'81 F100. I'm thinking about installing a power window unit for the passenger side door and power door locks for both doors. I know kits are available for these jobs, but I'm wondering if it might be less-expensive to get the units from a 'recycling' yard? I'm fixin' to replace the weatherstripping around both doors and rebuild/recover the bench seat, so while I'm spending, I want to do this other project.....darn tired of leaning over to roll the window up/down and having to punch the door lock button.....know what I mean? Anyone done the job? Thanks for any advice, I appreciate it.

 

Shouldnt be that bad. I am not sure on the early year like that, but most doors and wiring harnesses came prepped for dealer add on from the factory. I have done a ton of those on early 80's models and can do both on both doors in about 1.5 to 2 hours

 

My truck came with power windows and door locks that did not work at the time I bought it. I found motors and lift mechanisms in junkyards and on eBay. The big problem was finding the switches. Every JY vehicle I found, the switches were already gone. I got lucky when my neighbor bought a wrecked truck for the motor and it had the switch I needed on the smashed door. The good door had already been sold.

 

I scrapped an 81 F-100 and bought an 81 F-150. Don't like power windows, they get stuck n the down position and you get cold and/or wet. Had power windows in the 100 andf the drivers side window stuck down. the motor scized up. the other side the gear was stripped. I did swap the power door locke because reaching across the cab is a b---h. I just cut the power window wires off of the harness in the doors and pulled the harness from under the dash pad. You have to remove the defroster ducts to access the clips that hold them in place. get you an inline fuse holder and a 30 amp "CIRCUIT BRAKER". A regular fuse will burn up if you hold a window button too long. there is one power supply for the locks, it has a black with white stripe wire wth a brown connector. the power windows has a blue wire with a blue wire. use a seperate inline fuse holder an 30 amp circuit breaker for both. You don't have to change your door panals. Put the windoe switch where the wndow crank hole is. Just cut a square arounf the hole to ft the swtch. Use a panal from a powered truck for a template for the size of the hole. the power lock switch normally goes rigt behind the door handle but you can put it anywhere you like as room allows. both systems are ground behind the drivers side door panal. A self tapping screw works well for that purpose.

Good louck and I hope you like your powered doors.

My uncle used lock switches from a ****terlet and must admit they look and work better than the ford switches. Mne get stuck and force the lock actuators to keep pulling on the locks.