adam86

iTrader: (1)

Hey guys i have a donor car that has Power windows/locks...
Mine has no options of any kind

Im thinking that i want to take the whole door and hinge and put it onto my car since they are in better condition.


What would i have to do to make the power windows and locks work?
i have the window switches... What do i have to wire to make the windows work correctly and the locks to have power to them?

92fbodylover

iTrader: (2)

lots of work, You have to rewire your fuse panel, and run all the wires. More problems then it is wroth. plus your run into power window motors going bad. plus getting the power window motor to line up just right can be a pain if you have not done it before

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

You don't have to rewire anything, just get on here or go to a junk yard or eBay or wherever and get the stock wiring harness. Since you have an 86 the plug that the harness plugs into should be behind the driver side kick panel. The window motors only go in one position (if you took the regulator assembly out you might have to worry about window track alignment but you just make a mark on the door where the screws go and it's as simple as that) but since you want to replace the entire door you won't have to worry about any of that. Good power window motors won't go bad that often and if they do just get original GM ones and you'll be fine for another 15 years. It's not that big of a deal.

92fbodylover

iTrader: (2)

did this for a guy that lives up the street on his 85 z28. There are no plug in if the car left the factory with manual windows. He will have to rewire the car. It's more of a pain then what it is worth in my opionion

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

You're the only person to say otherwise, everyone I talked to said that there is a power accessory junction box under the kick panel on all 82-89 cars that the harness plugs into. My car (which doesn't have the box because they changed the wiring in 1990) had the plug under the hush panel in the corner. All plug-n-play.

92fbodylover

iTrader: (2)

out of the 15 f-body I have parted out about half were non-power and there was not plug and play as you say

Pat Hall

iTrader: (31)

My 89 RS originally had power locks, but manual windows, and it was all set up for the power windows already. All I had to do was scrounge up the power window harness from a junkyard and connect it to the above mentioned relay behind the driver's side kick panel. Of course I had to run the harness under the carpet and through the rubber boots into the doors, cut the switch holes in the console, and swap out the regulators, but I had the whole job done in about 4 hours. BTW, when you swap from manual regulators to power ones, you have to use the other set of holes that are about an inch away from the manual holes to mount the regulators to the doors. Maybe a car that didn't have power locks isn't setup for power windows, but if you have power locks originally, the relay's already there. I also added a power seat, and it uses the same relay for power too. Heck I even added power mirrors while I was at it, so everything in my car is controlled at the touch of a button now!

92fbodylover

iTrader: (2)

I have never had a parts car that have power locks and NOT power windows. Or power windows and NOT power locks. All my camaro / firebird that I bought and fixed up and resold or have keep were either had both power windows and locks or no power in the doors. I guess you could of order a camaro with power locks and not power windows. Then I could see the wire hardness being hind the kick panels. I have never see a f-body with just one power option, Still I think it sounds like some one swap out power windows to Manual windows and just left the wire hardness behind the kick panel. I try to call my uncle who did work on the f-body line from 86 til 95 when he took the job working at the corvette line. But I have not been able to get in touch with him

2kflhr

iTrader: (1)

I just recently changed over from manual windows and locks in my son's '91 RS. I bought a '92 RS for parts and removed the regulators, lock actuator, switches and harness. I changed it all over in 3-4 hours. Just make sure you get the complete harness, relay for the lock actuators, and circuit breakers from the donor car to plug into your existing fuse block.

I ran the PW/PDL harness (removed from the donor car) through the lower side of the dash and through the console. I used the donor car console to get the measurements for the switch cut-outs. I taped the console area where the switches mounted, marked the switch locations off with a marker and cut them out with a Dremel tool.

I opted to not go back with rivets and used 1/4 X 3/8 length stainless steel bolts. I used flat push on bolt retainers (speed nuts) to keep the bolts in the regulator mounting frame while I installed the regulator. I then used a lock washer followed up with loc-tite on the nuts.

I used this well written guide:

http://www.p71interceptor.com/thirdgen/powerwindows/

Good Luck!

compuwiz1937

iTrader: (17)

That's the guide I used as well.

I have. My uncle's 89 RS that is rotting away has ONLY power locks, it doesn't even have the switch in the console for the hatch release. Not sure if it has the box I was talking about behind the kick panel though.

Pat Hall

iTrader: (31)

I too ran the wires underneath the steering column over to the relay. It was the easiest way to do it. I also used bolts instead of those huge rivets to put the power regulators in the doors. I think my 89 RS was kind of unusual when it came to the interior options. Whoever ordered it sprung for some of the nicer interior options, but not all of them. It had power locks and power hatch release, but manual windows, seat, and mirrors. It also came with the split folding rear seat, custom cloth seats, and the carpeted panels in the hatch area, carpeted kick panels, and underdash accessory lights. What else surprised me was when I added Iroc driving lights, the plug was already there in the dash for the foglight switch. I guess you never know what you're going to find your car is already equipped for until you dig in and look. On the foglights, I've noticed that the newer thirdgens usually have the plug already there in the dash, but the older ones don't. My dad bought my 89 when it was practically brand new before giving it to me, so I know for a fact that nobody added the power locks. In fact, I found the original build sheet to it just about a month ago when I was replacing the carpet, and the power locks were printed right there in the build options.