Scale modeling II

First the idea, then the order, waiting, the container shipped, a trip to the parcel locker, and I have it.

Getting the mirrors to work is a bit tricky. You need two sets, JDM and EUDM, to start with. Each set needs to be completely disassembled, and you’ll also need to add two extra wires to the harness and, finally, adjust the triangular bases to which the mirrors are attached. I decided to go with a hybrid approach:

  • EUDM mirror housings – fairly obvious, they’re universal, fit the triangles, and besides, the JDM ones were silver, so I would have had to repaint them,
  • EUDM pane of glass,
  • EUDM triangles,
  • JDM mechanisms.

In theory, you could just change and adjust the triangles and it should work.

But let’s go step by step.

I started by removing the glass. It’s not overly difficult, but you need to be patient so it doesn’t crack (although there always was the JDM as a backup). Heating up the plastic cover makes it easier.

Gently pry it off:

Horizontally, at the edges, there’s double-sided sticky tape, which also holds the glass in place:

Here’s a surprise: my version has heated mirrors, but there’s no button to control it. Maybe it activates when the rear window defroster is turned on?

The next task is separating the triangle from the housing. Simply unscrew three screws, remove the foam from the triangle to detach the clip:

Then pull the pins from the connector, because they won’t pass through the triangle’s hole otherwise.

I wanted to keep the mirror heating function, so I had to add two wires to the JDM mechanism. I decided to do it in the same way as the factory setup, which meant opening the motor cover:

And here it is, ready to be installed in the housing:

I improved the slightly hardened sealing silicone with a new one. Here’s a comparison of JDM vs. EUDM:

Since the JDM mechanism is for the right-hand traffic, and the angles of reflection of the mirrors are determined by the triangles, I had no choice but to modify the EUDM triangles to fit the JDM mechanisms. It takes a bit of effort, but nothing the Dremel can’t handle. After all the milling and drilling:

One larger groove at the base and two smaller ones at the top and bottom. Also, the lower mounting hole needs to be enlarged because it won’t align with the metal base’s thread otherwise. It’s not complicated — fit, mill, fit again, and repeat a few times.

After a few hours, this is what it looks like:

JDM mechanisms in EUDM housings and triangles, with the mirror heating function retained.