1958 w/power windows

[Ford Freak]

Hey guys! I saw an ad for a '58 Fairlane 500 2 dr. hardtop recently. I noticed that it had power windows in the front, but had hand cranks in the rear quarter windows. Is this normal for '57-59 Fords? Thanks! F F

[Abe Lugo]

It should be all around. If you have a pic of the doors open. in the door ledge below the upper hinge, There is second hole that has what looks like a J shaped conduit that moved with the door. The original wiring is protected by this. If it has it on the doors. Most likely original power windows.

The owner might have gotten frustrated with power and removed the rear. At one point I was going to do this with mine. But the price motors is crazy.

Maybe the owner was converting to power?

Also in a 58. I think the power window buttons should be white. If original.

[Ford Freak]

I just looked in an original sales brochure, and it shows the drivers door window control button(s). There are 4 buttons. I guess that answers that!
Thanks for your response, Abe.

[craig]

I recently watched an old Perry Mason episode, copyright 1958. The top was down on Perry's '58 Ford and I could clearly see a window crank on the right rear panel and a power button, no crank, on the right front door. I thought it was odd, but maybe it was an option

[Ford Freak]

Originally Posted by craig

I recently watched an old Perry Mason episode, copyright 1958. The top was down on Perry's '58 Ford and I could clearly see a window crank on the right rear panel and a power button, no crank, on the right front door. I thought it was odd, but maybe it was an option

Hmmm.........interesting. Yes I thought it was odd, too!

[raceron1120]

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My guess is that it might have been an option to get either - power fronts only - or all 4 doors. That was in the heart of the baby boomer era, parents might've had a choice whether or not to have power rear windows. Pinched fingers - or worse could've been an issue considered by Ford when offering a choice? Just IMO.

[5851a]

Not Ford but I seen a 1960 Bonneville with just the 2 front windows. I looked at show room literature and it was an option to get all or just front. So, it may have been a thing back in the day.

[miker98038]

This one makes me smile. In 1955 Dad bought a 1954 Lincoln Capri. First automatic, bought for my Mom. We’re sitting in the driveway with it running, Mom behind the wheel and Dad explaining where things are. I was about 5 1/2, my brother about 4. We found the buttons in the back seat and were fascinated playing with the window. Dad told us to stop, but not harshly. We didn’t, and a minute later they both quit half way down or up. Must have blown the fuse or tripped an auto breaker. I still remember catching hell for that.

Given the choice, Dad would have bought us crank windows, and taken the crank handle off.

[ventport]

Originally Posted by craig

I recently watched an old Perry Mason episode, copyright 1958. The top was down on Perry's '58 Ford and I could clearly see a window crank on the right rear panel and a power button, no crank, on the right front door. I thought it was odd, but maybe it was an option

That was "The Case of the Missing Window Switches".

[rotorwrench]

Most of the electric window cars in the early 60s already had lock out switches. They may have had them in the 50s as well or maybe just the high end cars like the Lincolns. That was the era of the Lincoln Mark III cars but they weren't around long. The early 50s cars like the Lincoln and Mercury cars had hydraulic power windows and seats as either standard or optional depending on the model and trim level.

I remember in the early Perry Mason shows that Perry and Paul Drake both ran convertibles. Perry in a 1957 Skyliner Retractable and later in a Cadillac 62 series. I think there was a Buick Special too. Paul Drake's character liked more sporty cars like the Corvette and Thunderbird cars.