Bought an Auto dimming mirror ...

[simanco]

Just grabbed one of the auto dimming rear view mirrors for the 95 GM.

Anyone know if there is a factory attachment point somewhere to hook into? I see in the fuse panel diagram that "fuse 5" is the one designated for the mirror and other stuff. I should be able to run the harness directly there, and then grab a ground and be set?

Anyone done this and run into any "gotchas"?

Thanks,
Jim

[NATEHAWK]

Let me know if you get that to work i would like to do that as wel.. I know my buddy Pete will stop thru this post soon....

[85crownHPP]

ah! we have a fellow evolutionary!!!!! (i dont think thats a word)

You might find wires up there for lighted visor mirrors, if so hooking it up should just be a matter of crimping.
lighted mirrors were an option right?

[Paul_]

i think it was optional. if it was, theres prob a plug hiding right under the headliner. putting one in a box will be a bitch as you'll have to run the wiring for it lol

[gadget73]

If y'all haven't figured out where the wires for the visors are by this weekend, I'll see if I can locate them. I also want to add the auto-dim mirror so I'll look for that wiring there. Hopefully its just tucked under the trim over the windshield, or maybe folded back in the pillar trim or something.

[grandpaslincoln]

did they have the auto dimming mirror option in '85?

[simanco]

I have felt around under the center edge of the headliner and can not feel any plugs or wires in there. There is a notch there for the wiring and those wire covers they put on the harness to get it to the headliner.

The mirror I ordered is shipping with a full harness, and the running of the wires shouldn't be a problem. The headliner is loose enough that the harness should pop right in. And then it is just a matter of popping it under the pillar trim.

I am not even planning to remove the plastic trim. Just pop the harness under it at the top and run it under the flexible -- rubber? -- sitting beside the door seal until I get down to the kick panel.

Of course, if all else fails, I can always stick a plug on the harness and drop it straight down to the cigarette lighter, right?

Jim

[simanco]

The mirror arrived today. It's a Donnelly. From eBay. With full harness.

The hardest part about installing the thing was getting the stock mirror off. It is one of those that is held on by a spring and it seemed like it took forever to figure out just where to pry without seeing the glass flex!

Once that was done it was really pretty simple.

Tucked the harness under the headliner to the pillar. Tucked it under the top edge of the pillar trim and over to the flexible (rubber?) trim and then down to the kick panel.

A wire tie on the hood release cable and one on a convenient wire under the cupholder and then a fish tape up through the dash to the radio harness where I knew I could find a switched source.

A couple of crimp connectors from Wal-Mart and I was good to go.

I looked at pulling the fuse panel down and tying into the back of it in the stock location but didn't want to fool with finding that hidden screw, whereever it is.

They shipped it with an inline fuse. I pulled out the 10 and stuck in a 5. Since it is a basic model with no compass, temp or maplights I am sure it isn't going to pull that much.

I didn't bother to hook up the reverse un-dim wire for two reasons. 1) Well there's a switch on the thing, I can turn it off if I need to. 2) It may have been a new mirror but I don't think the harness was new -- they had snipped the reverse wire.

I did take it for a test drive tonight and it seems to work just great.

I just took a search through eBay and there are many choices listed under "dimming mirror".

Here is a link to the same people I bought from if anyone is interested:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Auto-...01160256QQrdZ1

Jim

[gadget73]

Good deal, thanks for the info.

Jon: I think it was an option. Fairly sure I've seen an 85 with it, but I won't swear to it. I know it was an option in '86. No real reason you couldn't add it anyway if you wanted.

[85crownHPP]

good stuff!!!