Lighting problem

[Wolfe_83Conti]

This is my first post here.

I own an '83 base Conti with the multi-rotary/pull style light switch. When I pull out for the driving lights, they work. Going to the headlights kills the driving lights and interior lights.

There's a brown connector at the end of the switch unit that once had four wires hooked up to it. Now there's three, as one burned out and is lost. The ones left are two orangey/red wires in one slot, a black w/white dashes two slots over, and the burned out slot next to the black. I cannot locate an errant wire under the dash amidst the million in the wrist-sized bundle by the fuse box. Also, previous owner(s) Armor-Alled the interior too much and it seeped into the light switch connections.

Anyone who knows which wire I'm missing is highly encouraged to speak up. Anyone with a diagram for this car, please forward it! Haynes is worthless for the Fox Conti! (pro-five-Oh, you may be the best authority on this.)

[pro-five-oh]

Welcome!

Unfortunately my 1983 EVTM manual is AWOL so I really don't know how to fix this problem offhand. There's a chance the switch needs to be replaced, you can probably use a Town Car/Mark VI switch and replace its chrome/wood trim with the black laquer trim of the old assembly.

Best of luck, sorry I can't be any more help!

[Wolfe_83Conti]

I had a feeling I would have to do that. The dash assembly on my car is still good, so I won't have to hunt for a donor car, thank God. As soon as I can find that missing wire, I'm going to rip the entire dash out and redo it with analog gauges and good toggle switches. I am tired of all the digital electronic crap in my cars failing, and the multi-switches that car companies are so fond of; these should be collected and burned. I'll be fitting this car with a full range of guages so that it'll look like a Duesenburg by the time I'm finished. I'm glad Ford made this model sufficiently low-tech enough that I can do that.

[Wolfe_83Conti]

During further disassembly of the dash, I've removed the tripminder computer (among other things) and have a question. Is this thing an integral part of the Conti's engine control system, or is it a "Gee-whiz" feature I can do without? The car runs despite it being totally screwed up, but some computers have a "back-end" set of circuits that handle Important Stuff, like injection timing. (Hello, Olds Toronado VIC)

Note to anyone concerned: This car was a salvage yard rescue, so I'm not destroying a top-quality Givenchy model. Pics when I get the time. Also, since the switch assembly in question above is the same as that of an early 80s to '89 TC, anyone with a TC is encouraged to speak up.

[pro-five-oh]

No the tripminder isn't a necessary part, it only gives outputs, no engine inputs. This isn't a GM product. :)

Save all the parts you don't need, we all need them, that's for sure. If you aren't using the blue tinted plastic sheet over the digital gauges (its glued to the entire plastic finish panel) I'd be interested in it. The blue paint on mine is peeling and looks horrible.

Looking forward to pics, that's for sure. Thank you for saving this car from the crusher. :)

[Wolfe_83Conti]

Here:

760

761

Taken with my Polaroid, digitals to follow when I get new batteries. The driver side has a running dent in the front door. The paint is a poorly done $100 special that's rapidly peeling away (with a lot of help from me). The factory job is in great condition underneath, and looks to be dark teal over light blue. If it's in good enough shape, I won't have to worry about a new paint job. If not, I'm thinking dark blue over light blue. The interior is dark blue leather, in middling shape, and bloody hot when the sun's out. Note: It rained heavily that day, the paint is much worse looking when dry.

Also, found a donor TC this afternoon that had the connector I needed with the missing wire. I'm going to splice off of another similar wire on the Conti and get my lights working, come Hell or high water.

As soon as I get a replacement speedometer, I'll get back to you on the dash panel. I won't need it again; I'm planning a new fascia using wood.

[Wolfe_83Conti]

The Offenders:

762
The one on the left is the TC connector with the missing wire intact. My problem piece is on the right and missing the green wire.

763
The shiny, uneven texture inside the black box is Armor-All that seeped in. Part 2 of my lighting problem. Note in the lower right corner at the back is a singed area where my wire burned out.

[Wolfe_83Conti]

pro, I'm not quite sure now which panel on the dash you're referring to. The only blue-tint piece is the one on the right with the 'Continental' script. If that's the one, mine is in good shape, and I'll be glad to send it along to you.

[pro-five-oh]

pro, I'm not quite sure now which panel on the dash you're referring to. The only blue-tint piece is the one on the right with the 'Continental' script. If that's the one, mine is in good shape, and I'll be glad to send it along to you.

Hey there, on the black plastic panel (that 5-ft long part) there is a clear plastic insert that goes in front of the gauges, it has the words "Unleaded FUEL only" and "TEMP" written on it. The clear plastic has clear paint over it, in a bluish green tone to make the gauges light up the same color as the rest of the dash. That's the part I need. Donno how difficult it is to pull that from the dash, might need a heatgun.

If its not worth your time, no biggie. Odds are I can repaint mine but I just don't have the time to look into it.

http://home.concepts.nl/%7Erwegert/lincoln/pict0005.jpg

[Wolfe_83Conti]

I'll check it again tomorrow, I must have missed that bit.

[Wolfe_83Conti]

Kinda saw the tint, and the piece is in decent shape. It's also stuck on well, not sure if it'll go quietly. I'll give it a shot Sunday when I'm off work.

[pro-five-oh]

I tried to pull one off a nice donor car in the junkyard and it broke because 1) I didn't have a heat gun or 2)I wasn't very careful because I was in a junkyard. :)

[Wolfe_83Conti]

Been there, done that so many times it's absurd! :cool:

[Wolfe_83Conti]

Checked the piece once again, and noticed patches of decidedly blue tint, meaning that my piece is in the same mess as yours. Sorry about that. :(

I'd check out the posts in the '88-'94 thread about dash color changes. There were a few good ideas there.

[pro-five-oh]

Cool, thanks for looking into it for me. :)

[Wolfe_83Conti]

No problem. Also, do you still have the wheels from your Valentino? Those look better than my base turbines. What size are they?

[pro-five-oh]

Yeah its sitting on the stock wheels right now. They look awesome when you take the hub off, polish the wheel, polish the hub and polish each individual spoke....pretty easy with the whole thing taken apart. They are 15x6".

[Wolfe_83Conti]

Oh, I thought you had it on Cobra rims. Well, if you start thinking of getting rid of the stock rims, let me know.

[Wolfe_83Conti]

Too much dust on this thread! :D

Got a clean TC switch Sunday, and hope to have it spliced in before next week. One of these days, I'll be driving this car!

[Wolfe_83Conti]

Lights work again! :cheer: :hyper: :encore:

[pro-five-oh]

Good job! No I'm keeping the stock wheels...I'm not gonna go crazy with the brakes (at least not on this Conti, maybe another:eek:) so I want the Cobra and Conti wheels for it. When its all done, I could have the stock wheels on and pull to a LCOC event and no one would be the wiser...until they opened the hood, that is. ;)

[Wolfe_83Conti]

With any luck that's what I'll be doing with Gracie. :cool: