Installing/Replacing Factory Options/Gadgets

[Jet]

On my '93 Ciera, thus far I have added a trunk cargo net (used a late-model Impala piece), electric trunk solenoid (from a junkyard mid-90s Century), and a can/cup holder that flips into the center console (an Ebay purchase, got the right one on the 4th try). I have thought about adding an underhood light as well, but haven't researched it yet. What others were available on the A-bodies thru the years?

[dagr8tim]

On my '93 Ciera, thus far I have added a trunk cargo net (used a late-model Impala piece), electric trunk solenoid (from a junkyard mid-90s Century), and a can/cup holder that flips into the center console (an Ebay purchase, got the right one on the 4th try). I have thought about adding an underhood light as well, but haven't researched it yet. What others were available on the A-bodies thru the years?

I *think* my 93 Ciera has one. Right now I'm elbow deep in working on my grand marquis, but I'll try to look/snap some pics tonight.

[notsoslimshady76]

w-bodies had retractable underhood lights

[CieraSL92]

I have an underhood light. Only comes on when the hood is raised and the parking lights or headlamps are on though.

It's useful for checking oil at night. That's about it..

[cutlassburnin]

an underhood light would be nice..though im glad i dont have a trunk pop button, it would make stealing my audio alot easier. lol

[dagr8tim]

an underhood light would be nice..though im glad i dont have a trunk pop button, it would make stealing my audio alot easier. lol

My Grand Marquis has a keyhole in the trunk popper button. If you turn the key, you can't pop the trunk without the trunk key. So if you lend your car to somebody, you can give them the door/ignition key & they can't get into your trunk.

[Tonglebeak]

I have an underhood light. Only comes on when the hood is raised and the parking lights or headlamps are on though.

It's useful for checking oil at night. That's about it..

More like useful for staring at the 2 inches surrounding that light. Although GM did provide the base wiring, I suppose, for installing more of your own lights...problem would be making sure that they don't hit something under the hood when you close it ;)

CieraSL92, one word: L.E.D. lights. Won't look bad at all, and will be _HIGHLY_ useful at nighttime.

[Techfizzle]

sequnetial turn signals (like the old cougars had) would add a nice touch to a 92-newer ciera

[Jet]

How about electric antenna?

[SexySilhouette]

How about electric antenna?

Oh, hey, you're in Texas...lol I'm down in Austin.

[CieraSL92]

How about electric antenna?
Ahh! Another option mine had that doesn't now. The teeth inside broke so the motor was running continously. Disconnected the relay.

A quiter motor would have been better too.

[86euro]

Hmm, I could probably write a book on options and features I've added to my cars and trucks, lol.

[Jet]

Oh, hey, you're in Texas...lol I'm down in Austin.

hey, I am in San Antonio :rofl:

[Jet]

Hmm, I could probably write a book on options and features I've added to my cars and trucks, lol.

Post up, that is what this thread is all about!!

[SexySilhouette]

hey, I am in San Antonio :rofl:

I'm a master at adding options to my cars! Come up some time.

I've put in (so far):

an auto-dimming mirror with compass

Retained Accessory Power (leaves windows and radio - and top in my convertible - powered for 10 minutes or until I open a door.)

(in my 1994 Cutlass Supreme convertible)

Power passenger seat

Heads Up Display

factory CD

My next few projects will be:

auto dimming, heated side mirrors

digital gauges

When I had my Buick Somerset, I added power windows, locks, seats, antenna, mirrors, trunk, Limited seats, factory BOSE, FE3 suspension, and it already had a power sunroof and was a T-Type.

I am contemplating buying a 1989 6000 S/E up in Temple for $450 but it's an out of state car with no title and that doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling.

[Jet]

I have the Retained Accessory Power in my GMC Sierra, it is pretty nice. Do you remember which donor vehicles you got your add-ons from?

I remember the Somerset Regals, they only had them for about 2 years back in the 80s....

[SexySilhouette]

I have the Retained Accessory Power in my GMC Sierra, it is pretty nice. Do you remember which donor vehicles you got your add-ons from?

I got the RAP module and auto-dim/compass mirror from a 1995 88.

[SexySilhouette]

w-bodies had retractable underhood lights

Not all of them. I stole the one off my 1992 Cutlass convertible for my 1994 Cutlass convertible which had a fixed light.

