Project Reclaim from Mustangs Plus and The Restomod Shop is closer to completion and a Fall/Winter debut in
Mustang Monthly. Hard economic times over the past couple of years have slowed Reclaim’s progress, but not stopped it by any means. Now we have a mostly completed ’65 Mustang fastback that was once a stripped-out, rust-bucket parts car in the Mustangs Plus storage yard. This month, Reclaim is getting Electric Life power windows, along with new Dynacorn doors fitted with tinted reproduction window glass, wing window assemblies, door latches and mechanicals, and AutoLoc window switches.
Along with assembling the doors with power windows, we’re also putting in the latch mechanicals and adjusting the doors to the body. This is not an easy process with original Ford parts, let alone reproduction pieces. Door installation, adjustment, and assembly require patience and tenacity.
1 Electric Life has been...
1 Electric Life has been bringing power windows to classic Mustangs and other vintage Fords for ages. They’re easy to install and also fiercely reliable to serve you well for years with smooth, quiet operation.
2 If you want power windows...
2 If you want power windows in your classic Mustang but don’t want visible switches, the Window Crank Switch from AutoLoc is your solution. Once installed, it hides inside the doors and is activated with the factory-style window crank handle. Press down for down or lift up for up. You can tie both windows into one switch or have independent switches in each door.
We have the good fortune of working with The Restomod Shop’s Mark Vasquez, who has a lot of restoration experience, particularly with body panel and door adjustment. He’s going to show us how both window installation and door adjustment are done.
3 JR Distributor International...
3 JR Distributor International manufactures window glass, windshields, and backlites for vintage automobiles, including Mustangs. Bill Faull of Mustangs Plus ordered up smoked tinted glass for Reclaim to give it more of a high-tech look. Clear and factory-style tinted glass is also available.
4 Complete reproduction wing...
4 Complete reproduction wing window assemblies from Dynacorn are available from Mustangs Plus. We’re going to have to swap the clear glass with smoked wing glass from JRD International, which doesn’t require major disassembly.
5 The door is marked for...
5 The door is marked for wire passage for the Electric Life power windows. Some, but not all, doors have a dimple for this purpose. Locate the wire passage hole mid-door between the hinges when there isn’t a dimple to guide you.
6a A Unibit step drill is...
6a A Unibit step drill is used to make the wire passage hole. Measure the grommet’s outside diameter at the most narrow point and bore to that size.
6b Wiring should be wrapped...
6b Wiring should be wrapped in PowerBraid from Painless Performance for protection from chaffing.
7 Do the same at the A-pillar,...
7 Do the same at the A-pillar, boring a wire passage hole to the grommet’s outside diameter, which will keep the wiring harness out of the door’s way.
8 Terry Simpson of The Restomod...
8 Terry Simpson of The Restomod Shop is a seasoned fabricator and car builder. Here, he fits Reclaim’s doors in preparation for power window installation, achieving a perfect gap all around. Gaps must be uniform all sides.
9 We’re going with a Dynacorn...
9 We’re going with a Dynacorn window track, which will require some modification to fit and work smoothly. You want to modify the track so the window does not hang up in the soft material inside. This calls for trimming at the top to prevent hang-ups.
10 Allen screws are needed...
10 Allen screws are needed for the window track tops because the conventional hardware that comes with the window track will not fit. They will also have to be cut unless you find ½ or ¾-inch length ¼-inch Allen screws.
11 We’re installing Dynacorn...
11 We’re installing Dynacorn weatherstrip molding. Figure on using 3M Rope-Caulk rolled very thin between the stainless and body along with buttonhead Phillips self-tapping screws.
12 Mark Vasquez installs...
12 Mark Vasquez installs the Electric Life power window regulator while Terry holds the glass up and out of the way. You can also gently hold the glass up with vice-grips or a small C-clamp if a helper isn’t available.
13 The Electric Life power...
13 The Electric Life power window mechanism is a simple worm-screw gear drive tied to a scissor mechanism with an idler track. This is how it should look inside your door. The reverse polarity motor gear drives the window up or down depending on switch position.
14 Once the power window...
14 Once the power window mechanism is in place with rollers in the window track, the idler track is installed as shown here. It gives the power drive something to bear against during window operation. The factory manual window regulator works the same way.
15 Here’s a close-up of the...
15 Here’s a close-up of the Electric Life power window motor, which has two leads—blue (positive) and black (ground). Switching action reverses these connections to run the motor up or down. hence the term “reverse polarity.” When installing window glass and the power window motor, you need to be able to reverse these leads on a 12-volt battery to manually run the glass up or down. But watch your hands to prevent injury because there’s enough power here to damage fingers.
16 The AutoLoc Window Crank...
16 The AutoLoc Window Crank Switch installs in place of the stock window regulator using three machine screws.
17 Screw holes require minor...
17 Screw holes require minor grinding or drilling. Lock washers are suggested beneath each screw head.
18 Here’s the AutoLoc wiring...
18 Here’s the AutoLoc wiring diagram for the proper switch-to-motor relationship. The Electric Life power windows should be switched 12-volt power from the ignition switch with a 10-amp fuse or circuit breaker. The AutoLoc Window Crank Switch is a billet block with two micro switches operated by a cam. All they do is reverse polarity for up or down operation. You can use a relay to activate the window but it isn’t necessary.
19 If you desire window operation...
19 If you desire window operation from a single AutoLoc switch using a mode (driver or passenger window) button, here’s the electrical diagram to follow using five conventional relays. Relays are not included with the AutoLoc switch so they must be purchased separately.