I have the opportunity to get Cobra foldable, body colored side mirror for my Dark Shadow Grey GT. Can anyone confirm that going from my stock, fixed, black mirrors for these Cobra ones is just a simple swap: bolt off and bolt on? If not, can you give me an idea of the complexity of this swap? Thanks a bunch. Please be gentle.... my first post on the newsgroup! Marcy
Hi Marcy! I am not sure on the 03 models, but in past years the mirrors were a simple bolt on. I doubt that Ford has complicated it too much since then.
My experience has been with cars that are equipped with the Mach stereo system and power mirrors. Meaning that they have a little pod speaker in the corner mounted on the inside of the door from the mirror. Is yours like that? Or does it have just a plain little black cover there?
Are both cars the same? Meaning, hard top or drop top? The same year model. or body style? If they are, it should be a pretty simple swap.
Keep us posted and welcome to the group.
Kate
98 Cobra Drop Top With a personal touch.... or two.Thanks for the quick reply Kate! Since my original posting, I was able to consult Ford manuals and, as you alluded to, it does look like a simple swap.
Mine is a convertible and the mirrors I am getting are new from Ford and they do not seem to make a distinction between the coupes or convertibles. I do have the Mach 1000 system so I will have to remove the pod speakers.
My only question remains: do I have to remove the door panel to swap mirrors? The Ford manual seems to say yes, but just eyeballing the setup it seems to me that you can go ahead and remove the pod speaker and the mirror without removing the door skin.
Has this been your experience?
Marcy
03 GT, mechanically stock and will probably remain that way 'till the payments and warranty endHi again Marcy,
I believe that you do in fact need to remove the door panel. The reason is that the plugs that connect the controls and speaker are behind it and If I remember correctly, so are a couple of the screws to remove the pod speaker.
When you remove the door panel, there are a couple of tricky things to know untl you have done it once.
There is a plastic plug in the front of the panel. It is on the hinge side. You will need something that has a wide, flat fork in it (a dandilion puller works great in a pinch) to slide under it, then POP it out. If you try to pry it out gently, it wants to warp and bend. Put something between the tool and your door panel so you don't scratch the plastic. A piece of T-shirt works great.
The cups by the door handles come out easily, and you will need to take them out before removing the panel. If you look at them closely, you will see little nitches in them at the top just above the lock switches. They are just the right size for a WIDE screw driver to slip into, then they pop out as well. Be careful though, so the tool does not mark them. There is a little tab there that holds the cups in. There are screws in behind this that will need to be removed.
The panel lifts UP to come off, it does NOT pull out until you have it up and loose. Roll your window down and reach down to the bottom of the panel and give it a sharp UP tug, you will feel it lift. You will then have to wrestle it loose from the door handle. If you are not careful you can break the little L shaped brackets that hold it on, then you will have a real pain in the neck. It will rattle when the stereo plays. These brackets slip into square holes on the door, once you get 'er loose, you will understand.
Be sure not to over tighten the screws when you reinstall them, they can strip pretty easily.
I hope this has been some help to you ?
How do you like that Mach 1000 stereo system? I sometimes think I need to be jealous. Not jealous enough to go to all the trouble to swap mine out, but still a little green around the edges!
Kate
| > My experience has been with cars that are equipped with the Mach stereo | > system and power mirrors. Meaning that they have a little pod speaker in | the | > corner mounted on the inside of the door from the mirror. Is yours like | > that? Or does it have just a plain little black cover there? | >
| > Are both cars the same? Meaning, hard top or drop top? The same year | model. | > or body style? If they are, it should be a pretty simple swap. | >
| > Keep us posted and welcome to the group. | >
| > Kate | > 98 Cobra Drop Top | > With a personal touch.... or two. | >
| >
| |
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