Eyes Windshield Shades
#626
#627
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From: Dartmouth, MA
Here's a few pictures of my shade fitment. Note how, with the shade in place, it is too short, and the sun visors do not quite catch the top of the shade. I have the shade supported in one picture, and that shows how it fits when pushed up and held in place, too short and also the width appears to be wrong. One other picture shows how the shade sags down without being held in place, the sun visors when swung down, do not catch the top of the shade.
I will make measurements and construct a template tomorrow for my windshield, sending that template with the shade to Kristan.
I will make measurements and construct a template tomorrow for my windshield, sending that template with the shade to Kristan.
#629
Some updates:
I am working on the couple of cases where the sunshade is not fitting in two of your MINIs whatsoever. The only explanation I have is that perhaps those two are smaller for some reason or another, a mistake on the sunshade maker's part.
I do want to also address the point brought up about how sunshades fit in a windshield. There seems to be a misconception about this. Generally, sunshades are not meant to be exactly the same size as the windshield itself. There needs to be a little wiggle room in order to get the shade in and out of the windshield, especially for folding shades. Now, I know that this bit of extra room shouldn't be huge, certainly not to the point that the shade isn't even held up by the visors.
On that note, I went and drug out my OEM shade for comparison purposes. The very first Eyeshade that I made for my MINI was actually hand-painted on the back of a OEM shade, purchased from a MINI dealership. Here's some pics of the fit of that shade:
As you can see, the OEM shade has a little over an inch of a gap at the top and a slightly smaller gap on the sides. The gap appears even larger as the shade is laid back to rest on the visors, where it is meant to be placed.
This gap can be thought of as more visible when you are considering the graphic on the sunshade as the "eyes" of your car. When you can see a gap between the top eyelid and the roof of your car, it tends to stand out more than if you were just putting the sunshade in your car to simply protect against the sun.
I am working on the couple of cases where the sunshade is not fitting in two of your MINIs whatsoever. The only explanation I have is that perhaps those two are smaller for some reason or another, a mistake on the sunshade maker's part.
I do want to also address the point brought up about how sunshades fit in a windshield. There seems to be a misconception about this. Generally, sunshades are not meant to be exactly the same size as the windshield itself. There needs to be a little wiggle room in order to get the shade in and out of the windshield, especially for folding shades. Now, I know that this bit of extra room shouldn't be huge, certainly not to the point that the shade isn't even held up by the visors.
On that note, I went and drug out my OEM shade for comparison purposes. The very first Eyeshade that I made for my MINI was actually hand-painted on the back of a OEM shade, purchased from a MINI dealership. Here's some pics of the fit of that shade:
As you can see, the OEM shade has a little over an inch of a gap at the top and a slightly smaller gap on the sides. The gap appears even larger as the shade is laid back to rest on the visors, where it is meant to be placed.
This gap can be thought of as more visible when you are considering the graphic on the sunshade as the "eyes" of your car. When you can see a gap between the top eyelid and the roof of your car, it tends to stand out more than if you were just putting the sunshade in your car to simply protect against the sun.
Last edited by Dittin; 11-29-2011 at 12:57 PM.
#630
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From: Dartmouth, MA
Kristan,
I played with the fit of my shade after seeing how yours is fitted to your car. I must say that when I play with it, I can get it to fit and look like yours. I think I was expecting it to be a different fit than it is, but now that I see yours, and having adjusted mine accordingly, it seems to fit like yours does.
I think the bottom of the shade threw me off. Once I raised it up higher, I could see the bottom of the shade was just at the top of the blacked out portion of the bottom of the windshield ; and it seems when I did that, the top was now being held by the sun visors, and the side fitment was actually improved.
===== > Mea Culpa.
I would say then that my shade is correct, and in looking at it now, it seems to fit just fine. I never had an OEM shade and apparently was not placing mine correctly , which threw off the way it looked and the way the sun visors hold it.
Sorry for adding to the issue; apparently the problem... at this end anyway... was, as usual, "operator error,", lol!
Thanks for your concern and help in resolving this for me. Check out the picture, I LOVE the look!
Rand
I played with the fit of my shade after seeing how yours is fitted to your car. I must say that when I play with it, I can get it to fit and look like yours. I think I was expecting it to be a different fit than it is, but now that I see yours, and having adjusted mine accordingly, it seems to fit like yours does.
I think the bottom of the shade threw me off. Once I raised it up higher, I could see the bottom of the shade was just at the top of the blacked out portion of the bottom of the windshield ; and it seems when I did that, the top was now being held by the sun visors, and the side fitment was actually improved.
===== > Mea Culpa.
I would say then that my shade is correct, and in looking at it now, it seems to fit just fine. I never had an OEM shade and apparently was not placing mine correctly , which threw off the way it looked and the way the sun visors hold it.
Sorry for adding to the issue; apparently the problem... at this end anyway... was, as usual, "operator error,", lol!