[Jet]

I got the RAP module and auto-dim/compass mirror from a 1995 88.

Is that the same car you got that silhouette from?? :rofl:

Where was the RAP module located?

[SexySilhouette]

LOL! Everyone that knows me knows I likes my women the same as my cars... With CURVES!

The RAP is located on the right side of the dash where the ECM is. It's a black box usually with two connectors, but sometimes with three. The other two aren't needed unless you want to add keyless entry and an alarm. A factory alarm is something else my cars have.

[Jet]

Cool. I have an aftermarket keyless set-up and alarm with remote start and trunk popper on the remote. The RAP would be another nice add-on.

[SexySilhouette]

If you have any questions or need wiring diagrams, let me know.

I also plan on adding cornering lamps to my Silhouette.

[Jet]

If you have any questions or need wiring diagrams, let me know.

I also plan on adding cornering lamps to my Silhouette.

Yes, if you have a wiring diagram, let me know. I would appreciate it.

[SexySilhouette]

I don't have a scanner at the moment...But I will try to get something for you soon.

[Jet]

That's cool, probably will take me a while to find time for a junkyard journey, but by then it might be a little less hell-like outside temperature-wise....

[86euro]

I also would like to know more on adding the RAP setup.

Is it possible to add on the Auto-down feature to the driver window? I think there is a switch available to fit in place of the stock switch on my car.

[dagr8tim]

I also would like to know more on adding the RAP setup.

Is it possible to add on the Auto-down feature to the driver window? I think there is a switch available to fit in place of the stock switch on my car.

My 93 has auto down for the driver's. I'll look through my factory manual and see. I know in my Grand Marquis, the switch doesn't make the difference. It's a module that controls windows, lighting, and all sorts of crap.

[SexySilhouette]

I also would like to know more on adding the RAP setup.

Is it possible to add on the Auto-down feature to the driver window? I think there is a switch available to fit in place of the stock switch on my car.

It is. I have added auto-down to BOTH windows on my van.

The Cutlass Convertible has auto-down on ALL 4 windows! It's controlled by a module and could theoretically be added to any car with power windows.

[SCREECH]

I have added auto-down to BOTH windows on my van...It's controlled by a module and could theoretically be added to any car with power windows.
Yes, I believe I pulled such a module from a '92 Eighty-Eight that I snagged a 4T60-E for my Trans Sport from.

I too have far too many plans (and quite a few parts sitting on shelves in my garage) for several of my vehicles.

1992 Pontiac Trans Sport APV:
I've added a power driver's seat track as it had the manual track with this stupid arm out the side to adjust front height. I've got power mirrors to add, as well as a power sliding door setup from a '95 van, along with an aftermarket remote starter/keyless entry/remote door system. I also have additional power seat tracks and will add one in place of passenger seat - the bolt pattern on both the floor and the seat bottoms are identical as far as I can tell, so it'll just be a matter of bolting it in and running the wiring over to the passenger seat from the driver's. I was even contemplating putting a second power mirror switch in the passenger door where the manual mirror switch was and using it to control the passenger seat. I spent some time designing a circuit to control the fore and aft and height adjustment with the switch turned one way, and separate front and rear height adjustment with the switch turned the opposite direction. I likely won't end up doing that, however. I've also got the large flat panel ahead of the actual dash panel as my van is a '92 - they started putting a ridged panel in these vans as of '94 which had the nameplate on the righthand side. I snagged this panel from the '95 TP I grabbed the PSD from and will install that as well. I would like to add power rear vent windows from a '97+ U-van, but this will take some fabrication as the power window openers are not a direct bolt-in swap for the manual units on the '90-'96 vans.

Yes, I've got A-body related content for this post too...

