Mirrors: Convex vs. Flat

[Dan Morrison]

What is the opinion of having convex vs. flat mirrors? I have flat mirrors on my FF, but am thinking about moving to convex mirrors for a wider view. What are the pros and cons of having convex mirrors? Thanks.

[Lastminuteracin]

As a newbie I really like the convex. I was actually surprised how well I could see around the wing. Overall the view is not as distorted as you think. Personally I don’t think I’d run the flat on my car.

[SteveG]

Spa type convex mirrors can adjusted to see behind you as well as next to you. Personally I adjust them so the side view is just at the back edge of my peripheral vision. I don't have to turn my head at all entering a corner.

Steve

[ste]

I've used convex on several different cars - would never go back to flat.

[stonebridge20]

Convex every time.

[Dan Morrison]

Thanks all. You’ve convinced me. I just ordered two convex mirrors.

[EYERACE]

Convex
The idea being a Driver need not see a car close behind or in the side area all that clearly......the Driver needs to simply see that a car is there and then not go there
Proportions are immaterial
Years ago my Crossle 32F had flat mirrors.....I ordered only the curved mirror pieces from Pegasus and glued them onto the flat........and then (pun intended) never looked back

[pacratt]

I would recommend rectangular convex as they widen the horizontal viewing area only. (mostly)
Round convex distorts in all directions, shrinking any image in all directions and making objects hard to see or identify.
Just my personal experience/observation.
Glenn

[racersonly]

I don’t like convex mirrors. You can’t see an overtaking car until it’s right on top of you. (Street car convex mirrors have a warning stating something on the order of “objects are closer than they appear”.) When I was still actively racing, Midwestern Council CFF’s were always grouped with much, potentially, faster classes. FA, FC, S2, C/Dsr. They can come up on you so fast, that you can often miss their rapid approach.
At Blackhawk Farms, I’d check my right mirror entering the kink before T7. If I saw someone like Art Jahn, in his RT5, exiting 6A, I knew to expect him to overtake me at T1 or soon after. That’s not possible with convex mirrors. (Surprises always made me nervous.)

[EYERACE]

The Pegasus convex pieces were rectangular and fit exactly the opening of the mirror housing that had flat mirrors in them.
Size/proportion of the car behind me not important to me.....the fact that they are there is all I need to know.
Though it's easy to agree with racersonly if the example is FV being overtaken by FA....if I was in a slow car compared to a lot of the race grid, I would be checking my mirrors very frequently.
And this is why fast cars should have a bright color painted nose.....so the slow car can see you coming easily

[EACIII]

You can sometimes find convex mirrors at the $1.25 store. Cut them to fit and glue on. That is what I do. But then again I am cheaper then most folks.

Ed