Title: Switch panel design
Post by: White85GS on December 13, 2013, 11:31:53 PM
Post by: White85GS on December 13, 2013, 11:31:53 PM
I've always wondered, what was Ford's reasoning behind putting the power mirrors, windows and seat(s) controls in between the seats? It's something unique to the Fox platform.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: STANG8U on December 13, 2013, 11:39:53 PM
Post by: STANG8U on December 13, 2013, 11:39:53 PM
It's taken me a long time to get used to everything being there .... I still go to roll the window down from the door
I think they just tried to make things fancy
I think they just tried to make things fancy
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: White85GS on December 14, 2013, 12:15:14 AM
Post by: White85GS on December 14, 2013, 12:15:14 AM
in a way, it's nice that everything is at your fingertips, and it does eliminate the need for a separate switch for the passenger side window, but I think the seat-mounted switch is more intuitive. The way they're laid out, just by feel, you don't know which is the front tilt and which is the rear tilt, plus I see people, especially with the full console, accidentally bumping the main seat joystick, and catching the driver off guard.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Tbird-fanatic on December 14, 2013, 12:31:19 AM
Post by: Tbird-fanatic on December 14, 2013, 12:31:19 AM
Must just be that Im used to them, but ive never had a problem not getting the right switch. Of coarse this is my 4th 87-88 Tbird and 3rd that had the full console.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Haystack on December 14, 2013, 01:16:07 AM
Post by: Haystack on December 14, 2013, 01:16:07 AM
power seats are essentially useless. just get rid of them and forget about it.
I'm going to be moving window and mirror switches over to the door on my bird.
I'm going to be moving window and mirror switches over to the door on my bird.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Tbird-fanatic on December 14, 2013, 01:38:13 AM
Post by: Tbird-fanatic on December 14, 2013, 01:38:13 AM
Quote from: Haystack;425597
power seats are essentially useless. just get rid of them and forget about it.
I'm going to be moving window and mirror switches over to the door on my bird.
Now see I disagree about the power seats, I like having the adjust-ability to get me in the perfect angle and position for comfort. Coarse it may not help that Im 6'5"!!!
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: White85GS on December 14, 2013, 11:57:28 AM
Post by: White85GS on December 14, 2013, 11:57:28 AM
Quote from: Haystack;425597
power seats are essentially useless. just get rid of them and forget about it.
Quote from: Tbird-fanatic;425599
Now see I disagree about the power seats, I like having the adjust-ability to get me in the perfect angle and position for comfort.
Yes, the power pass seat is totally frivolous. Pwr driver seat, however does help the driver's visibility and comfort. But they are a hassle in a 2 door. I've mentioned before, that Pwr locks on a 2 door Ford are not a necessity, pull the handle, unlocks/opens the door, plus these cars aren't all that wide, so it's nothing for me to lean over and pull the handle to let someone in.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: 50RACER on December 14, 2013, 05:08:09 PM
Post by: 50RACER on December 14, 2013, 05:08:09 PM
What has always bugged me is that the window up and down seem backwards. Or is it just me?
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: White85GS on December 14, 2013, 05:24:39 PM
Post by: White85GS on December 14, 2013, 05:24:39 PM
Yeah some go one way, some go the other
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: TheFoeYouKnow on December 14, 2013, 05:28:50 PM
Post by: TheFoeYouKnow on December 14, 2013, 05:28:50 PM
Quote from: 50RACER;425629
What has always bugged me is that the window up and down seem backwards. Or is it just me?
Who wants to guess what this is and what it does?
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: White85GS on December 14, 2013, 05:30:24 PM
Post by: White85GS on December 14, 2013, 05:30:24 PM
Express down?
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Thunder Chicken on December 14, 2013, 06:46:27 PM
Post by: Thunder Chicken on December 14, 2013, 06:46:27 PM
The switches between the seats was done for cost savings. With power windows between the seats you only need one set of switches, instead of a set in each door. It also makes for a much simpler wiring harness, especially for the driver's door (with switches in the door, wires must be run between the driver's door switch and every window in the car). This is not unique to Ford. A lot of manufacturers do it - some mount them in the console (older Saturns), some mount them in the dash (Mini, PT Cruiser, Liberty, etc). Some even go so far as to only have power front windows with manual rear ones (older Neons, some older Mercedes cars, and I seem to remember some older bottom feeder Toyota cars as well).
