Foxbody Interior Lighting Ideas

[moe9853]

Hey everyone, I just wanted to share some ideas I brainstormed after a long trip in my fusion. After driving for 2 hours in my 2008 fusion and then driving my 1988 mustang, I realized how little lighting my mustang had. After some thought, I came up with 2 ideas.

1) the foxbody map light sucks so I'm going to delete it, and install a lighted rearview mirror from a converible.

2) it would be cool to have illuminated power window/locks like my fusion. I wonder if I could swap the mustang switches with a newer illuminated ones from a newer ford.

And way just some ideas I'd like to throw out there. Any feedback would be appreciated

 

[moe9853]

Here is a picture of a lighted ford rear view mirror and the start of deleting my map light. Can't remember what car it came out of, but I found it from a local salvage yard.

 

[Mustang5L5]

If you look under the dash, ford had originally installed two light bulb sockets for a 168 bulb on each side. One is by the driver's left knee under the dash and the other is dead center of the passenger foot well. If you stick bulbs in here, they will light when the doors open.

What you could do is install some sort of interior accent lighting and tap here for power

 

[moe9853]

Yeah I'm aware of those, but they only light up when the doors are open. I'm looking for a way to add some kind of light to the power window and power lock switches. I want them to light up every time I turn the parking lights on.

 

[stykthyn]

I used tiki torches when I had my convertible

 

[stykthyn]

Yeah I'm aware of those, but they only light up when the doors are open. I'm looking for a way to add some kind of light to the power window and power lock switches. I want them to light up every time I turn the parking lights on.

Best bet is to wire in an led and tap it into the fuse panel. I want to say it's the pink wire that goes to the dimmer

 

[Onefine88]

I installed LED's in place of the stock bulbs in the rearview mirror and lower courtesy lights under the dash in my vert.
They're really bright, make a huge difference and look really cool at night with the door open.

Pardon this terrible pic. You can't see the rearview mirror, (note a glow on the center a/c vents) but can see how bright the courtesy lights are even though the sun is shining into the window of my garage. LOL
I'll try to take a better pic tonight if interested.

I do agree that it would be cool to somehow slip in a small LED under the window/door lock switches to highlight them. I da know? I also thought about installing a low power LED under each seat to highlight the floor while driving. "anything to lighten up an otherwise dark interior"
however my most favorite way is to drop the top.

 

[cdurbin]

I installed LED's in place of the stock bulbs in the rearview mirror and lower courtesy lights under the dash in my vert.
They're really bright, make a huge difference and look really cool at night with the door open.

Pardon this terrible pic. You can't see the rearview mirror, (note a glow on the center a/c vents) but can see how bright the courtesy lights are even though the sun is shining into the window of my garage. LOL
I'll try to take a better pic tonight if interested.

I do agree that it would be cool to somehow slip in a small LED under the window/door lock switches to highlight them. I da know? I also thought about installing a low power LED under each seat to highlight the floor while driving. "anything to lighten up an otherwise dark interior"
however my most favorite way is to drop the top.

I'm interested in doing the same setup in my 91 vert.
I looked under the dash and I don't see the sockets for the under dash bulbs.
I think I read somewhere that Ford stopped installing those after 1988. Can anyone verify that?
Thanks

 

[Mustang5L5]

I'm interested in doing the same setup in my 91 vert.
I looked under the dash and I don't see the sockets for the under dash bulbs.
I think I read somewhere that Ford stopped installing those after 1988. Can anyone verify that?
Thanks

1990 and later do not have those

 

[cdurbin]

1990 and later do not have those

That's what I thought. Thanks for confirming.

 

[Mustang5L5]

You can tap off the dimmer though. There are two wires to choose from. One gets power when the headlights are on, the other one is after the dimmer and can be dimmed with the rest of the dash lights. So depending on what you want to do, you have two choices for wires to tap into.

