Fitting a newer-style rearview mirror with compass?

[FORDification]

My Ch*vy Suburban and Dodge Durango both have a rearview mirror with a built-in digital compass. With all the driving around I do scouting out junkyards or just driving to go exploring, I really really like that compass. Knowing exactly what direction I'm going at any time by simply glancing up to the mirror has saved me from taking a wrong turn many times. Being the person that I am who prefers the 'vintage' look, I've tried several of the period-correct floating compasses that mount on the dash, but they're so incredibly inaccurate that they're not useable. Therefore, I'm really interested with seeing if I can retrofit something like a late-model rearview mirror with a digital compass into my truck. Since I know nothing about how they work, I figured I'd ask you guys for some input.

Is the compass feature built into the mirror or is there a remote sensor somewhere? Would it be terribly difficult getting one from a junkyard vehicle and hooking it up into an older truck? What all would have to be salvaged from the donor vehicle?

[FORDification]

Doing some online research. Found out that the compass feature is built into the mirror itself on all mirrors so equipped, so there's no additional wiring, aside from the power wire.

Rearview mirrors that also have the auto-dim feature work as-is, but come with an additional wire that plugs into the reverse-light circuitry, so that the mirror undims automatically when you back up. You wouldn't have to hook this wire up though...the autodim works fine without it, it just won't undim when backing up.

Rearview mirrors with an outdoor ambient temperature display do use an outside sensor, usually mounted up front around the headlight area. Placement of this sensor is critical for accurate temperature readings. If you place it in the engine compartment or too close to the radiator, you'll be told that you're driving on the surface of the sun. Placing it too low will pick up the elevated temps of a sun-baked road surface.

From what I've found, the installation of these mirrors is actually pretty easy, unless you get one with add-on things like OnStar, Homelink (remotes for garage door opener and/or lights, etc.). Since I'm only interested in the compass, I know what to avoid.

Continuing research....

[dolinick]

Continuing research....

Not much to add here but our 1999 Ch*vy Suburban has a temp and compass built in. It doesn't have any other fancy stuff. On the other hand our work chase car is a 2011 GMC Yukon and it has lots built in including back up camera! You only see the back up camera screen when the vehicle is in reverse. Otherwise it just looks like the regular mirror area.

[Joshpow]

I just put in a maplight rerview and didnt go compass cause I thought the computer had to be present to work mirror. That sucks. If Id known I woulda put in a compass mirror. Maybe later. The wiring is fun. Little work involved. I posted up a link to what I did.

[Joshpow]

Heres link to mine. It is a GM mirror from a blazer, jimmy, bravada. Not sure of year. Didnt use I wire on it cause never found what it was supposed to do. Mine was Orange...Constant hot White.....Door triggered ground Black.....Constant Ground Our trucks use positive trigger for the dome so I had to wire relay to make it work with the negative trigger mirror. Hope this all makes sense and maybe helps. Love to know what the Yellow wire I didnt use was for though.

[FORDification]

Didja forget the link?

Edit...never mind. found it.

http://fordification.com/forum/viewtopi ... =6&t=61159

[Joshpow]

Yep I did!! Boy Im genious. Cant outsmart the guru! Thanks!

[red403]

I have installed the temp/comp/auto dim from a chev truck into a ford van. There is a power/ground/and a reverse light that I have never hooked up/and 2 wires for the temp sensor up front. The only part that isn't on the mirror is the temp sensor that is on the rad support. I have one for a future project sitting in my basement I got at a pick n pull for $5.00, it would go in the 67 but I want to keep the original mirror. I have installed lots of the auto dimming mirrors also they are a nice addition to anything you drive and I have one of them down stairs also. The auto dimming mirror was in tons of trucks/cars and the compass mirror was in lots of suburbans and ealier chev trucks and the comp/temp mirror was in the chev truck/suburban/tahoe. I have also hooked up one with onstar but the onstar part didn't work but the rest worked correctly.