Fender mirror mount

1. A method of installing a mirror mount to a fender of a vehicle comprising:

positioning a base adjacent a fender exterior side surface without extending the base upwardly over a fender upper edge and without extending the base adjacent an edge of a hood of the vehicle, so that a base inner surface contour terminates short of the fender upper edge, and so the base is forward of a door of the vehicle;

orienting a support arm to extend outward from the base and so that a distal end can be fastened to a mirror;

extending a plurality of pillars away from the base inner surface contour directly toward a portion of a bulkhead adjacent an engine bay of the vehicle, the pillars configured to engage the portion of the bulkhead at an orthogonal orientation relative to the portion of the bulkhead so that the pillars are oriented generally horizontal, and so that the pillars project toward the engine bay when the base is installed relative to the vehicle and fender; and

positioning a fastener through the portion of the bulkhead so the fastener projects into the engine bay, the fastener securing the base to the portion of the bulkhead.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising adjusting the fastener so that the fender is positioned between the base inner surface contour and the frame member.

3. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the pillars include a first end joined with the base and a second end distal from the first end, and comprising:

separating the first end and the second end from one another a first distance equal to a second distance defined between the fender and an outer upright surface of the portion of the bulkhead.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising positioning the pillars so the pillars extend from adjacent the fender toward an outer upright surface of the portion of the bulkhead above a wheel well of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of pillars each define a bore, comprising:

extending the fastener through each of the bores.

6. The method of claim 5 ,

wherein the base includes at least one seat, comprising:

disposing a head of the fastener in the seat so that the seat engages the fastener to prevent rotation of the fastener, and so that the head is visible in the seat to a viewer of the base installed on the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising adjusting a mirror on the support arm.

8. The method of claim 1 comprising:

installing a nut on the fastener inside the engine bay; and

tightening the nut, with the pillars limiting movement of the base toward the portion of the bulkhead, whereby the pillars prevent the fender from being at least one of crushed, dented, and permanently deformed if the nut is over-tightened.

9. The method of claim 1 comprising:

drilling a hole in the fender;

drilling a hole in the portion of the bulkhead; and

inserting the fastener through the hole in the fender and the hold in the bulkhead.

10. The method of claim 1 comprising:

disposing the fastener in a pillar of the plurality of pillars, between the vehicle fender and the portion of the bulkhead.

11. The method of claim 1 comprising extending the fastener through a hole defined by the portion of the bulkhead so that the fastener extends into the engine bay.

12. The method of claim 1 comprising threading a nut on the fastener projecting through a hole defined by the portion of the bulkhead so that when the nut is tightened, the pillar and the base are rigidly secured to the portion of the bulk head, wherein the nut is located in the engine bay when threaded on the fastener.

13. The method of claim 1 comprising:

placing a template adjacent the fender exterior side surface;

drilling holes in the fender based on the placement of template holes defined by the template.

14. The method of claim 1 comprising placing the base above a wheel well defined by the fender.

15. The method of claim 1 comprising extending the fastener into the engine bay adjacent an air conditioning tank of the vehicle located inside the engine bay.

16. A method of mounting a mirror to a fender of a vehicle comprising:

positioning a base adjacent a fender exterior side surface of a vehicle fender without extending the base upwardly to an edge of a hood of the vehicle, the base including a base upper end that terminates below an uppermost part of the fender, extending a support arm from the base and to a distal end adapted to join a mirror;

extending a pillar away from the base toward an engine bay of the vehicle, the pillar sized and shaped to extend through a hole defined by the fender without engaging an interior surface of the fender, the pillar of a preselected length so that the pillar extends toward a hole in a bulkhead adjacent the engine bay, the bulkhead being disposed inwardly relative to the fender;

projecting a fastener associated with the pillar through the hole in the bulkhead so that a weight of the mirror, the base, the support arm and the pillar are substantially born by the bulkhead,

whereby vibration inherent in the fender is reduced from being transmitted to the mirror, and

whereby the mirror is generally rigidly connected to the bulkhead.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising registering an interior contour including a projection with an exterior contour of the fender in a preselected location on the exterior of the fender forward of a door of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 16 comprising threading a nut on the fastener inside the engine bay.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising:

limiting with the pillar movement of the base toward the bulkhead, whereby the pillar prevents the fender from being at least one of crushed, dented, and permanently deformed if the nut is over-tightened.

20. The method of claim 16 comprising:

drilling a first hole through the fender and a second hole through the bulkhead of the engine bay; and

installing the fastener through the first hole and the second hole.