 

[cdurbin]

You can tap off the dimmer though. There are two wires to choose from. One gets power when the headlights are on, the other one is after the dimmer and can be dimmed with the rest of the dash lights. So depending on what you want to do, you have two choices for wires to tap into.

Yeah, that's probably what I'll end up doing. I'm trolling Ebay for a decent set of LED's to mount.
I'd like to mount a small set in the back as well. It's pretty much pitch black in the rear seat area.

 

[Onefine88]

Yeah, that's probably what I'll end up doing. I'm trolling Ebay for a decent set of LED's to mount.
I'd like to mount a small set in the back as well. It's pretty much pitch black in the rear seat area.

Good idea! I've thought of that as well. Just got sidetracked and haven't got back to it.

It's odd that Ford deleted the courtesy light option after '88. My '89 Saleen did not have them either.
FUNNY, I've owned this vert since new. It wasn't until about 10 years ago while changing the heater core that I discovered the "bulb-less" sockets under the dash.
Yep all those years I owned it, I never knew it had courtesy lights because Ford didn't install the bulbs. LOL

 

[cdurbin]

Good idea! I've thought of that as well. Just got sidetracked and haven't got back to it.

It's odd that Ford deleted the courtesy light option after '88. My '89 Saleen did not have them either.
FUNNY, I've owned this vert since new. It wasn't until about 10 years ago while changing the heater core that I discovered the "bulb-less" sockets under the dash.
Yep all those years I owned it, I never knew it had courtesy lights because Ford didn't install the bulbs. LOL

I know what you mean. I've got a ton of ideas but am constantly sidetracked with other stuff. Plus I'm broke right now.
That is crazy that Ford would put the sockets there and not put in any bulbs.

 

[cdurbin]

Good idea! I've thought of that as well. Just got sidetracked and haven't got back to it.

It's odd that Ford deleted the courtesy light option after '88. My '89 Saleen did not have them either.
FUNNY, I've owned this vert since new. It wasn't until about 10 years ago while changing the heater core that I discovered the "bulb-less" sockets under the dash.
Yep all those years I owned it, I never knew it had courtesy lights because Ford didn't install the bulbs. LOL

I'm thinking something like these in black would blend nicely.
http://www.radiantz.com/index1.html?c31.html&1

 

[Onefine88]

I'm thinking something like these in black would blend nicely.
http://www.radiantz.com/index1.html?c31.html&1

Ok you be the guinea pig and report back. LOL
I'll wait to see how you like them.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

I'm glad I read this post because now I know what those empty sockets are that I saw when I pulled my dash a couple weeks ago in my 87 to put into my 88 coupe.

@Mustang5L5 , thanks

 

[cdurbin]

I'm glad I read this post because now I know what those empty sockets are that I saw when I pulled my dash a couple weeks ago in my 87 to put into my 88 coupe.

@Mustang5L5 , thanks

Yeah, I troll posts that catch my attention all the time and normally end up learning something along the way.

 

[moe9853]

I'm thinking something like these in black would blend nicely.
http://www.radiantz.com/index1.html?c31.html&1

those seem pretty cool, but theyre not necessarily my cup of tea, I'm wanting to add lighting to the fox but keep it looking factory.

 

[moe9853]

I installed LED's in place of the stock bulbs in the rearview mirror and lower courtesy lights under the dash in my vert.
They're really bright, make a huge difference and look really cool at night with the door open.

Pardon this terrible pic. You can't see the rearview mirror, (note a glow on the center a/c vents) but can see how bright the courtesy lights are even though the sun is shining into the window of my garage. LOL
I'll try to take a better pic tonight if interested.

I do agree that it would be cool to somehow slip in a small LED under the window/door lock switches to highlight them. I da know? I also thought about installing a low power LED under each seat to highlight the floor while driving. "anything to lighten up an otherwise dark interior"
however my most favorite way is to drop the top.

thats really cool, im thinking of converting all my lights to leds.