New/Used 1800ES "Albert" Wing Mirrors

jamesm80 · Oct 21st, 2013, 10:27

Hi,
The chrome wing mirrors on my 1800ES are starting to degrade badly. The mirror glass coating is coming off. The problem is that the past owner had some bodywork done and the mirror stalks are permanently fixed to the wings and cannot be removed without major problems. I hunted around and found some new mirror "tops", and the pictures from the supplier looked ok. Stupidly I didn't ask for measurements or stamping on the back of the mirror. They were genuine Volvo, so I assumed it must be correct. When they turned up they were a little bigger and the fitting at the back slightly different. It was then I realised that my mirrors had the name "Albert" stamped on the back (as well as the volvo logo).

Does anyone know where I might be able to get these "Albert" manufacturered mirror tops? or maybe there is a re-pro one that will fit my existing "Albert" stalks?

Thanks,
James.

ClassicVolvoShop · Oct 21st, 2013, 11:41

There are no reproduction of those Albert mirrors you describe (as I understand it you are talking about the ones I have attached a picture of).

I also guess they are pretty scarce in the UK - although somewhat common in Sweden.
I might be able to help you - but best tip is to be extra carefull with restored ones, as they are often done with what I call bathroom-mirror glas cut outs - which WONT work for anything other than 'looks'. Mirror glass must be convex etc. to do as an auto-mirror.

It would be nice so see (pictures?) of what exactly it is that has been done to your Volvo.. it sounds like a rather strange way to do things - and these mirrors shouldn't be difficult to mount etc.? (It's the word "permanently" here that makes me wonder.. the mirror base/foot is a casted alloy/zink-thing, so it can't be welded or so to the wing?)

BTW - the set shown is NOS and for sale - but price range have a tendency to differ quite some between the VOC forum and the-rest-of-the-World.

jamesm80 · Oct 21st, 2013, 15:47

Hi,
I've attached a picture of the albert mirror, it looks the same as your picture... but maybe the angle of your photograph makes them look e-longated?

Truth is, I'm doing this research for a friend so it's not really my car. All I can say is the owner is adamant they are not willing to remove the stalks. If it were me, they'd be off and new ones on... BUT they did say there was a lot of rust behind the stalk mounting and they have used filler, fibreglass and lead plate?? to permanently hold the stalks on because professionals who did major bodywork in the past "skipped" doing those little issues. The owner reckons that if they are removed, they are going to end up having to have the wing patched up and welded, and they don't want to go down that road.

hence all of this problem trying to match up the mirror tops...

Forgive me being a little stupid, but what do you mean "NOS"? If the mirrors you have are correct and your willing to sell, let me know how much and I can pass on the info to the owner. Ideally they only want the mirror tops, but I guess you wouldn't want to split them apart. At the end of the day if it must sell as a set, I doubt they'd refuse. I certainly haven't found any albert mirrors anywhere else yet and I've look for weeks.

Thanks,
James.

ClassicVolvoShop · Oct 21st, 2013, 16:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesm80

Hi,
I've attached a picture of the albert mirror, it looks the same as your picture... but maybe the angle of your photograph makes them look e-longated?

Well, they are the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesm80

Truth is, I'm doing this research for a friend so it's not really my car. All I can say is the owner is adamant they are not willing to remove the stalks. If it were me, they'd be off and new ones on... BUT they did say there was a lot of rust behind the stalk mounting and they have used filler, fibreglass and lead plate?? to permanently hold the stalks on because professionals who did major bodywork in the past "skipped" doing those little issues. The owner reckons that if they are removed, they are going to end up having to have the wing patched up and welded, and they don't want to go down that road.

hence all of this problem trying to match up the mirror tops...

OK.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesm80

...
Forgive me being a little stupid, but what do you mean "NOS"? .

NOS = New Old Stock

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_old_stock

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesm80

If the mirrors you have are correct and your willing to sell, let me know how much and I can pass on the info to the owner. Ideally they only want the mirror tops, but I guess you wouldn't want to split them apart. At the end of the day if it must sell as a set, I doubt they'd refuse. I certainly haven't found any albert mirrors anywhere else yet and I've look for weeks.

Thanks,
James.

Let me check what I have in my box-of-mirror-parts and get back to you - it shouldn't be all too difficult to find a set of nice complete mirror heads.

