My original mirror (that supports headlight auto-dim) had developed a really bad case of plaque in the center and it was getting hard to see through it (from the adhesive behind the glass, maybe?) I've been on a quest for a replacement, and I decided that a really cool upgrade would be to get one of those electrochromic auto-dimming ones like I have in my Explorer. The solution appeared to be one from a 90/91 Lincoln Town Car:
(http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/6049/img0736ai5.th.jpg) (http://img96.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0736ai5.jpg)
(http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/7769/img0737jf0.th.jpg) (http://img300.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0737jf0.jpg)
It came with its own auto-dim sensor, but the plug was so tight in it that I found it easier to simply use mine instead. The mirror itself had three wires that I also had to connect:
red/yellow - power, connects to circuit 640 - you can find this circuit on the autolamp amplifier connector behind your clock.
black/pink - connects to your backup lights, makes sure the mirror clears up when you put the car in reverse. You can find this wire running down the driver's side between the seat and the door sill.
black - ground.
The mirror uses the same windshield button as the existing one, so I only had to loosen my old mirror and slide it off (a major convenience!) Anyhow, something to consider for people with auto-dim who want an easy upgrade or who have "mirror plaque" like I had.
That's AWESOME!!
nice trick!
here I thought that you were putting in an auto dimming mirror not a different mirror that still works with you auto dim lights. Oh well it is still good info.
is there any way to just change the mirror or the mirror glass on the existing one after it gets that plaque.
I'll post pics of mine tommarow. i have an electrochromatic mirror that has the auto Dim light sensor built right into it. I had the one pictured above before it, and it got to be too much of a pain, since the motor was weak.
Wow I have never found that model of mirror with the sensor base.
I've seen the one from the Mark VII that has a motor that tilts the entire mirror, but I didn't want to go that route since it's noisy. Hunting down an electrochromic version took quite a bit of eBay surfing.
Cool - I love factory appearing, subtle, "Why didn't Ford think of that" mods :D
I had an electrochromatic mirror in my '87 Sport. I boosted it from a wrecked Chevy Caprice cop car (it actually wasn't a 9C1 model, it was an LTZ model used for VIP security). Unfortunately with my tinted windows it was useless - it never saw enough light to get dark. It was for that reason that I didn't install the one with temp/compass display that I had from a newer Impala (eBay'd it instead). I installed an overhead console with the same displays from a '94 Explorer.
All those mirrors are made by the same company, BTW, so you don't need a FoMoCo one.