

I found a set of OEM Vitaloni Californains on fleabay a while back. My 78GTS came with non OEM Flag style mirrors and I wanted the originals.

the vits i got have the original yellow californian sticker on them, and i can say i really dont like the sticker, but appreciate its original

for you guys with vitalonis, what do you think, keep 'em or peel 'em off? I konw its my car..but i value the peanut gallery.

Also, is there some sort of base gasket between the mirror base and the car?
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Oh man they gotta stay. Very correct. Even the concours guys look for the sticker from what I hear. (My single mirror on the driver's side has it .)

 

I peeled mine off. Car isn't show; never will be. I just didn't think they looked good.

 

Sledge,

My Californians have a rubber gasket underneath.

 

Demon Tweeks here in the UK always have these in stock, they are used on heaps of Classic Cars. Go to the paddock on any historic race meet and you'll see plenty (Lola T70's for instance)

The link shows the rubber gasket that sits between the mirror and the bodywork. Around US$ 48.00 each but I have only ever bought these mirrors when they have been on special offer at Demon Tweeks or Superformance in the UK

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Performance/Body_Styling_&_Exterior_Accessories/Mirrors/Vitaloni_Californian_Mirrors/589/1597

 

I got my Californians from Pegasus Racing and they came with base gaskets but no yellow sticker. I'm with you -- I can appreciate that the sticker is original, but I don't like the looks of it either.

Did the old mirror mounting base leave an impression on your paint? It looks like it in the first pic. Hopefully, it will buff out.

 

Yes there is a slight impression. Not sure if it will buff out or not....

 

Yes there's a base gasket, but sadly it matches the outline of the base plus maybe 1/16"...

You might have to sand/flash in paint to get that old outline off as I'm sure they remounted it in uncured paint.....

The sticker is gonna peel off, over time only the much later OEM flag Vitalonis had a rectangle Fcar logo, in a recess....

All mine are plain on the 1976-77s.....

 

Your mullion anodizing and window gaskets look fine, man...BIG difference in the early cars in that area....

 

I'm not sure if the sticker was on these mirrors in the mid-70s. They are today. And some vendors sell these stickers separately.

When I judge concours, I don't deduct for no sticker. Indeed, I chuckle to myself when I see it on the mirror housing.

It's like the ANSA decals. If they're not tattooed into the chrome, they're not original. One guy who makes the concours circuit puts new decals and red tape on his tips as soon as they cool down.

Or the fellow with the '77 GTB who showed me his "original" MOMO steering wheel which he said he wanted to preserve so he had one of the newer MOMO wheels mounted. The only problem was that his "original" wheel was date-stamped April 1978.

Judging can be a real experience!

 

What do you mean? Are they not correct?

 

I cut some out of a sheet of thin rubber to exactly match the outline

 

So you can swap flag mirrors to those and the holes are covered entirely? I'd been wondering about that.

 

the flag mirrors have an adapter plate that uses the existing holes, so yes, at least on my mirrors.

 

Guess I am the odd one. I think the flag mirror is like those big towing mirrors people use on trucks hauling a camper.

Remember, what is behind you is not important!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjGXn249Fc0

 

AFAIK the 78GTS cars originally came with California Vitaloni mirrors. A previous owner must have changed them to a non OEM flag version then mounting them with the adapter plate thus requiring no additional holes to be drilled. Reversing back to original should mean no holes to cover.

 

I guess what I was asking is if you could put vitaonlis on a US QV that came with flag mirrors without having to weld up the holes.

I hate the flag mirrors. I know they're OEM, and worth a lot of money, but they sure are ugly.

 

Not sure, but the bolt spacing is 3"

I think the vitaloni californians are little works of art



.
Image Unavailable, Please Login