Converting manual to power windows

[David Claflin]

Besides the interior panels is there much to doing this swap? I presume the wiring is put into all of the cars like they do the foglight wiring on mustangs?
Going to be swapping power locks too, hopefully the wiring for those are in there too. I'll have to get a door panel off to be sure.
As nothing showed up in the search I can take some pics as I progress on this in case someone wants to do it in the future.

[DeraldRice]

I did this quite a few years ago on a 79, so maybe my memory isn't up to all of the details,. The only real problem that I had was trying to shoehorn the power mechanism into the door. I had to cut an access notch at the top of the inner door panel. Not big deal, but it was surprising to have to do it. Possibly since my door was a 79 and the mechanissm was from a later year. I did not get new door panels, I simply used the empty window crank hole to place the switch. If you are going for the factory look, then new door panels would be needed. Wiring was failry straight forward, a KO12+ source, and the a ground at each motor. Plus an extra run of wiring to the other side from the dirvers switch to the pass switch. I did not use the power locks.

[David Claflin]

Hopefully I can use the same panels....I've got power windows in the LTD wagon, and the LX has manual. So figured I could a the panel on the wagon and compare it, but thought I'd ask here, nothing came up in a search for it.

[David Claflin]

I took the door panels off the LTD, I did find I've got power door locks, must be the solenoids were froze up. However, the power window swap is going to be more involved then I thought. It appears when I compare it to my other LTD with power windows that the whole window lift mechanism must be swapped too. I'll see what is available in the junkyard tomorrow. If anything I'll just do the fronts and leave the rears as roll up if I swap anything at all.
As it was getting dark I also discovered that the bezel around the kep lock on the front doors lights up when you pull up on the door handle, hadn't seen that before myself.

[LTDScott]

You were required to get wing windows with power windows, so maybe they are required for a changeover?

[David Claflin]

You were required to get wing windows with power windows, so maybe they are required for a changeover?

mmmh, didn't know that.....I'll have to look, I thought there was a marquis in the JY last time I was there. I looked in my wiring diagram and it looks as if the wiring to the motors has a disconnect just inside the body and the pigtail goes out a hole into the door. So, maybe the main harness is already still in the body light ford did on the mustangs with the foglights for GT's even though the LX's have the foglight wiring on them as well. I won't know the answer to that question until I get the some trim panels off and peek inside.

[ncontt]

interested in this as well b/c I have a 79 Fairmont that's been changed to a 90GT wiring harness (front to back) and was thinking of using the switches etc from a convertible so I can raise/lower the back windows.....I'm thinking it will work but like you said with the shoehorning of the motors/regulators in there it may be a challenge. At this point I just need to get it going with the turbo now....

[gr79]

I did this quite a few years ago on a 79, so maybe my memory isn't up to all of the details,. The only real problem that I had was trying to shoehorn the power mechanism into the door. I had to cut an access notch at the top of the inner door panel. Not big deal, but it was surprising to have to do it. Possibly since my door was a 79 and the mechanissm was from a later year. I did not get new door panels, I simply used the empty window crank hole to place the switch. If you are going for the factory look, then new door panels would be needed. Wiring was failry straight forward, a KO12+ source, and the a ground at each motor. Plus an extra run of wiring to the other side from the dirvers switch to the pass switch. I did not use the power locks.

Looking at the dealer literature for '79 Mustang:
No listing of a power window option.
That might explain the reason for the mods needed.

[David Claflin]

I found an LTD at the junkyard that had power windows, so I snagged the harness, switches and motors. I did not get the vent windows as they were pretty beat up, the latch to open and close them flops around. Seems so strange that if you had power windows, then you got manual mirror controls, so in the next few weeks I'll dive into this, maybe at the same time I do the EFI conversion.

[ajstoys63]

I converted my '84 LTD LX over to power windows and also put the power mirrors in at the same time. I had a doner car but it was pretty straight forward. I took my entire interior out to do it and that made it fairly easy.

[David Claflin]

Did you come across any obstacles or things that held you up while doing that conversion?

[ajstoys63]

No not really... I had to drill the rivets out to get the manual window regulators out of the way and I bolted the power window regulators right in. There are power points under the dash board to feed it. It is easier if you take the seats out and remove the carpet. You want to get the donor car parts out complete and intact... After that it is really plug and play. I was surprized how easy.. By the way I did add the vent windows to my car..

[David Claflin]

Thanks, I don't have a rivet gun large enough to re-rivet these back in so will have to use small bolts, and lock nuts, other then that it seems pretty straightforward.
I've decided to pull the carpet out too, and pressure wash it while it is out.

[ajstoys63]

I used hex bolts, washers and lock nuts. It has been in the car for 13 years. with no problems. And unless I told you that it was swapped in you would never know it...

[zak]

David, I did this swap years ago (manual to power) and will soon be switching back as that is what came stock on my car - the doors are lighter in manual - plus I think the look is cleaner without the quarter windows (not that those don't come in handy if the AC cuts out).

I can remember taking all the seats and carpets out of the donar, as well as mine. Even with that, I had to run a separately fused power wire to power the donated harness. The splice was in the drivers side left kick panel IIRC.

I used doors from a Marquis and they included power mirrors.

zak

[David Claflin]

I used doors from a Marquis and they included power mirrors.

zak

Thanks, I thought at first about swapping the entire door, but I too like the cleaner look of no vent windows, although they are pretty cool now adays as no cars have them anymore that I know of. When I pulled the harness I noticed there was a seperate fuse for power windows so figured that would add another step to this.

