While driving my car two mornings ago when we had a reall bad snow here, I was doing about 25 and needed to use my wipers. Well, I had to lean forward to turn them on. It caused me to spin out when I hit the slush. Needless to say, I had a tractor trailer behind me. I was all over the road. Luckily, I know how to bring a car back into control. I swung the wheel just a tad to get me finished turning around into reverse. I also slapped her into reverse and slowed down and pulled over to the side. The tractor trailer just missed me. Then I put it in forward and turned around and continued on my way. Needless to say, I had to take a crap the rest of the way to work. I was so freeking scared of wrecking my nice pinto wagon! So now I am in serious condition once the money rolls in to update the steering colum so I can have a column mounted wiper switch. With the snow and rain here, I wouldnt mind getting at least a three speed wiper set up either. Has anyone ever dont this in the past? Can anyone help me out with what colums would fit that I could fairly easily convert over to adapt the pintos wiring? Any suggestion on wiper motors too to allow the multi speed like three, or adjustable? Thank you.
Also, has anyone put a speed control unit on a Pinto? Another one, has anyone put in newer gauge pods that were luminated more brightly? Like a very whitish blue light? Thanks.
Those close calls are definitely unnerving. As for moving controls to the steering column, Wittsend installed the steering column from his donor turbocoupe car. Suggest getting the EVTM's for both yours and the donor car to make wiring easier. Here are a couple links to it.
http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php/topic,9958.msg61986.html#msg61986 (http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php/topic,9958.msg61986.html#msg61986)
http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php/topic,11742.msg75710.html#msg75710 (http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php/topic,11742.msg75710.html#msg75710)
For speed control, suggest using one of the electronic versions instead of the Ford mid-80's pneumatic actuated ones which are large and heavy.
You can get LED replacement bulbs in various colors and brightness.
Thank you. Very limited info there. But I did relpy. If he is still a user, hopefully he will reply and provided me more photos and details off site. Thank you very much for the idea of led lights. I did not think about those at all! DOH! LOL.
At one time I saw an insert you could put on the Pinto Speedo that made it white. If you look at the picture, you will notice that I completely changed out my gauges in my cluster using modern electronics in the factory location. If you have the $$$, you can get A speedo and a quad gauge (oil pressure, water temp, voltage and fuel level). Have even seen Speedo's with a small tach integrated for the complete set of gauges in the stock locations. I will end up having to cut my dash to make it work, but I prefer to see the Large tach and separate gauges in
(http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/24469_384508466964_348192476964_4391050_7199111_n.jpg)
vonkysmeed
"I will end up having to cut my dash to make it work, but I prefer to see the Large tach and separate gauges in"
Why and where do you have to cut the dash? I had thought about going that route...
Have not cut the dash yet. Right now I have 3 of the gauges where the heater controls go (no heater at this time) and teh fuel gauge where you see it in the picture. I plan on putting a piece of stainless on the dash where the dash cover goes, but have not done so yet. I also plan on putting the heater back on for the sole purpose of the defroster. The controls will go in the console below the dash as I think it is more important to see the gauges. I also have a used up triple gauge cluster from a later pinto that will go where my three are currently. Tried to see how to retrofit them into it so I could keep from cutting the dash but it has not been my focus a this time.
so for the main gauges (speedo + tach/multi gauge) you didn't have to cut the dash... awesome. I have purchased the custom pillar gauge pod from MAP351, and planned on putting my fuel gauge in the lower dash. Thanks for the info!!!