Turn signal lever demistifying

Topic: Turn signal lever demistifying (Read 6270 times) previous topic - next topic

Turn signal lever demistifying

January 21, 2011, 11:22:28 AM

Ok guys ive been wanting to get me a new turn signal lever as mine has pretty faded letters on it

the thing is i cant seem to find one

my car is an 86 Élan Bird with the square lever style
the only ones i seem to find have a horn sign on them

ive dug though cardomain to see what cars had wich style of levers square or round and it seems to be a free for all , like cars of the same year having eighter style lever

so does anyone know from which year they had the square type to when they switched to the round style
for those who have the square style does the lever has a horn sign on it?

i know there was square levers with the cruise control on them like in the ranger but i doubt the horn could have been activated by the lever itself

any input will be appreciated

Sebastian

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #1 – January 21, 2011, 12:40:17 PM

My 83 has a "Push-For-Horn" turn signal lever. Up and down get you signals and you push in towards the column for the horn. Works fine.

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #2 – January 21, 2011, 12:42:20 PM

From what I have seen, 83 and 84 models had the square levers and 85+ had the round levers. My 84 had the square lever and my 3 86 Cougars and 87 TC have all had the round style. Here is what the lever in my 84 looked like.

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #3 – January 21, 2011, 12:45:37 PM

I also forgot to mention that I have only seen the lever mounted horn on 83 models.

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #4 – January 21, 2011, 12:45:52 PM

Square style was 1983-86 only. 1987-88 was round. Officially. I haven't really seen round ones in pre-1987's although it's easy enough to swap those out.

The 1983 (and some early 1984) cars had the horn on the stalk; the rest of 1984 through 1986 had the horn in the center of the steering wheel, so no horn graphics were on those stalks. That's probably what you're looking for.

The dealer-installed Ford cruise control stalk, I don't think it had horn graphics, although if it was for a 1983 then I suppose it should have. You must be finding a few of those.

So you need one with the turn signal arrows, the low/high beam signal, and no horn symbol, 1984-86.

BTW, the stalks twist and pull out...no need to change the switch itself, just the stalk.

And BEWARE of using Armor-All on your interior nomenclature...that pulls off the silkscreen ink immediately. Do not recommend that. Use a water-based cleaner, nothing oil based, and test silicone-based cleaners first.

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #5 – January 21, 2011, 12:55:59 PM

Eric, are you sure all the 4 eyed cars came with the square style? I dospoogeent (photo) every fox car in the salvage yard and I have never seen a square style turn signal lever in an 85-86 car. All of my 86s have had round levers also.

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #6 – January 21, 2011, 01:01:41 PM

I think what may have happened for 1985-86 is that some cars got the round, some got the square.
My old '86 GS had square.
I can't remember what my current '86 LS had factory. It may have been round. I'd have to dig through the box of old parts (not happening in zero degree weather!).

Nonetheless, I've seen more square than round for 1985-86.

Remember also that, while we shared some of those parts with other Fox cars, the levers for our cars may not be the same as another earlier Fox-chassis cars.

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #7 – January 21, 2011, 01:28:03 PM

I'm not trying to argue at all but here are some pictures of the cars and the interiors from the yard. These aren't all of them just the ones I took with my camera as opposed to my phone. Again, just backing up what I posted, not arguing. Also, now that I'm thinking about it, my 86 XR7 had an aftermarket cruise lever, so only 2 of my 86s had the round. Edit: Now that I think about even more, the turn signal was aftermarket but it had the round wiper lever and I don't think they mismatched them at the factory.

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #8 – January 21, 2011, 01:40:00 PM

I thought too the 83-86 cars had the square stalks but you sure have a lot of pictures to show otherwise. I know the 84-86 Mustang SVO uses the square stalks.

Any 85/86 original owner with a square stalk?

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #9 – January 21, 2011, 01:42:23 PM

I bought a steering column out of an 86 Cougar and it had the round style. I guess it's safe to say that the round and square are interchangeable? Unless you're partial to the square one, just put in a round one. I suppose you would want to change the windshield wiper lever so they match.

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #10 – January 21, 2011, 01:44:59 PM

Quote from: EricCoolCats;350387

I think what may have happened for 1985-86 is that some cars got the round, some got the square.
My old '86 GS had square.
I can't remember what my current '86 LS had factory. It may have been round. I'd have to dig through the box of old parts (not happening in zero degree weather!).

Nonetheless, I've seen more square than round for 1985-86.

Remember also that, while we shared some of those parts with other Fox cars, the levers for our cars may not be the same as another earlier Fox-chassis cars.

Strange.

My experience has been the opposite. I can't recall ever seeing a square style lever in any '85 or newer car.
I just went through all of the photos of the cars I have saved on my computer and still no square levers. I thought it might be a trim level thing but even cars that have next to no options still had the round one.

Now you have me intrigued Eric. I might have to scour through the parts books this weekend. ;)

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #11 – January 21, 2011, 03:16:07 PM

85 vert has a round one, I'm pretty sure it wasn't changed, but I might be wrong

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #12 – January 21, 2011, 03:51:48 PM

My '85 has the round one, and I recall an '86 a friend had had the round as well. I used to have an '84 with the square one, but all the '85 and newer I have seen in the yards around here have the round ones. I didn't know there were some square ones with a horn on them, seems like an odd place for a horn to me.

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #13 – January 21, 2011, 05:50:48 PM

My 85 has the square one with the dealer-installed cruise. My 83 has the square one with the horn.

I had an 81 mustang that had a chrome turn signal lever with the horn.

EDIT- I also had an 84 turbo that had a square stalk with the horn (and the plain metal-X steering wheel with no horn and no cruise), but my friend had an 84 v6 with the square stalk and the V-center steering wheel with cruise and a horn. So 84 had the horn on either the stalk or wheel.

Turn signal lever demistifying

Reply #14 – January 21, 2011, 06:54:20 PM

I looked through my collection of dealer brochures for all of the 1985 Ford cars and it seems all of the cars except the TBird show the square stalk. The only exception was the wagon I believe which still showed a chrome stalk.

Maybe the early 85's got the remaining square stalks like the early 84's got the stalk with the horn???

I'm thinking we might find 85 cars with a square stalk but probably no 86's?