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: White85GS on December 14, 2013, 06:53:36 PM
Post by: White85GS on December 14, 2013, 06:53:36 PM
No, like I said, it only eliminates the switch on the front pass door.
79-86 Mustang/Capri 'verts as well, I've seen them with 4 crank windows, power in front, crank in the rear, and all 4 power.
Neons and PT Crusiers also had a funky hvac fan speed switch setup, the switch went a/c:4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4
79-86 Mustang/Capri 'verts as well, I've seen them with 4 crank windows, power in front, crank in the rear, and all 4 power.
Neons and PT Crusiers also had a funky hvac fan speed switch setup, the switch went a/c:4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: TheFoeYouKnow on December 14, 2013, 07:03:41 PM
Post by: TheFoeYouKnow on December 14, 2013, 07:03:41 PM
Quote from: White85GS;425632
Express down?
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: White85GS on December 14, 2013, 07:04:45 PM
Post by: White85GS on December 14, 2013, 07:04:45 PM
woohoo!!! what do I win?
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Haystack on December 14, 2013, 07:40:02 PM
Post by: Haystack on December 14, 2013, 07:40:02 PM
Quote from: Tbird-fanatic;425599
Now see I disagree about the power seats, I like having the adjust-ability to get me in the perfect angle and position for comfort. Coarse it may not help that Im 6'5"!!!
I'm 6'5" as well. you gain a bit of head room with manual tracks. id like the tilt if I could keep it that way, but I have a really hard time getting my size 15 wide steel toes where they need to be with the 5 speed. I also mounted the seat on the rear holes for another 1/2" or so of knee room.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Thunder Chicken on December 15, 2013, 08:33:26 AM
Post by: Thunder Chicken on December 15, 2013, 08:33:26 AM
It only eliminates one switch in a two-door car, but as I said, it also greatly simplifies the wiring, especially in the driver's door.
I might be wrong, having worked at a used car place and been in so many cars they all blend together, but I think I remember some Fords using that blower switch pattern as well...
I might be wrong, having worked at a used car place and been in so many cars they all blend together, but I think I remember some Fords using that blower switch pattern as well...
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Cougars 2 go on December 15, 2013, 10:21:48 AM
Post by: Cougars 2 go on December 15, 2013, 10:21:48 AM
I like the switches in the middle. Comes in useful when cleaning and vacuuming to be able to control the seats and windows regardless of what side I'm on. It's also easier to point out to passengers showing them most of the adjustments. Also, sometimes if I have to run out and close the windows with the orientation of how I park to my front door, it saves me from having to walk around the car to close the driver window. If there is rain starting, those few extra seconds are nice to save.
Ergonomically, these switches are the easiest to manipulate while driving too. I don't have to hunt for any of them like I do in other cars.
Ergonomically, these switches are the easiest to manipulate while driving too. I don't have to hunt for any of them like I do in other cars.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Thunder Chicken on December 15, 2013, 03:46:50 PM
Post by: Thunder Chicken on December 15, 2013, 03:46:50 PM
I like it that way too. It works well in FoxBirdCats because we have no cupholders to fill the switches with coffee/pop :D All the controls are on the driver's door of my Avalanche, which is a pain in the ringpiece when plowing snow with it - I like having the window open, so the switch ends up soaked (like what happened today)
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Tbird-fanatic on December 15, 2013, 03:47:29 PM
Post by: Tbird-fanatic on December 15, 2013, 03:47:29 PM
Quote from: Haystack;425645
I'm 6'5" as well. you gain a bit of head room with manual tracks. id like the tilt if I could keep it that way, but I have a really hard time getting my size 15 wide steel toes where they need to be with the 5 speed. I also mounted the seat on the rear holes for another 1/2" or so of knee room.
The way I adjust my seat with the power I get plenty of leg room and head room. Of coarse that makes the drivers back seat almost useless!!! LOL I know what your saying about steel toes!! Ive got size 16!
Quote from: Cougars 2 go;425679
I like the switches in the middle. Comes in useful when cleaning and vacuuming to be able to control the seats and windows regardless of what side I'm on. It's also easier to point out to passengers showing them most of the adjustments. Also, sometimes if I have to run out and close the windows with the orientation of how I park to my front door, it saves me from having to walk around the car to close the driver window. If there is rain starting, those few extra seconds are nice to save.
