Visibility "Paranoia"

[Dibbons]

Back in high school, as a junior and senior, I drove mom and dad's new 1971 Road Runner every day. More recently (last 10 years) I have been driving a 1996 Dodge Dakota. The Dakota really has no blind spots whatsoever. This week I started driving my 1972 Satellite Sebring Plus project car, which duplicates the 1971 Road Runner in most respects. What bothers me is the feeling that now comes over me after switching from the Dakota to the Satellite, like I can't see all around me any longer. I hope I get over this insecure feeling soon. Anyone else have problems in the 1971 and up Bbody with respect to visibility/blind spots and a wish you could see more from the driver's seat?

 

[72Fourspeed]

It's not that the b body is bad, any pickup is just that good. Years ago, due to a dead vehicle, my ex had to drive Dads truck to work. After 2-3 days she wanted to keep it.

 

[jimt1971rr]

Over the past few years, I have driven a number of different vehicles, including a Dakota and a Ram cargo van so I know what your saying. My main issue with my road runner is the mirrors. It has been about 7 years since driven an older car and have gotten used to the larger outside mirrors. Just like when I started driving the cargo van, there was zero visibility out the back. After a few weeks, it was no big deal. Just keep driving it, you'll be fine.

 

[GetX'd]

I think we'd all - or we all do - have that kind of problem when driving the older cars after so many years of driving increasingly better and safer vehicles. I got in my 68 GTX the other day and just drove it a little - first time in 35 years. Long story. It's a far cry from the comfort and quiet, safety features of the modern cars I've been driving all these years. I expect to overcome the nervous feeling and build up my extra safety antennas so I just get comfortable with the GTX again.

long and short of it - you will too. Just be aware!

 

[NJRR]

Keep your head turning and watch all your mirrors. Situational awareness is the most important thing no matter what you're driving !!! I try to bang that into my kids heads whenever I drive with them and they're in their twenties !!

 

[Dennis H]

Just the opposite. The Coronet feels like an extension. Perfect. I get the paranoia when driving the 09 Challenger.

 

[Moparmatt72]

I feel you on this one, have a 72 SSP too and a 67 dart and have been driving my 2014 ram truck dually that I'm scared to when I start driving them

 

[440roadrunner]

I have to admit I didn't like driving the 71 / later cars as much as the 70/ earlier. My 70 had a passenger side mirror and remote driver's mirror which helped. Learned early on to "tilt" the inside mirror over to see the right corner, and to LOOK. Having a bit of HP helps, you can stab it a bit and "move" things relative to you, so they can't stay in your blind spot for long

I did have "an issue" with a God Dammed cop on the San Diego freeway back in the 70s. I was driving S through the city on I5 minding my own business in the middle lane. I wanted to get over to the right. I thought I could hear "something," I could not see the SOB and stabbed it a little. Here was a cop!!! on his Harley!!! in my blind spot, and he tried!!! to speed up and STAY there!!!! God DAMN that teed me off. I had my signal on, and traffic was not that heavy.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Just remember it is wider and longer than what you can see and you will do fine.

As far as blind spots be aware of your surroundings. I have had fools drive in the blind spot while driving the motor home they tend to move when the lane gets narrowed.

 

[jenkins71]

Yeah, I have a 71 Charger and I feel your pain. But like everyone else says, the more you drive it, the more comfortable you will be. I have stuck on a couple of those little curved blind-spot mirrors on both side-views, and I love them. To me, they do wonders. I live in NYC, where traffic is very cut-throat and people drive very close to one another and cutting people off with less than a foot of clearance is the norm. And honestly, with my blind spot mirrors, I can hustle along with the best of em!

 

[Coronet 14]

When I drive my Coronet I feel like I sitting on pavement. When I change lanes I look over my shoulder. The mirrors arn't that great. My Tundra has exellent mirror visibility. When I drive my Excursion it takes up the whole lane. If I haven't driven it for a while it takes a bit to get used to driving it on small narrow roads.

 

[Bruzilla]

Blind spots tend to result from not properly aiming the mirrors. For some reason, many drivers feel like they have to be able to see a part of their car in the mirror when it's not necessary. Angling the mirror to see part of your own car leaves an area on the left and right uncovered, hence the blind spot.

What you should do is angle the mirrors so they are aimed at a point to where you see a car in them just as they are going out of view in the rearview mirror. If you do this you will see a car in your rearview mirror, then see it in the sideview mirror before it disappears from the rearview mirror, and then see it direct line of sight before it disappears from the sideview.

 

[YY1]

I pull into a parking lot and position my car so that another parked car is directly in the blind spot.

Then I adjust the mirror so I can see the car in question.

Step one for me, though is to install the factory optional dual sport mirrors appropriate for the model and year of car.

Most cars I find have come with the most basic standard mirror possible, on the driver's side only.

For example, my 73 Satellite came with a DS mirror only slightly larger than a silver dollar.

I got a set of driver quality chrome sport mirrors from ebay for $30 and reasonable shipping.

Driver's side used the same mounting holes. I measured pass side same as driver.

Mirror area is approximately 60-70% more than standard,plus the other side.

I'd also argue it make the car look more balanced and aesthetically pleasing.

Besides being a MAJOR safety improvement.


71-74 for sure have big *** blind spots compared to 66-70.

Backing up is harder too. 66/67 I think you can actually see the edge of the trunk. SUPER easy.

 

[djais1801]

I never had a hard time visually driving my 71...now pulling it into my somewhat narrow garage was yet another...I forgot how wide her hips were and tagged the garage entry way.

 

[747mopar]

My 69 Charger is horrible for blind spots! Iddy bitty rear window, fat quarters and only one very small driverside mirror (of coarse the rear view mirror too). I've just got in the habbit of checking the garage and driveway for objects before getting in the car and try to stay on top of where cars are in the distance (where I can see them) so I feel safer merging. Hasn't been a problem you just have to pay more attention to your surroundings.

I remember the first car I ever built, I was backing out of the garage and didn't see a creeper and go figure I ran the front tire up on it and swung the front fender right into the garage door...... back in the garage it went!

 

[Cranky]

I've been using those blind 'spot' mirrors for years....even my Dakota has one on the passenger side Sport mirror. My 92 Dakota had the 6x9's and those were great but the ones that normally come on a Dakota Sport suck. I don't have as much rotation in my neck anymore so these convex stick on mirrors help and they don't look as bad as I thought they would. Yeah, they don't look as good stuck on a classic car as they do say a truck but anything that gets driven as a daily driver has one. Even the driver side round mirror on my 66 Belvedere has one that fills up the whole mirror.

 

[Archie340]

That era Chargers have some pretty bad blind spots also. I drive my 72 on the highway from time to time and always sit up in the seat and take a gool look over my shoulder before changing lanes. In a road test article from 1971 the writer mentions dual side mirrors should be a mandatory option, though mine just has one on the drivers side.

 

[HT413]

Buy one of these - clips on or off in a second and eliminates blind spots.

http://www.amazon.com/Fit-System-RM011-Clip-Mirror/dp/B001A0J2JO

 

[superbird77]

My 73 Charger SE may as well have a tarp over the back window! I can't see much in that ride, add in the fact it has only a driver side mirror makes it worse. Man, both my mopars only have drivers side mirrors. You just gotta get used to it, it probably makes you a better driver in the process.