Thanks for your concern and help in resolving this for me. Check out the picture, I LOVE the look!
Rand
#631
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From: RIGHT BEHIND YOU... Made you look!
For proper fit, make sure you don't force the bottom of the shade down in between the windshield and dashboard. It should just rest on top of the dash near the bottom of the windscreen. Forcing it down into the gap could cause wear on sunshade, and will create too much of a gap at the top. The rigid type sunshades do need clearance to be installed past the rear view mirror, so they will be a little shorter than the windshield. Once the shade is in place you can hike it up a little so it is held in place by the sun visors.
Trust me... You need the sunshade to be smaller than the windshield to get it in and out repeatedly without destroying it. I have a generic, rigid sun shade I have been using. It's the smallest I could find, but still a little too big for the MINI. It's gotten all crumpled from putting it in and taking it out. It was only $8, so who cares? The Eyeshades need to be treated better.
Trust me... You need the sunshade to be smaller than the windshield to get it in and out repeatedly without destroying it. I have a generic, rigid sun shade I have been using. It's the smallest I could find, but still a little too big for the MINI. It's gotten all crumpled from putting it in and taking it out. It was only $8, so who cares? The Eyeshades need to be treated better.
#632
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From: RIGHT BEHIND YOU... Made you look!
Now that I have both sets of shades (thanks Kristan!!), it's time for pix. Sorry for the poor quality, but as the "O2 Blue", "The Rock" shade is a Christmas gift for the "better-half", I had to take these quickly while she's asleep (no, she doesn't belong to this forum).
"Frau Blau's" Eyeshades. This is the look "the old lady" usually gives me when she's p!ssed.
This is the look I usually give in return. :D
Side-by-side.
"Frau Blau's" Eyeshades. This is the look "the old lady" usually gives me when she's p!ssed.
This is the look I usually give in return. :D
Side-by-side.
#634
Same here. I adjusted the placement and it's fits great now.
Much thanks and glad it's a "user" error on my part.
Cheers,
James
Much thanks and glad it's a "user" error on my part.
Cheers,
James
Kristan,
I played with the fit of my shade after seeing how yours is fitted to your car. I must say that when I play with it, I can get it to fit and look like yours. I think I was expecting it to be a different fit than it is, but now that I see yours, and having adjusted mine accordingly, it seems to fit like yours does.
I think the bottom of the shade threw me off. Once I raised it up higher, I could see the bottom of the shade was just at the top of the blacked out portion of the bottom of the windshield ; and it seems when I did that, the top was now being held by the sun visors, and the side fitment was actually improved.
===== > Mea Culpa.
I would say then that my shade is correct, and in looking at it now, it seems to fit just fine. I never had an OEM shade and apparently was not placing mine correctly , which threw off the way it looked and the way the sun visors hold it.
Sorry for adding to the issue; apparently the problem... at this end anyway... was, as usual, "operator error,", lol!
Thanks for your concern and help in resolving this for me. Check out the picture, I LOVE the look!
Rand
I played with the fit of my shade after seeing how yours is fitted to your car. I must say that when I play with it, I can get it to fit and look like yours. I think I was expecting it to be a different fit than it is, but now that I see yours, and having adjusted mine accordingly, it seems to fit like yours does.
I think the bottom of the shade threw me off. Once I raised it up higher, I could see the bottom of the shade was just at the top of the blacked out portion of the bottom of the windshield ; and it seems when I did that, the top was now being held by the sun visors, and the side fitment was actually improved.
===== > Mea Culpa.
I would say then that my shade is correct, and in looking at it now, it seems to fit just fine. I never had an OEM shade and apparently was not placing mine correctly , which threw off the way it looked and the way the sun visors hold it.
Sorry for adding to the issue; apparently the problem... at this end anyway... was, as usual, "operator error,", lol!
Thanks for your concern and help in resolving this for me. Check out the picture, I LOVE the look!
Rand
#636
Beken, you got yours! That means mine can't be far behind. I hope it is waiting at the PO when I come back from my trip next week!
#637
Wednesday morning (Dec 7) it's going to be parked in the Pan Pacific Hotel parking lot full of toys and wearing a red nose and antlers. It should attract some attention.
Update: This is when a couple of us went to deliver toys to a toy drive.
Last edited by beken; 12-12-2011 at 10:37 AM.
#639
Is that it?! Is this thread dead? There's gotta be more pics, new looks or something. Any Black Minis w/Felix the Cat or Pepe LePiu eyes, White Mini with Casper or Foghorn, Drk Slvr with RoadRunner in sprint or evil Bugs Bunny? Just throwing that out there. It would be funny to see Tweety's eyes on a yellow Mini as well.
#642
#644
I can't wait till my wee son walks out the the garage, and sees our Connor, with this "angry" look. I have a feeling it will be a video worthy moment.
#645
#647