ClassicVolvoShop · Oct 22nd, 2013, 21:51

James,

I was able to find a NOS mirror head - although not 100% perfect - has some tiny storage marks etc. - sadly only for the left side.. I should be able to get hold of a matching one for the right side via a friend.. But let me know if this is suitable.. Photos was done with my mobile phone - so not the best.. sorry.

jamesm80 · Oct 23rd, 2013, 10:25

Hi,
Thanks for doing this. I just spoken to the owner and they have said that if they can only get one, then it's really the right hand side that's the most critical to get hold of. They also said that at a last resort they would buy the full set with stalks.

How much do you want to the full set with stalks, shown in the first picture you posted? Bearing in mind it would have to be shipped to the UK?

ClassicVolvoShop · Oct 23rd, 2013, 10:32

Let me check with my friend - then I'll know the options

jamesm80 · Oct 25th, 2013, 10:13

Ok. Well the owner is travelling down to see me today, if you can let me know a price for the set at least then he'll have an idea of how much he might be spending.

jamesm80 · Oct 27th, 2013, 16:25

Hello,
Thanks for getting back to me regarding price. It's quite a lot more than the person was willing to pay really. The ones that I got for him that turned out to be wrong were approx. 90 GBP but luckily we can get a refund. Still, I can understand that you'd want a fair bit because of the alberts being more rare.

The owner is very keen and hopes that you might locate a right hand mirror to complete a set of mirror tops... a bit of wear on the chrome isn't an issue, it's most important that the glass is in good condition. Fingers crossed that you come up with something.

P.S. sorry that I couldn't PM reply you, but it would not allow as I'm a new user to the forum.

Thanks for you help so far,
James.

ClassicVolvoShop · Oct 27th, 2013, 16:31

Email me directly - I have pictures for you..

soren (at) classicvolvoshop dot com

Oct 21st, 2013, 10:27	#1
jamesm80 New Member Last Online: Nov 14th, 2013 17:35 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Lincolnshire	New/Used 1800ES "Albert" Wing Mirrors Hi, The chrome wing mirrors on my 1800ES are starting to degrade badly. The mirror glass coating is coming off. The problem is that the past owner had some bodywork done and the mirror stalks are permanently fixed to the wings and cannot be removed without major problems. I hunted around and found some new mirror "tops", and the pictures from the supplier looked ok. Stupidly I didn't ask for measurements or stamping on the back of the mirror. They were genuine Volvo, so I assumed it must be correct. When they turned up they were a little bigger and the fitting at the back slightly different. It was then I realised that my mirrors had the name "Albert" stamped on the back (as well as the volvo logo). Does anyone know where I might be able to get these "Albert" manufacturered mirror tops? or maybe there is a re-pro one that will fit my existing "Albert" stalks? Thanks, James.

Oct 23rd, 2013, 10:32	#7
ClassicVolvoShop Schrödinger's Cat Cph! Last Online: Jan 5th, 2017 00:29 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Copenhagen	Let me check with my friend - then I'll know the options __________________ '64 131, '64 221, '64 222, '96 945

Oct 27th, 2013, 16:31	#10
ClassicVolvoShop Schrödinger's Cat Cph! Last Online: Jan 5th, 2017 00:29 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Copenhagen	Email me directly - I have pictures for you.. soren (at) classicvolvoshop dot com __________________ '64 131, '64 221, '64 222, '96 945

Oct 23rd, 2013, 10:25	#6
jamesm80 New Member Last Online: Nov 14th, 2013 17:35 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Lincolnshire	Hi, Thanks for doing this. I just spoken to the owner and they have said that if they can only get one, then it's really the right hand side that's the most critical to get hold of. They also said that at a last resort they would buy the full set with stalks. How much do you want to the full set with stalks, shown in the first picture you posted? Bearing in mind it would have to be shipped to the UK?

Oct 25th, 2013, 10:13	#8
jamesm80 New Member Last Online: Nov 14th, 2013 17:35 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Lincolnshire	Ok. Well the owner is travelling down to see me today, if you can let me know a price for the set at least then he'll have an idea of how much he might be spending.

Oct 27th, 2013, 16:25	#9
jamesm80 New Member Last Online: Nov 14th, 2013 17:35 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Lincolnshire	Hello, Thanks for getting back to me regarding price. It's quite a lot more than the person was willing to pay really. The ones that I got for him that turned out to be wrong were approx. 90 GBP but luckily we can get a refund. Still, I can understand that you'd want a fair bit because of the alberts being more rare. The owner is very keen and hopes that you might locate a right hand mirror to complete a set of mirror tops... a bit of wear on the chrome isn't an issue, it's most important that the glass is in good condition. Fingers crossed that you come up with something. P.S. sorry that I couldn't PM reply you, but it would not allow as I'm a new user to the forum. Thanks for you help so far, James.

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