84 vert oddity

mpduncan35 · Post by **mpduncan35** » Fri Apr 25, 2025 12:41 pm

I have a white 84 vert 5sp. But it has some questionable things. It has dual exhaust that is after-market year is 96, which makes sense my great-grandfather bought the car in the spring of 97 and was around southeast MI. It's missing the map pocket on the passenger side possible it was broken over 40 years. The car does not have Recaro seats it has seats out of an 86 vert. It also has a third brake light, at first I thought the trunk was replaced at some point and someone replaced it, but I replaced the bulbs and it works, I know it wouldn't be that hard to wire it up but I just find it odd. The car has a 7263 Alpine radio, it was replaced at some point but I still had it and wanted to put it back in and it has an invoice for George Huisman, a quick look on FB and he is a part of Classic Design Concepts. Possibly Hanks's brother? It would make sense if he didn't like the Recarros and had his brother swap them out. I know this is pretty far out there but it's the only possible lead I have.

Post by **negusm** » Fri Apr 25, 2025 4:55 pm

Well, the 86 trunk isn't original. No such thing as a trunk light in 1984 for any Mustang\Capri.

Dumb question, but are you absolutely sure you have a 1984? You may want to take the VIN off from the side of the transmission and verify it matches the dash vin and the door tag. Digit 10 should be an E for 84 and G for 86. The transmission might only have the last 6 digits of the vin but it should match the door tag and dash.

If it all matches then I guess they swapped trunk lids? That would be kind of silly to go through all that unless it was in a rear end accident.

-Mike

mpduncan35 · Post by **mpduncan35** » Fri Apr 25, 2025 5:08 pm

I am 100% sure it's a 84. I don't think it's likely it was an accident I've used my hoist to look at the underside and there is no frame damage. Unless it was a minor accident. I'm not a professional but there is no sign or a repaint on the rear end.

Post by **negusm** » Fri Apr 25, 2025 5:15 pm

Ok, just asking. Then someone decided they just had to have that 3rd brake light. Maybe they cut the 84 trunk lid to install it.

Seats got swapped constantly too.

In 84 they were made as a batch so the variations between 84s shouldn't be too far off. So I'd say that previous owners just made some mods that they liked.

svo413 · Post by **svo413** » Fri Apr 25, 2025 6:17 pm

When the 3rd brake light came out, many people had to have it. Ford even offered kits for the pre 86 cars. Funny, people didn't have the same thought when seatbelt use was mandated.

The hardest part was wiring up the relay. I'm not sure what the 3rd brake light looks like on an 84/85 ASC but anything could be added. I would look closely at the trunk lid harness for an E6ZZ or later part number. Since it was a hatchback, what harness was used to the power trunk lock?

There should be a date code on the trunk lid sheet metal.

Post by **negusm** » Fri Apr 25, 2025 6:46 pm

Did the third brake light pull that much more power that it needed its own circuit\relay?

Seems like you could just wire it over to either the left or right rear brake light and use that circuit.

I suppose a Ford approved kit might have to have it.

-Mike

svo413 · Post by **svo413** » Fri Apr 25, 2025 6:56 pm

A relay is needed to use the left and right brake light signals to trigger the 3rd light. Otherwise, it would turn on the 3rd light with the one turn signal.

mpduncan35 · Post by **mpduncan35** » Sat Apr 26, 2025 11:40 pm

The light is not pigtailed off a brake light. Itâ€™s a Ford light, so it could be a kit. But I also found this video of an 84 with the third brake light. Someone has done stuff to it with the tail light covers and ground effects. Also, ASC might have put it on a few cars, or it's just that they were both added later.
In this video the 84 has a third brake light https://youtu.be/pZJjSmDaDq8?si=U_407mS0kbZP5qsO

Post by **negusm** » Sun Apr 27, 2025 11:25 pm

Good video.

mpduncan35 · Post by **mpduncan35** » Tue Sep 09, 2025 1:35 pm

Update: Talked to the original owner. The car was a promo car for ASC. It originally had reccaros like I thought. The car came with three sets from ASC the reccarros, the "86" seats, and cloth mustang seats so the nice would not get used. The Reccaros were sold because his wife didn't like them. The third brake light was added by ASC and around the light it has a gasket around it my other 86s don't have this gasket. He said that he bought the car sometime in 85. So it seems like the dressed up my 84 as a 86. He also owned #29 a 84 vert, red car and he said it was sold to Hank.