83-86 shift light?

[Compu Doc]

My Fiero GT has a shift light. What it does is tell you when to shift to the next highest gear.

The visor on the drivers side has a shift light label that says to shift when the light comes on. Then it goes on to say when more power is needed accelerate as desired and shift when the light comes on. The further the pedal to the floor the longer it takes for the shift light to come on. In a 1/4 mile drag race I only need first and second as it goes through a quarter mile in about 13 seconds.

I have no idea of the top end because the speedometer only goes to 85 and has no pin so one time I brought it past the 85 and brought it around to the 5 mile an hour mark again and my foot was not even all the way into it.

 

[GenLightening]

Well, the "ford six" was supposed to be the most advanced transwarp drive of 1983. Just look at these commercials - they don't lie!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAYYs5Jc_GY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keeFoI7LQyw&NR=1

"The most power you can get, in a 6 cylinder". Not saying much there.

 

[david85]

For what its worth, I am an admirer of the ford six and the ones from the early 80s in particular. I don't know how gutless they really were having never owned one, but the funny thing is, no OEM has been able to put those MPG numbers to shame these days. They can make trucks that vaporize tires, but anything that spends most of its time in the low to mid 20s seems impossible. Am I the only one that sees something wrong with this picture?

I don't think I could really own a truck like that (although it has to be better than the 302), but I would take a chance to drive one just out of curiousity. Then I could get back in my truck, leave the six in smoke and still get better MPGs once I set the cruise....

 

[typ4]

My Fiero GT has a shift light. What it does is tell you when to shift to the next highest gear.

The visor on the drivers side has a shift light label that says to shift when the light comes on. Then it goes on to say when more power is needed accelerate as desired and shift when the light comes on. The further the pedal to the floor the longer it takes for the shift light to come on. In a 1/4 mile drag race I only need first and second as it goes through a quarter mile in about 13 seconds.

I have no idea of the top end because the speedometer only goes to 85 and has no pin so one time I brought it past the 85 and brought it around to the 5 mile an hour mark again and my foot was not even all the way into it.

You have a fiero that still runs, AMAZING.

 

[typ4]

I happen to like this one, A LOT.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Kq5B47_S0&feature=related

 

[david85]

I happen to like this one, A LOT.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Kq5B47_S0&feature=related

Nice.....I saw that one a while ago too.

Aw heck with it, here's the ones carrying crap (other trucks) up the mountain:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msd5ltrMd3Y&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j-qy1s1RIM&feature=related

Although I have to say the commericals for latin america are also nicely done and way over the top too.

 

[hesutton]

My '86 F350 crew cab has that "shift" lens at the far left of the top of the instument cluster. There is not a bulb behind it though. My '86 F250 doesn't have that lens. Why two trucks the same model year have two different cluster lens?????

Heath

 

[snicklas]

Did you hear in the second link that David posted, they called and 87 Bricknose AERODYNAMIC!!!!!!!! What aerodynamic for a brick?

 

[trackspeeder]

My '86 F350 crew cab has that "shift" lens at the far left of the top of the instument cluster. There is not a bulb behind it though. My '86 F250 doesn't have that lens. Why two trucks the same model year have two different cluster lens?????

Heath

Its a Ford thing. Some of the stuff Ford dose can leave you scratching your head. Now you need to figure out if the 86 was built on a Monday or Friday.

 

[hesutton]

Its a Ford thing. Some of the stuff Ford dose can leave you scratching your head. Now you need to figure out if the 86 was built on a Monday or Friday.

Now that you mention it, the F350 crew cab was built in Canada. The F250 was build in Norfolk, VA. That may or may not have anything to do with it, but perhaps it does?

Heath

 

[david85]

Did you hear in the second link that David posted, they called and 87 Bricknose AERODYNAMIC!!!!!!!! What aerodynamic for a brick?

A brick with rounded off corners is better than a straight lined slant nose(says the dealer)

Commercials for the explorer of that era make reference to aerodynamics too. It was pretty much universal through out the late 70s to early 90s. Here's one for the ford futura

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_RJgEh9aHs

These days most cars have a drag CD of about 0.3:1 but in many cases aerodynamics are actually getting worse in the last few years.

The 88 chevy pickup is what I would consider a more aerodynamic truck if you were to look at some of the shapes and proportions on it.

No rain gutter on the roofline,
the rear of the box is narrowed,
steeper wind shield rake (although the fords are more rounded so it may be a toss up).
The extra cab chevies have the front of the cab noticeably raised to prevent slip stream separation when air comes up over the windscreen.

Are all those things enough to make a difference? I doubt it.

 

[93f250idi]

i had an 84 f150 gasser auto 2x4 that had a shift lens and a 4x4 lens. neither had bulbs in them so my guess is they used the same clusters in all trucks?

 

[snicklas]

We had a 79 Fairmont Wagon... It was not a Futura, but I do remember them... they were cool for their day.....

 

[The Warden]

i had an 84 f150 gasser auto 2x4 that had a shift lens and a 4x4 lens. neither had bulbs in them so my guess is they used the same clusters in all trucks?

That's pretty much it...every truck had the same cluster, or an approximation thereof.

Heath, I wonder if the cluster on your crew cab is original?