Ergonomically, these switches are the easiest to manipulate while driving too. I don't have to hunt for any of them like I do in other cars.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Cougars 2 go on December 15, 2013, 07:14:48 PM
Post by: Cougars 2 go on December 15, 2013, 07:14:48 PM
Quote from: Cougars 2 go;425679
I like the switches in the middle. Comes in useful when cleaning and vacuuming to be able to control the seats and windows regardless of what side I'm on. It's also easier to point out to passengers showing them most of the adjustments. Also, sometimes if I have to run out and close the windows with the orientation of how I park to my front door, it saves me from having to walk around the car to close the driver window. If there is rain starting, those few extra seconds are nice to save.
Ergonomically, these switches are the easiest to manipulate while driving too. I don't have to hunt for any of them like I do in other cars.
I also forgot that if two people are getting in on the passenger side, I can hop in on the driver side and start moving the passenger seat forward for the rear passenger instead of the rear passenger having to wait until the front passenger gets in. Also I forgot that if I drop something that winds up under the passenger seat, I can slide the seat forward and when stopped, retrieve it while still seated in the driver seat.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Haystack on December 15, 2013, 10:27:04 PM
Post by: Haystack on December 15, 2013, 10:27:04 PM
you can move the manual tracks easily from the drivers seat. same with the window. on a 4 door power windows make much more sense. two door, not so much in my opinion.
as far as the back seat goes, yeah, I have two boys that ride in the back seat(5 and 2 years old) and with the clutch e brake, clutch brake and gas all so close it kinda sucks. the kids don't need the foot room yet, but they do kick my back on long drives which drives me nuts!
with no one in the back, our seats can be quite comfortable for us bigger guys.
as far as the back seat goes, yeah, I have two boys that ride in the back seat(5 and 2 years old) and with the clutch e brake, clutch brake and gas all so close it kinda sucks. the kids don't need the foot room yet, but they do kick my back on long drives which drives me nuts!
with no one in the back, our seats can be quite comfortable for us bigger guys.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: fontana motorsports on December 16, 2013, 07:03:13 PM
Post by: fontana motorsports on December 16, 2013, 07:03:13 PM
manual seats for me too, i do miss the tilt feature, but solved it with a few spacers. i swapped a whole TC interior in my 88 LX 5.0, converted to a T-5z for the heck of it.. kept watching a NOS console plate without power seats on ebay, finally dropped to 16.00 buy it now... those power seat tracks weigh so much...
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: fontana motorsports on December 16, 2013, 07:17:16 PM
Post by: fontana motorsports on December 16, 2013, 07:17:16 PM
Here's a pic of mine, never saw a TC without atleast a power driver seat. So I guess it wasn't a common panel.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: thunderjet302 on December 16, 2013, 08:34:04 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on December 16, 2013, 08:34:04 PM
I like having all the controls in the center console. It cleans up the interior. Plus having both power seat controlers on the center console makes it easy to see what I'm doing with the controls vs having them on the side of the seat. The power recline is on the side of the seat however. That's a rarer option though.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: White85GS on December 16, 2013, 08:44:57 PM
Post by: White85GS on December 16, 2013, 08:44:57 PM
Quote from: fontana motorsports;425743
Here's a pic of mine, never saw a TC without atleast a power driver seat. So I guess it wasn't a common panel.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: fontana motorsports on December 16, 2013, 08:54:33 PM
Post by: fontana motorsports on December 16, 2013, 08:54:33 PM
the mustang wheel was cheap and plentiful..and nicer than the stock thinn wheel, i also take the dead pedals from the fox stangs and install them in my birds. its nice to have. id like a set of delux non power lock door panel inserts, havent found any in the yards around me.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: White85GS on December 16, 2013, 09:00:00 PM
Post by: White85GS on December 16, 2013, 09:00:00 PM
yeah, weird how the 85-86 high end panels w/out pwr locks don't have the holes for the pwr lock switch, but the 85-86 base panels do, with a dummy plate over the holes. :shrug:
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: BCA on December 17, 2013, 09:55:07 AM
Post by: BCA on December 17, 2013, 09:55:07 AM
Quote from: White85GS;425753
I've seen quite a few 85 XR-7's with pwr mirrors, windows and no power seat(s), but what's also strange is those same 85 XR7's have the high end door panels, without pwr locks... now THAT, to me, is really odd!!
