There's something to be said about climbing into your classic Ford and having the feeling of being in a time machine; being transported back to the '60s and simpler times. A time when you had to pump the gas pedal to start your car, adjust your choke for summer or winter use, and roll your windows up and down by hand. Now we know some people do enjoy "turning back the clock" but we're all about modifications, upgrades and modernization around here. Fuel injection, power windows, and all those modern conveniences are what really trips our trigger-after all, these things make life easier. So when we first heard about Painless Performance Products' Convenience Module earlier this year at the Hotrod & Restoration Trade Show, we knew it was meant for the likes of us and we couldn't wait to get our hands on one. Fortunately, the good folks at Painless put us at the top of the list for a module of our own to play with.
The Painless Convenience Module is a simple-to-install controller with minimal wiring. It can usually be connected to your existing harness (factory or aftermarket wiring) without cutting your wiring by using special Posi-Taps. The module has six modern features that you can add to your classic Ford: automatic headlamps, headlamp delay, headlamp reminder chime, turn signal reminder chime, theater dimming interior lights with delay, and radio delay until exit. With more and more new cars coming with these features standard, including the current Mustang, you probably don't have to look any further than your own driveway to find a car with some or all of these features. Like us, once you get used to having these features in your daily driver, it's really nice to hop into your classic and have the same features. We especially appreciate the headlight warning chime and turn signal reminder chime (hold the age jokes please), and the automatic headlights are a great feature we like as well. The Painless Performance Convenience Module is currently shipping and is available under part number 63040. Suggested retail is $573.95, but like all things "suggested," we've found it for quite a bit cheaper online, so do your homework before buying.
Since several of the connections...
Since several of the connections from the convenience module will need to be joined with the headlight switch and other devices behind the dash, it's best to remove the dash cluster for access. Our subject vehicle is a custom '67 Mustang hardtop built by Classic Creations of Central Florida (where we also happen to be performing this installation). Just a handful of Phillips screws hold the housing in place. Merv Rego of Classic Creations has also removed the steering wheel for more access and photography.
While it is possible to connect...
While it is possible to connect the radio delay circuitry close to the fuse box, we decided to remove the radio for connecting the wiring right at the rear of the radio itself. This way there's no mistaking what wires are connected at the stereo.
Priority number one is finding...
Priority number one is finding a location for the convenience module and its attached fuse block. It's not terribly large at about 4x6 inches, but this Mustang had several additional upgrades like power windows, alarm, A/C, and more, that produced a bit of a head scratcher. We finally decided to mount the module on the side of the A/C evaporator case. The kit comes with Velcro strips, tie-wraps, and tapping screws for mounting the module. We chose the Velcro strips and they worked perfectly.
It helps to have a wiring...
It helps to have a wiring diagram of your car's circuits, and in the case of this Mustang, it already had been rewired with a Painless brand Mustang harness, so we had the wiring manual right at hand. Make sure you know what circuits you need to connect to and then disconnect the battery to prevent any short circuits. Painless recommends connecting the module's battery feed directly to the battery, and here we're passing the module's power and ground wires through a pre-existing firewall grommet.
As noted previously, this...
As noted previously, this Mustang had already been upgraded with a Painless Performance Mustang wiring harness. When Classic Creations installed the harness, they used Painless' PowerBraid wire loom to keep things neat. While we didn't have Painless' nifty tool to aid in inserting the wire, we nonetheless got the power and ground wires inserted and routed with little trouble.
Due to the fact that this...
Due to the fact that this Mustang is running a trunk-mounted battery setup, we simply connected the module's power wire to the starter solenoid's battery positive terminal-in essence connecting it directly to the battery. For the ground wire, the preferred method is directly to the battery's negative terminal, but we grounded it to the solenoid's mounting bolt, and have had no issues with the module working properly. If you find you have issues with the radio delay or something else, try relocating the ground directly to the battery's negative terminal.