Using bolt-on components is by far the easiest and most cost-effective way to modify the look of your ride. Bumpers, roll pans, custom wheels and tires, clear corner and taillight lenses, and billet grilles are among the most popular aftermarket modifications made to today's daily driven custom pickups. Another popular upgrade made on contemporary low-slung pickups is swapping out the stock side mirrors for custom units.
Here is a close-up of the...
Here is a close-up of the stock mirrors on our '90 GMC project pickup. These oversized units are great for towing duty and for viewing other vehicles, but their aesthetic styling leaves a lot to be desired.
Street Scene Equipment, located in Costa Mesa, California, is well known for its distinctive line of custom speed grille inserts and body restyling components. So we knew just who to call when a set of aftermarket mirrors was in order for our '90 GMC project truck. Street Scene offers the Cal-Vu sport mirrors for a variety of popular trucks and SUVs, making them an affordable styling upgrade.
In the past, Street Scene's Cal-Vu mirrors were just another pretty ornament adorning the exterior of many-a modified hauler. However, now Street Scene has a safety option built into its sleek and smooth Cal-Vu Sport Mirrors that consists of a lighted chevron flasher, representing a turn signal. Originally created by Muth Mirror Systems, the enclosed signal indicator is a unique safety enhancement. Street Scene has teamed Muth's idea with the company's stylish mirror housings to produce one of the hottest safety and smooth styling components in recent automotive customizing history.
This lighted chevron appears when the turn signal lever is activated to warn other drivers of your desire to change lanes or to turn right or left. The lighted signal flasher is only visible in the mirror glass when the signal is activated and is invisible otherwise. During the day, the signal is lighter, and when nightfall arrives, it adjusts to the light and gets brighter in the dark. We took our project GMC to Traders Truck Accessories in Whittier, California, for a professional mirror installation and were extremely pleased with the results. Follow along while we installed a set of Street Scene Cal Vu signal mirrors on our '90 GMC project truck.
Before installing the new...
Before installing the new Street Scene Cal Vu Signal mirrors, we stopped off at Classics by Bernt in Stanton, California, to give our new additions a fresh coat of Milano Red paint. The mirror housings were hung on a rack for prep and paint duties.
Bernt scuffed the mirror housings...
Bernt scuffed the mirror housings with sandpaper to prepare them for color-matching.
Prior to painting, the mirror...
Prior to painting, the mirror housings were cleaned with a tack rag to remove any debris that could get trapped once the paint was laid.
Bernt proceeded to pour the...
Bernt proceeded to pour the bright Milano Red liquid into his paint canister and was one step closer to dousing our new bolt-on body addition with bright color.
Basecoat stabilizer clear...
Basecoat stabilizer clear was added to the paint mixture before the paint was stirred and ready to be applied to the new mirror housings and the mirror mounts.
It was painting time when...
It was painting time when Bernt closed the doors to the booth and began to lay color on our new body parts.
He began the installation...
He began the installation by removing the factory mirrors. He pulled the triangle shaped panel from the inside of the mirror pocket out of position and, using a screwdriver, removed the factory fasteners, which hold the mirror in place.
Bernt carefully removed the...
Bernt carefully removed the factory mirror from the side of the truck, taking care to disconnect any wiring connected for a factory power mirror option. He set the factory mirrors aside and prepared the mirror mounting area for the new Street Scene mirrors.
Here is the factory mirror...
Here is the factory mirror mounting area. The new Street Scene mirrors could now be bolted to their mounting plates and installed.
Using a socket screwdriver,...
Using a socket screwdriver, he bolted the flat plate mounts to the Street Scene mirror housings before bolting them up on the truck.
Bernt placed the supplied...
Bernt placed the supplied adhesive strips onto the backside of the mirror mounting plates before bolting the mirrors into position from the back side.
The Street Scene mirrors we...
The Street Scene mirrors we chose to install converted our factory manual mirrors to electric versions. A wiring harness is available from Street Scene to perform this upgrade with ease. Bernt fed the wire through the hole in the mounting area on the door and into the cab by holding the mirror with one hand and the wiring with the other.
He pressed the new mirror...
He pressed the new mirror and mounting plate firmly against the door and bolted it in place at the back.
He pulled the wiring harness...
He pulled the wiring harness through the mirror pocket opening and prepared to make the proper connections.
Following the enclosed wiring...
Following the enclosed wiring instructions, Bernt connected the wiring harness from the mirrors to the appropriate hookups underneath the dash. You must pull the dash panel immediately underneath the steering column free from the lower dash to access the wiring. Connecting up this wiring allows the signal to flash when the turn indicator is activated in either direction.
Bernt tested the back of the...
Bernt tested the back of the power window and the door lock switch panel on the inside of the door panel with a continuity tester to search for a hot lead to connect the wiring, which enables the enclosed power mirror switch to operate.
He connected the wiring coming...
He connected the wiring coming from the mirror to the wiring on the switch panel according to where the hot lead is located. Follow the instructions supplied by Street Scene when hooking up all of your electrical connections.
He neatly hid the wiring harness...
He neatly hid the wiring harness and all the associated electrical by covering it in a black hose sleeve and feeding it into the rubber boot between the doorjamb and the inside of the door.
After wiring the switch to...
After wiring the switch to adjust your new power Street Scene Cal Vu Signal Mirrors, he followed the Street Scene instructions and moved the switch to test their operation. Once Bernt knew that the mirrors adjust electrically, he set them to his desired position.
Here is the lighted chevron...
Here is the lighted chevron arrow flashing to give drivers extra warning of your intent to change lanes or to turn right or left. The flashing signal increases safety and is invisible when not in use. The other bonus is that this safety feature is encased in an aesthetically pleasing aftermarket mirror that is sure to turn a few heads.