I dunno, I never hardly used the high beams on my truck before I updated it to the later style. It was so bright, it made it hard to see any of the gauges or speedo.
Ironically, the same type indicator is used in my Nissan truck, and it seldom sees the high beams get used. They see more action by flashing at oncoming cars thinking I have my brights on, when in fact I just adjusted the lights to shine a bit further and straighter down the road. Let me tell you, hitting the high beams to ask oncoming cars to dim theirs, works quite well with my "creative" adjustment.......

 

Well, I went on strike at work for a half-day yesterday, and my plans were completely destroyed as I drove by- and into- a "JUNKyard". Went browsing, which naturally turned into shopping. The yard had an '82, two '86s, and a fourth truck, which I haven't determined the year, as there was no door jamb sticker, and too much snow piled on the hood to see the VIN. Anyhoo, I ended up with another tach dash (which will make THREE of them when the other two arrive- thing seem to work out like that for me, it's nothing unusual). Other items found and brought home are an intermittent wiper switch (which brings me to a question- is that switch also a "plug-and-play"? I have had at least one vehicle in the past in which this was the case). I also got a day/night mirror, a "lighter", which for me is just a power point, which IS "plug-and-play", also a center-of-the-dash clock, a set of the dual-red-stripe trim rings, and some other trinket that isn't coming to mind right now- but I know for sure that it had to be something that the truck absolutely couldn't do without. I plan to have pix posted before I do anything to the truck, so I'd better get over to my friend's house so he can do that for me! Time's a-wastin'- I got parts to install! The only thing that will look different in the forthcoming pictures than it was when I first bought the truck will be the new rear tires and the hub caps- it had the mag-style "Ranger" option wheelcovers on bad tires when I bought it, but the caps didn't look to be too conducive to Wisconsin winters with the open slots in them, and besides, they are kind of beat up. Good for hangin' on the shed wall- they are kinda purty... I replaced them with '68 Ford Custom 500 dog dishes, and when the snow machine shuts off this spring, I will install the trim rings I bought yesterday for the dry, warm season.

 

The intermittant wiper switch is plug and play, as long as you also got the box it was plugged into. That box (governor) plugs between the switch and factory harness, and is the "brain" of the intermittant system.

 

Actually, the 1981 had the same High Beam light and 4x4 light with black lettering, and the really long turn indicators lights as the 1980. Just ordered in the new 1981-1986 positions.

In 1982/1983 they changed to the much smaller turn signal indicators and the high beam light and 4x4 light was all black with blue or amber see through letters.

They swapped places in 1981.

1980 Instrument cluster warning lights are ordered...

1: Blank | 2: Fasten Belt | 3: Left Turn | 4: High Beam | 5: Right Turn | 6: Brake Warning | 7: 4x4

1981-1986 Instrument Cluster Warning Lights are ordered:

1: Blank or Emissions | 2: Left Turn | 3: Fasten Belt | 4: High Beam | 5: Brake Warning | 6: Right Turn | 7: 4x4

I believe they were swapped because on the 1980 the left and right turn signal indicators were blocked by the steering wheel. The fasten belt lamp and brake warning lamp are bright enough when lit to catch your attention even behind the wheel.

 

I have to disagree about the 80 bezel indicator order, as my original bezel had 4x4 on both sides. Maybe they ran out of blank indicators?

 

Mine had dual 4x4 lights as well.....
But, your pic shows a non-stock layout. Brake and R turn have been reversed.....

 

That is the first time I have ever seen a lit up 1980 instrument cluster. It looks like a Christmas tree! Those are some LONG turn signal lights! I actually like it. But I wonder why there are two "4x4" indicators?

Interesting. And since the ordering and/or indicator style changed, and the indicator lights are attached to instrument cluster bezel, that means that there are three different Rosewood or Black Weave instrument cluster bezels from 1980 - 1984:

1980: Turn signal lights are in a different order from the 1981 - 1984 clusters and featured brighter indicator lights with longer turn signal lights.
1981: Just like the 1980 version except the turn signal lights swapped places with the "Fasten Belts" and "Brake" lights.
1982 - 1984: Just like the 1981 version except the design of the indicator lights were not as bright and the turn signal lights got shorter.

Well, even in the re-ordered positions, the left and right turn signal indicators are still blocked my steering wheel on mine. The steering wheel rim cuts right across the view of both indicators.

 

I must have grabbed an 81 bezel cause the turn signals are right but I got the long arrow and a shift up indicator instead of emissions.

 

I guess that means we can add four 1981 instrument cluster bezels to the mix:

1981 bezel with a blank indicator on the left side.
1981 bezel with an "EMISSIONS" indicator on the left side.
1981 bezel with a "4x4" indicator on the left side.
1981 bezel with a "SHIFT" indicator on the left side.

And I actually thought all 1981 - 1984 were all the same, except for Rosewood or Waffle Weave design.

 

Once I get the new tranny Id think itd be cool to wire up the shift indicator.

 

I cannot confirm or deny the different foremost left light position. Just that the information I have does not state anything is used there except for BLANK or Emissions. At least on the pickups that is.

 

Only reason I can think of for the second 4x4 light on the far left is possibly for the RHD models.
Of course, both my truck and fordzilla's are early production 80 models. Maybe that had something to do with?

 

My 81 dash cluster bezel does not have the blue bright light indicator, but has the black one with blue lettering, as the 82 thru 86s have. Perhaps this was a revision during the 1981 model year. My truck was built on April 24, 1981.

 

That pic was taken after I swapped to the 81 red printed circuit. I guess I took the pic to show how I switched the indicators.

 

I found a dealer installed radio bezel in my parts truck. Its a woodgrain piece that covers a giant hole the dealer cuts in the original bezel. It has no package listin or anythin just holes for the *****. Ill post pics as soon as I can.