Going to buy the kit a d do this shortly so I don't have to get new regulators and door panels so I wondering if anyone has had any experience with it. Any help is appreciated, thank you.

Neil

 

Neil,

Have not done the aftermarket kit but have installed the factory items and you can usually pick up used ones cheaper than a aftermarket kit runs. For the door panels you could just get creative and put some Mazda emblems from the early steering wheels (81-85) where the window cranks would be. :-)

 

Ah I understand where you are coming from now that I've done more research and talked to more people. It's a lot more involved than it first appeared and of purse way more expensive than previously thought. Oh well I want the ability to roll down my windows so I have to pay for it one way or another.

 

You can plug the hole with a 1" body plug:

 

Well I found complete sets of original window motors/actuators on ebay for like 50$ for the set!

Bolting in is a piece of cake when you have picture of how it goes - it is 90 deg to original orientation.

The switch was the most expensive parts - $80

Mine was prewired so it literally was up and running in hours.

I redid my door panels (black) so it was easy to fill the hole

 

I've seen people use that hole for tweeters too.
Just a thought.

By the way, I believe all FB's are pre-wired for the
power windows, so all you would need would be the door hardware
and the switches. The wiring is pretty much plug-n-play.

 

Not in my case. The wires did not extend into the doors. They stopped at the plugs under the dash. Also the harness for the switches did not have the PW wires populated. I de-pinned the wires from another harness and plugged them into the plug under the driver's seat. (1985 GS Canada model)

 

This can be done with SA's as well, but it a lot more involved as you have to make your own switching and harness gear.

I ended up putting the switches in two of the three "coin divots" at the back of the shifter surround.

Only downside to using the stock FB electric regulators on the SA is that the glass doesn't go completely down into the door - - about 1/4" of it stays visible when the windows are fully down. I'm sure I could mod that out with some metal work, but I'm okay with it and like keeping things as stock as possible for maintainability.

Since I reupholstered the door panels, I didn't have issues with hiding the holes. I did do the upholstery pattern in a way that would look good even if I switch back to manual regulators, though - - I figured there's a chance that I'd lose a motor and not be able to replace it, sometime in the future.

 

I have an '83 GSL and my factory power windows stay about a 1/4" up when the windows are all the way down, just an FYI.

 

The Doctor is helping me out with the conversion and supplying me with parts so I think I'm set for now till I have to install everything. Thanks for everyones contributions and comments.

 

That's really useful to know; I've never been in a (functioning) FB with factory electric.

All these years, I thought is was a minor diff in the mounting points. Now, I can relax!

 

Dang bro, i really wish i can help you on this one, but i am a noobie on these things... the FB i bought came with power windows/antenna Woo!