[TWR2003]

I too like the cleaner look of no vent windows

Then you better get used to crank windows on your 4dr Foxy. No vent windows = no power windows. 100 per cent.

Good luck

[Zap's 85 GT]

I have the rivet gun and a whole tray full of 1/4" rivets if you need to borrow the stuff.

[TWR2003]

I have the rivet gun and a whole tray full of 1/4" rivets if you need to borrow the stuff.

That will work just fine but if those regulators have to come out an hour after you put them in because the motor that was working fine before is not working now your gonna be cussin them. Do your self a favor and use 1/4 nuts/bolts. And for a little extra coin get the ones at the hardware store made from nice chinese stainless steel.

[David Claflin]

Then you better get used to crank windows on your 4dr Foxy. No vent windows = no power windows. 100 per cent.

Good luck

Why do you say that?

I have the rivet gun and a whole tray full of 1/4" rivets if you need to borrow the stuff.

Thanks, I got one too, just wasn't sure that I was going to use them for this deal or not, was thinking like a 1/4 bolt with a self locking nut.

[TWR2003]

Why do you say that?

I reckon I could have worded that better. What I mean to say is that the power window setup will not work without the vent windows. You can install everything using the non-vent window glass. It will fit great and look great until the first time you go the put the window down. It will go down about 3 inches and stop because the bottom of the glass is hitting the motor. Can scratch head all day - it aint going to go. The motors mount below the vents.

Ford built thousands of 4dr Foxys with power windows - mostly LTD/Marquis but a few Granada/Cougar and even a few(er) Fairmonts/Zs. I challenge you to find me ONE with factory power windows without vent windows.

Knock your self out. Been there (17+ years ago).

[David Claflin]

OK, now that you've clarified that it does make sense. I'll have to take a look at this and see if I can mount the motor somewhere else, and lengthen the arm or something....thanks for the heads up.

[David Claflin]

Just for an update, and to ask another question. I went to the junkyard in early December and there was another LTD there, very clean with power windows, so I got both front doors, and the wire that comes off of the fuse box to the power windows. I was going to just have the doors painted and put them on, but got to looking and I think I'd be better off to swap door innards. Today I'm in the process of pulling the stuff out of the donor doors, and am so far stumped on how to gett the windows out. I've still got some brackets to pull out, but have the actual vents, and power motors out so far. It looks as if I'll still be able to use the power mirrors that the LTD LX had.

One thing I noticed on that LTD in the junkyard that I've seen on a couple already, including the other one I had, is that the hose from the low pressure pump, to the outlet is almost always rotted. I suspect that the hose rots, so the pump can't push enough fuel up to the high pressure pump and unless they have a sharp mechanic the thing won't run well and it eventually ends up in the junkyard.

[JACook]

One thing I noticed on that LTD in the junkyard that I've seen on a couple already, including the other one I had, is that the hose from the low pressure pump, to the outlet is almost always rotted. I suspect that the hose rots, so the pump can't push enough fuel up to the high pressure pump and unless they have a sharp mechanic the thing won't run well and it eventually ends up in the junkyard.

I had this very same thing happen recently with my '85 Vert. It's the later '85 with the
single high pressure pump, but I believe it's the same hose. The thing looked like a gauze
tube impregnated with black goo. Of course it waited until the tank was full...

In my case, the entire pump/hanger assembly had been replaced with an Airtex unit.
I suspect Airtex cheaped out on the hoses they used, and the oxygenated fuel did the
rest.

[TWR2003]

Does the window need to be removed from the track by drilling out the rivets before it can come out of the door? I'm in the process of converting to power windows, and am about to tackle pulling the glass out, but noticed it does just come right out.

I replied in this thread and not that older thread (ltngdrvr is long gone). Man that was an old thread!

Anyway based on memory (17 years ago) you need to remove the glass from the glass channel. Since you need to convert from non-vent to vent glass you need to strip out the entire window mechanisms anyway. Be sure to drive the steel mandrels out of the aluminum rivets BEFORE you try to drill the rivet heads off. Usually one or two good smacks with a pin punch/hammer will knock the mandrel right out the back. Also be sure to save the mounting 'washers' that hold the glass to the channel. They are a multi-piece thing and the two halves hold together thru the holes in the glass with little plastic fingers. To get them off the glass they just pull apart. You will see.

BTW, are you installing the power door lock mechanisms too? I did when I did the PWs. Its fairly straight forward and since you need to run wires in/out of the door anyway you might as well. The LTD/Marquis setup uses switches that are actually mounted on the lock plungers themselves but I dont care for that arraingement. I set mine up using the door panel mounted switches like they do on Mustangs.

One other thing that I doint think was touched on is the holes in the doors and door jams where the rubber 'accordians' for the wires go. Ford used different accordians over the years and the holes for them are different sizes. The ones I used required some fairly large holes. I just went downstairs and measured the hole in my spare 'mockup' door (front passenger side - boy that thing is dusty!) and the hole measures 2-1/2 inches diameter. Regardless you need to measure the hole in the donor car and drill them to that size in your car with the proper size hole saw. The doors and jams in my 78 had 'dimples' from the factory locating the center of the required holes. The bad news is to be able to drill the holes for the front doors and jams the front doors must come off the car. The good news is the rear doors do not have to come off the car. And as I recall the rear doors used a different hole size for their accordians (smaller I believe). Again be sure to carefully measure the sizes of the holes in the donor car - both doors and jams - that you are getting the accordians from.

Good luck
T