That is because on '85 XR-7's (as well as '86's), LS style door panels, power windows and power mirrors were all standard equipment while the power door locks were an option.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Thunder Chicken on December 17, 2013, 07:26:26 PM
Post by: Thunder Chicken on December 17, 2013, 07:26:26 PM
Quote from: fontana motorsports;425743
Here's a pic of mine, never saw a TC without atleast a power driver seat. So I guess it wasn't a common panel.
My parts TC didn't have a power seat. Here's my interior (very dusty, the car was still a work in progress) with the '87 TC seats, '83 console (full length, right to the back seat), and T5 installed. It's odd - this car was not originally a console car. When I plugged the console-type switches in they worked the opposite of what it said on the console plate: Up was down, down was up.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: White85GS on December 17, 2013, 08:16:13 PM
Post by: White85GS on December 17, 2013, 08:16:13 PM
that's nothing, when I got my 85, each window went different ways (driver's-forward down, backward up/passenger's-forward up, backward down). I reversed the wires on the back of the passenger's half of the switch to get them both to work the way the switch plate was labeled.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: Haystack on December 17, 2013, 08:56:30 PM
Post by: Haystack on December 17, 2013, 08:56:30 PM
my cougar windows are the right way, and my.tbird is correct.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: BCA on December 18, 2013, 08:30:07 AM
Post by: BCA on December 18, 2013, 08:30:07 AM
Quote from: Thunder Chicken;425798
My parts TC didn't have a power seat. Here's my interior (very dusty, the car was still a work in progress) with the '87 TC seats, '83 console (full length, right to the back seat), and T5 installed. It's odd - this car was not originally a console car. When I plugged the console-type switches in they worked the opposite of what it said on the console plate: Up was down, down was up.
So you must have a later '87-'88 console plate installed on an earlier full length console and switches then right? Remember that on the '86 and early cars had the windows go up when you pull back on the switch and go down when pushed forward.
I'm probably biased because my car in an '85, but the earlier window switch configuration like that makes more sense to me than the '87-'88 style.
I feel that I'm am pulling "up" on the switch, therefore the window should travel up. Just as I am pushing "down" on the switch in order to make the window travel down.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: flylear45 on December 18, 2013, 10:29:58 AM
Post by: flylear45 on December 18, 2013, 10:29:58 AM
Quote from: BCA;425820
So you must have a later '87-'88 console plate installed on an earlier full length console and switches then right? Remember that on the '86 and early cars had the windows go up when you pull back on the switch and go down when pushed forward.
I'm probably biased because my car in an '85, but the earlier window switch configuration like that makes more sense to me than the '87-'88 style.
I feel that I'm am pulling "up" on the switch, therefore the window should travel up. Just as I am pushing "down" on the switch in order to make the window travel down.
I feel the same way. I always go the wrong way on the switch in mine after I've been in anything else. I've been thinking about relocating all the switches and putting a cup holder there. That's a pretty time consuming project though. If I found a good set of replacement seats from something else with base mounted switches I might do it.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: EricCoolCats on December 18, 2013, 11:37:47 AM
Post by: EricCoolCats on December 18, 2013, 11:37:47 AM
Quote from: flylear45;425827
If I found a good set of replacement seats from something else with base mounted switches I might do it.
SN95 Mustang. ;) Looks like the same joystick as was used on our cars. It's at the very front of the seat, kind of a weird spot, but still...it might work with our harness, so in theory that should be an easy swap. I took that harness out of my passenger seat and don't know what I did with it though.
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: thunderjet302 on December 18, 2013, 08:26:02 PM
Post by: thunderjet302 on December 18, 2013, 08:26:02 PM
Why would you want a cup holder? Drinking things in the car just invites a mess ;).
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: White85GS on December 18, 2013, 09:11:57 PM
Post by: White85GS on December 18, 2013, 09:11:57 PM
I have to admit, full console and column shifter are a weird combination, but I love that mat, that's where my phone goes!
Title: Switch panel design
Post by: White85GS on January 06, 2014, 01:54:24 AM
Post by: White85GS on January 06, 2014, 01:54:24 AM
Forgot to mention this, but, you always knew a car was fancy when it has the power seat controls in/on the door armrest :)