kennedy759

drivers side out side mirror on my 97, the upper shell has come loose from the base, I can slide it up about 1/2 in on a tube the wiring runs through. It looks like there is adhesive about 1/8in thick that holds them together, there also may be a screw that is broke, hard to see. anyway anyone know what kind of glue I can use to put this back together?

CactusCat

There is no adhesive on the mirror, unless someone put it there. It's not from the factory. The mirrors on a C5 rotate completely from front to rear. There is a well known problem with C5 mirrors. Do a search on Google for floppy mirrors c5 corvette. It's a weak design by the Vette engineers and many have went thru it. There are several good threads that tell how to resolve it but it does involve some work. There is also a guy that fixes them for about $70 a pop in Ohio.

If you do have adhesive on the mirror, its not supposed to be there. I could see someone doing that if they didn't want to fix it correctly or didn't know better. Hopefully this will get you on the right path. Here's a link to get you started.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...-flopping.html

kennedy759

yep, I chipped some of the glue off and it looks like JP weld. debating about fixing it, or gluing it back together, Eastwood sells a urethane adhesive in a caulk type tube I may try. I tilted the mirror so I could see behind it and the retainer clip is off the tube and spring is just sitting there.

Corvette_Ed

Fix it right or you'll just end up fixing it again.

CactusCat

Just to let you know, I've been thru this problem as well. When the mirror finally gave up and was just kind of sitting there loose, (you'll notice that I have a white C5 as does Corvette Ed, we like that white haha), I stopped and bought a roll of white duct tape and temporary fixed it (wrapped it around the swivel joint) until I could research what to do. Be aware that the fix involves taking the door panel off, unbolting the mirror from the door and then cutting about 8-10 wires (which will have to later be soldered back together). Also, the mirror has to be disassembled and then reassembled and rest assured there are a few tricks to it. You can easily break the mirror (ask me how I know). All in all, I did all my own research and repair and total cost was $26. $20 of that was for the replacement mirror. $6 was my parts cost at Home Depot.

Also, what you reported is correct. The clip "gives" or breaks that holds the retaining spring down. It's a terrifically bad design by the Vette engineers, very lame. That spring is what gives the tension to turn the mirror and then "fall" into a predetermined spot (those spots are where your glue or JB Weld is located). If you'll pivot your passenger mirror, you'll see what I'm talking about. It's not a fun job but I just took my time, learned as I went and never doubted that I'd get it done. Just read the thread and give it a shot. Worst case is you end up gluing it back together. Or you might just fix it and become a genuine C5 mirror expert (like me - woohooo)....