Power to Manual Windows!
Power to Manual Windows!
First things first; 1989 N/A GXL.
Being a Florida resident, it is summer for 10 months out of the year. My fellow rotorheads down here in Florida know how bad it sucks climbing into a 135 degree cabin on a hot July afternoon. Being able to walk outside a little while before I have to go somewhere to roll down the windows and get that hot air out is great, and even moreso when I can get them back up real easy without even turning a key when we get these random north Florida thunderstorms like today.
My driver's side switch is broken, and the passenger side relay is bad so neither of the windows move. I know these are the most common problems and may seem simple, but when I will be frequently rolling my windows down and for most of the year at that, I don't want to have to worry about electronics failing and just enjoy the retro simplicity of "windey-down windows" as Jeremy Clarkson likes to say. I spent several hours searching for a decent thread on this to no avail, and had similar results on NoPistons.
That being said, I've got to know;
How easy is it to remove the door panels?
How easy is it to remove the power window equipment?
What manual window parts do I need?
Where do I need to drill holes to accommodate the crank?
Hopefully we can get a decent, stickied thread about this for all our rotorheads down here in the burning south wishing the same thing.
Thanks, fam!
Being a Florida resident, it is summer for 10 months out of the year. My fellow rotorheads down here in Florida know how bad it sucks climbing into a 135 degree cabin on a hot July afternoon. Being able to walk outside a little while before I have to go somewhere to roll down the windows and get that hot air out is great, and even moreso when I can get them back up real easy without even turning a key when we get these random north Florida thunderstorms like today.
My driver's side switch is broken, and the passenger side relay is bad so neither of the windows move. I know these are the most common problems and may seem simple, but when I will be frequently rolling my windows down and for most of the year at that, I don't want to have to worry about electronics failing and just enjoy the retro simplicity of "windey-down windows" as Jeremy Clarkson likes to say. I spent several hours searching for a decent thread on this to no avail, and had similar results on NoPistons.
That being said, I've got to know;
How easy is it to remove the door panels?
How easy is it to remove the power window equipment?
What manual window parts do I need?
Where do I need to drill holes to accommodate the crank?
Hopefully we can get a decent, stickied thread about this for all our rotorheads down here in the burning south wishing the same thing.
Thanks, fam!
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 25,581
Likes: 136
From: Smiths Falls.(near Ottawa!.Mapquest IT!)
door cards are easy to remove,just be sure to remove the mirror triangle plastic carefully.I take it off to ease the card removal once the screws,handles,door cup,etc is off by pulling the card up off the inner bottom edge of the window and working it off.
The Power window crank is attached differently but the holes are on the door for manual door cranks.
I just did this whole swap and it took about a half hour per door.
You'll need the cards,cranks,regulator,that's it.
The Power window crank is attached differently but the holes are on the door for manual door cranks.
I just did this whole swap and it took about a half hour per door.
You'll need the cards,cranks,regulator,that's it.
You can drill holes in the power window door cards, & use a manual window crank lever sawed down by about 60%. that's what the P/O's did of my 91 A package(renamed GXL for '91) and it really looks like ****. Get the right door cards if you do it.
Now for your alternative!!
Mazda MPV minivans have a direct swap pass side switch, and a lightly modded but will work driver side switch.
https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generati...ch-diy-725796/
And, to make those window regulator motors run like 100mph, check out the relay mod.
AusRotary.com • View topic - FC3S Power Window Relay Mod
Have fun not being in a summer heat car-
I live in clearwater/hudson (so it's even hotter down here than in N. FL lol) and just built a POS daily driver that's got no interior or sound deadening. As of now all of the holes in the firewall are uncapped, so the air that's gone through the radiator and picked up heat comes right thru the firewall. It's basically like having the heat on all the time.
Now for your alternative!!
Mazda MPV minivans have a direct swap pass side switch, and a lightly modded but will work driver side switch.
https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generati...ch-diy-725796/
And, to make those window regulator motors run like 100mph, check out the relay mod.
AusRotary.com • View topic - FC3S Power Window Relay Mod
Have fun not being in a summer heat car-
I live in clearwater/hudson (so it's even hotter down here than in N. FL lol) and just built a POS daily driver that's got no interior or sound deadening. As of now all of the holes in the firewall are uncapped, so the air that's gone through the radiator and picked up heat comes right thru the firewall. It's basically like having the heat on all the time.
I like Landon's alternative unless you have a complete manual package to work with.
The correct door panels, armrests and winders are the only way to go, hacking up the power window parts is bobo.
I recently changed chassis and went from power to manual windows...I'm conflicted.
I didn't think I'd miss the power windows and even more, the power lock, as much as I do.
Given your options I think I'd fix the switches and relay the motors first and only go manual if that doesn't work out for you.
The correct door panels, armrests and winders are the only way to go, hacking up the power window parts is bobo.
I recently changed chassis and went from power to manual windows...I'm conflicted.
I didn't think I'd miss the power windows and even more, the power lock, as much as I do.
Given your options I think I'd fix the switches and relay the motors first and only go manual if that doesn't work out for you.
I don't have power locks in mine, so I'm not worried about that. In fact, the only power in mine is the sunroof and windows, aside from the belts.
That being said, When you talk about having to mess up the manual window crank, what exactly do you mean? Lengthwise? Depth of the base? I can see where a longer window crank will interfere with the speaker surround and the armrest.
I'll be checking into that MPV fix. My driver's side switch is actually broken though, the plastic part. Hmmm. Honestly conflicted on it as well. I wouldn't mind making a small hand crank to fit, as long as it would work with the manual window regulator.
Also, this manual regulator. I have seen them in places online for like $60 or so, but is the mechanism just the part that holds the window and then two cables that are attached to a plastic thing?
That being said, When you talk about having to mess up the manual window crank, what exactly do you mean? Lengthwise? Depth of the base? I can see where a longer window crank will interfere with the speaker surround and the armrest.
I'll be checking into that MPV fix. My driver's side switch is actually broken though, the plastic part. Hmmm. Honestly conflicted on it as well. I wouldn't mind making a small hand crank to fit, as long as it would work with the manual window regulator.
Also, this manual regulator. I have seen them in places online for like $60 or so, but is the mechanism just the part that holds the window and then two cables that are attached to a plastic thing?
