M3 mirror conversion installed

[Sockethead]

This is something I've wanted to do for a while but just never had the time and it takes some serious time.
I wanted CF mirror shells to compliment my CF splitters and diffuser and the only way to get them is by doing the M3 mirror conversion.
This job is probably the most tedious job I've done yet on my car. I'd rather do a couple of diff swaps than do one of these again.
The installation has been covered in many threads here so I'm only going to touch on the sucky things I came across:
First, the ribbon cable connector is fragile as hell. Both of mine tore just trying to disconnect them. Im still trying to figure out how to repair them. I've never seen ribbon cable tear so easily. I've worked on hundreds of laptops servers etc. and never tore a single one. If I had to do it again, I'd reinforce the ribbon at the connector with some good tape.

I followed Rogue Engineering's instructions for the base plate completely. I used an air powered cut off wheel and that worked really well. Test fitted until perfect. I also ground a groove in the bottom rear of the base plate to hold it in and mate better with the flange of the door

Make sure you use heavy gauge/rigid plastic to make the adapter plates. I thought the stuff I used was good enough but by drivers side mirror vibrates because the plastic is too flexible. Again, your going to have to test fit over and over and egg out the holes to get everything to line up which is really hard because you're working with an odd shaped mirror.

Marking the new holes in the door took some creativity. I cut off two bolts and ground the ends into points and screwed into the mounting holes. I then put blue tape on the door where I figured the holes would go. The points bit into the tape and I had my holes marked. I used LockTight blue on the original screws to hold them on.

Big thanks to Charlie for the adapter plate template and giving me his old set of euro mirror glass so I could get them done in time for the meet!

I haven't seen any pics of the adapter plate in the shell without the motor...kinda gives you an idea of how the motor is oriented in the shell


Here are the screws used to mark the holes.



Mirror test fit process



The finished product

[Avetiso]

Wow, those mirrors look fantastic.

[Pip]

Great job!! That was a super tedious job when I did mine, but in the end worth it. I tore one of my cables and was able to repair it for a coupe months, but the tear was so close to the motor that it was not salvageable long term and I just bought a new mirror motor with cable.

[Sockethead]

Great job!! That was a super tedious job when I did mine, but in the end worth it. I tore one of my cables and was able to repair it for a coupe months, but the tear was so close to the motor that it was not salvageable long term and I just bought a new mirror motor with cable.

Yea I hated doing this mod but the end result speaks for itself.
How did you repair it? It sucks that the motors are junk just because of the connector on the end of the cable...

[ELCID86]

Nice job Rob.

[johnrando]

Very nice. Where did you get the covers from?

sent from a galaxy

[Sockethead]

Very nice. Where did you get the covers from?

Kpro got them for me at Turner for Christmas

[cakM3]

Rob, I'm glad I had the opportunity to help you out brotha You helped me out greatly by installing my LSD on my ZHP when I purchased it from you and then you helped set up my old diff for transfer....I couldn't ask for a better friend to do my install... the least I could do is help you in your M3 side mirror retrofit

Those mirrors look perfect on your ZHP my friend!!!

[Fenrir]

That looks awesome!

[MrMaico]

Looks great! I'd love to have some on mine but I don't know if I'd have the patience to get it all done. I couldn't believe how thin those ribbons are when I saw them on mine.