Not really a hit on NPD

[vintageman]

I recently purchased a front windshield from NPD and installed it last weekend, it fit correctly for my fastback, so that is not the issue. The issue is that it had a pre-placed plate for the rearview mirror. The mirror placement was 7 inches down and therefore is too low. It should be about 5 inches or so. At this point my rearview mirror sits just a couple inches off of my dash and looks like an early model chevy. Not too happy at the moment and will be looking for a rearview mirror that has a flexible arm that will raise the mirror. BTW my mirror is not OEM, I bought that from NPD as well.

Tom

 

[MikeGriese]

Did you tell them about it? Sounds like a defect to me.

 

[71ProjectJunk]

Can you post a photo?

 

[Stanglover]

That's the problem with way too much repop stuff we have to deal with. Junk!
You may have read in past posts from me, that when my car was repainted back in 2014, the glass installers went through 6 windshields before they got one to actually "fit", let alone one with the mirror base in the correct place. If yours fitted first time, you got lucky.
You could try a windshield installer and see if they can remove and replace the mirror base, or do it yourself. They are only glued on.

 

[basstrix]

Per Stanglover's suggestion, I would certainly consider relocating it myself or having the glass guy do it. I understand one shouldn't have to do that, but considering we're working with parts that are way outside of the mainstream, there are consolations we sometimes deal with.

I would, however, complain to NPD and see what they will do for you. Merely accepting defective stuff won't do anything to drive improvement and amounts to a hidden cost.

 

[vintageman]

Thanks everyone and I will post a pic soon. I did complain to NPD and have not heard back from them yet. I will see if I can relocate the plate but concerned that I will also crack the windshield trying to remove it.

Tom

 

[Stanglover]

Wellllll, I just took a look at mine and guess what, the top of the mount IS 7" down from the top of the windshield. I inverted my factory mirror stem to put the mirror in the correct place. Here's a pic, but with a bit of a glare on it.

 

[vintageman]

Thanks Geoff, I will give that a shot when I go out to the car. I appreciate it.

Tom

 

[ib4stangs]

My glass guy used a Benzomatic torch to heat the outside glass lightly behind a mount one time and it came right off with a razor scraper...

 

[vintageman]

Thanks for the advice ib4stangs, hopefully it doesn't come to that but will keep that in mind. I could see how a little heat would loosen it up.

Tom

 

[Kilgon]

I recently purchased a front windshield from NPD and installed it last weekend, it fit correctly for my fastback, so that is not the issue. The issue is that it had a pre-placed plate for the rearview mirror. The mirror placement was 7 inches down and therefore is too low. It should be about 5 inches or so. At this point my rearview mirror sits just a couple inches off of my dash and looks like an early model chevy. Not too happy at the moment and will be looking for a rearview mirror that has a flexible arm that will raise the mirror. BTW my mirror is not OEM, I bought that from NPD as well.

Tom

I got my windshield from NPD also. Just measured and my mirror mount is also 7" down from the top. Are you for sure that is not where it is supposed to be? My mirror seems to be in the right position.

 

[Stanglover]

I just thought of this, the Mach 1/Fastback windshield is different to coups and verts, and with the roofline on the Mach or Fastback and the restricted view, the mirror position will also be different and why it is lower, but that said, I'm not sure it needs to be 7" from the top. I could see 6". Perhaps there is someone out there with an original factory Mach 1 windshield who can check for us. It would be interesting to know who's right or wrong.

 

[piper62j]

I must agree about the poor quality of aftermarket parts. Currently, they're just about all we have for our classics. It's very possible that over time the quality of fitment will improve, so we must reject those poor-quality parts and send them back to the manufacturer which will send a message. Garbage in --- Garbage out..

 

[BOZJOHN]

I recently purchased a front windshield from NPD and installed it last weekend, it fit correctly for my fastback, so that is not the issue. The issue is that it had a pre-placed plate for the rearview mirror. The mirror placement was 7 inches down and therefore is too low. It should be about 5 inches or so. At this point my rearview mirror sits just a couple inches off of my dash and looks like an early model chevy. Not too happy at the moment and will be looking for a rearview mirror that has a flexible arm that will raise the mirror. BTW my mirror is not OEM, I bought that from NPD as well.

Tom

My 73' factory windshield/mirror location is 5-1/2" from bottom of outside trim to center of mount.

 

[Stanglover]

My 73' factory windshield/mirror location is 5-1/2" from bottom of outside trim to center of mount.

That's about where I would think the mirror would be placed for a Vert or Coupe windshield.
Tomorrow or maybe Tuesday, I'm going to see a buddy who owns a Boss 351. I think the windshield might be original, if so I'll measure the mirror location.

EDIT: My friend's Boss is up on top of a 4 post hoist and covered, so not reachable. His 429 has a repop windshield same as we have. I would say it is as close as you're going to get.

 

[midlife]

You sure you didn't mount the windshield upside down? *G*

 

[DAverkamp]

Here you go. If you are 6'1ish, if you have the same NPD mirror mount "sold separately" from windshield, it needs to be mounted 5 5/8" down from the bottom of the trim on a ragtop to be able to see an Ahole tailgater's face closely as he is admiring how cool our cars are!

 

[vintageman]

Thanks again everyone for. your thoughts (and Midlife's humor), I went out and remeasured and it is at the 7 inch with the mount placement. I was able to take the mirror off and loosen up the arm and get it sitting a little higher but it still looks too low but not as bad as it was. I will probably just live with it and when (because they always do) the mount falls off, relocate it to a higher point. At least I have a windshield in now that fits and isn't gouged up like my old one was.

Tom

 

[Stanglover]

Mach 1 and Fastback mirror placement is going to be different I'm sure. Mine is 7" down and with the mirror mounted as my pics show, it's about right to see through the 14 degree rear window. It's about as good as it gets I'm afraid.

A friend of mine recently put a rear view/back-up/dashcam camera on his wife's car as it did not have a back-up camera. I have ordered a similar one to try on the Mustang. I won't get it for a few days yet, but will post on it IF it works. I know others have bought cameras, but the trick will be to "hide" the camera at the back.

 

[Big Red Mach 1]

A friend of mine recently put a rear view/back-up/dashcam camera on his wife's car as it did not have a back-up camera. I have ordered a similar one to try on the Mustang. I won't get it for a few days yet, but will post on it IF it works. I know others have bought cameras, but the trick will be to "hide" the camera at the back.

It's not difficult. You can go through the little grommet for the license plate bulb. That gets you right into the trunk area. You can barely see the camera when mounted up under the little lip above the plate. Standing up behind the car you don't see it at all. You have to crouch down for it to become visible at all.