1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera International Coupe:
Biggest factory option to be added: MG2 Getrag 5 speed setup from an '88 Celeb. I've yammered enough about that, so I'll leave that alone for now until it's done. Other options - power passenger seat from an '86 Pontiac 6000 STE (only the STEs were ever offered with a passenger power seat track as far as I've ever found). I will also be adding power mirrors (I find it odd that this car never came with them!) and a factory keyless entry system. Rear discs from an '88 STE fwd will also find their way onto the car. Another big change on this car is the addition of the factory ABS setup from the '94+ A-bodies. I've already swapped the bearings on all four corners (I used 2000 U-van bearings for the rears and swapped U-van front struts and knuckles on to convert the front bearings, though I could have just used '94-'96 A-body bearings). I needed to build custom driveaxles to be used with the Getrag and the ABS setup as the ABS bearings have a much larger splined opening than either the JA1 or JA2 bearings. In swapping the front knuckles I also technically upgraded the front brakes to the larger U-van units. These will be a good complement to the new rear disc setup. The RAP sounds like a nifty option to add to the car as well, but I'll have to leave that one until later. I also have a factory CD stereo to install. I think that about covers it for this one, for now. :)

And some earlier A-body content :kekeke:.....

1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham
This car has already been considerably customized, mostly with factory parts such as a Chevrolet bigblock engine, TH400 transmission and a Monte Carlo rear axle with 4.10:1 gearing and Trans Am rear disc brakes. Further pending modifications include a T56 6 speed manual transmission. I also will likely install daytime running lights and a factory keyless module onto the Olds. Another option that I figured would be rather neat would be power mirrors. Although this was not technically a "factory" option, I saw a set of '73-'77 A-body power mirrors on eBay a while back that someone had built using the power assemblies from a donor set of mirrors, installed into the A-body housings. It would certainly be very trick. I've also purchased power seat tracks for the car, and will have to add power locks in order to add the keyless setup. A power trunk release found it's way into the car shortly after I purchased it.

Sorry for all the non ('82-'96) A-body content. :dunno:

[1995 Gold Ciera]

Speaking of accessories....

Would the bucket seats from a Supreme fit in a 95 Ciera. I have the bench seats with the power recline now. I always thought buckets would be a nice touch.

[SexySilhouette]

1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham
This car has already been considerably customized, mostly with factory parts such as a Chevrolet bigblock engine, TH400 transmission and a Monte Carlo rear axle with 4.10:1 gearing and Trans Am rear disc brakes. Further pending modifications include a T56 6 speed manual transmission. I also will likely install daytime running lights and a factory keyless module onto the Olds. Another option that I figured would be rather neat would be power mirrors. Although this was not technically a "factory" option, I saw a set of '73-'77 A-body power mirrors on eBay a while back that someone had built using the power assemblies from a donor set of mirrors, installed into the A-body housings. It would certainly be very trick. I've also purchased power seat tracks for the car, and will have to add power locks in order to add the keyless setup. A power trunk release found it's way into the car shortly after I purchased it.

Sorry for all the non ('82-'96) A-body content. :dunno:



Hmmmmmmmmmm...I plan to get another 1973 LeMans, GTO or Grand Am at some point and a set of power mirrors would be sweet...I already have a power trunk set up, seat and a factory Ram Air set up...

[dcjredline]

Most GM seats have the same mounting pattern. But without factory buckets in your car the swap will be a little more difficult but possible. If you had buckets then most likely your tracks would mount to the bottom of the Supreme seats and bolt in.

[CamoDeafie]

I tried to re-use the 94 olds' seat tracks on the buckets, the seats' own bolt pattern doesnt match up to the track bars...so i had to use the bucket seats' own trackbars to fit onto the floorpan. so you should measure the distance between the bolts from L-R and then compare to the supreme bucket seats' mounting base, if theyre the same, then go measure F-R then see if theyre the same, if so, bolt on! if not...some custom fabricating needed

[89CutlassCiera]

I took out the ash tray in mine, I kept getting tired of the damn thing falling out everytime I opened it. The plastic tracks that held it in were worn down to nothing.

[dagr8tim]

I took out the ash tray in mine, I kept getting tired of the damn thing falling out everytime I opened it. The plastic tracks that held it in were worn down to nothing.

I took mine out too. I then wired the cig lighter adaptor up to a dual outlet setup.

http://tim.midwestlost.com/albums/1stmods/Double_Socket.sized.jpg

I also used the light for the ashtray as the signal/power wire for my driving light switch. That way I can only turn the driving lights on when the park or headlights are on. Then when I hit the switch to turn the park/headlights off, the driving lights go off too. The switch for that is mounted on the lip where the power ports are.