Datsun 240Z Door Mirrors

In Body, In the Garage by George4 Comments

Last weekend I was presented with an opportunity to buy a right hand door mirror – otherwise known as unicorn poo. If you have tried to locate one you know how difficult they are to track down. It was the very first item I started searching for when I bought my car in 2014 and I thought I had finally cracked it!

Sadly the listing was misleading and the mirror I bought was for the left hand side. It did teach me a bit about the differences in right hand and left had mirrors though and I’d like to share that with you.

Here is the mirror I bought.

Don’t be be confused by the mirror part being angled for the RH side. I did that thinking it was a RH mirror. It can swivel all the way around to it’s correct LH side position.

The main difference I’ve realised is the stalk angle to it’s base. Looking at the mirror face, the RH one leans to the left (towards the car) and the LH one leans to the right (again, towards the car).

The mirror head swivel is a clever design if only the stalk was 90 degrees to the base. Sadly they deemed it important to design it at a different angle and cursed us all to waste our time searching for unicorn poo.

This mirror is part number 96301-E4600 as per the box. A quick Google search will take you to a variety of US LH side mirrors.

After some digging around I found the Australian RH door part number is actually 96302-E8800 but good luck finding that. Part 96301-E4100 is the Europe equivalent right hand side mirror and 96302-E4100 for the left hand side.

Here are a couple of helpful photos with what looks like correct mirrors on correct sides. Note the stalk to base lean angles (bend your head to the base horizontal and it becomes obvious).

Finally, here is a photo from a friend of mine who has both stalks. The difference is clear. The one with the chrome plating is a left hand side one he purchased from the US and the non-plated one is his original mirror.

I personally don’t see too much of an issue with the LH mirror on the RH side other than a possibly slightly odd viewing angle. Of course, there’s also that OCD thing bugging me so the mirror is going back and the search continues.

Comments

  1. Pingback: Winter 2017 | twofortyZ

  2. Hi
    I have a 240Z and have bought the same door mirror as you, 96301-E4600
    I am not sure if you are saying this is the left or right hand door mirror
    From the parts page 96301 seems to be the right hand door mirror
    I ordered what was shown as left hand door mirror from the Z Shop, but the box shows the part number 96301-E4600
    Thanks
    Tim (Sydney)

    1. Author

      Hi Tim,

      96301-E4600 is the LH door mirror. You said from the parts catalogue 96310 is RH but that’s only half of the part number.

      There are reproduction RH door mirrors available on eBay now. Have you seen those?

  3. George
    Thanks for reply
    I have an OME left and a reproduction right door mirror, look identical to me apart from the two stalks
    I wanted to keep an original look but in Sydney traffic you need both mirrors
    The leading edge of the mirror looks like its about 12cm from the edge of the door, does that sound correct as I have not been able to find any information on where the door mirror is positioned. My car does not have any holes in the door.
    Thanks again
    Tim

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