Installing Power Windows And Keyless Entry - Roll 'EM Up & Lock 'EM Down!

With the lock actuators mounted, it was time to wire up the window switches and other controls. First up was the driver's side. The Electric Life kit has several options for the switch types you can use, but we just opted for a standard GM-style switch. The driver's switch has a four button control so you can work all four windows just like a modern car, and it acts as the power hub for all the windows. On the other windows, the single button switch is mounted in the same spot as the old hand cranks. But for the driver's side, we had to get out the cutting wheel to make a space for the four-button switch. The best way to do this is hold the switch up where you want to mount it, then outline with a marker as a cutting guide.

To cut the hole in the door panel for the switch, I used the piece of sheet metal that we cut out of the door as a template.

Here you can see how we got the wiring into the car using the factory holes. To make sure opening the door didn't chafe the wires bare, we secured them to the hinge with a zip tie. Electric Life has some nice billet wire routing accessories you can get for this, but they do require drilling/cutting on the door, and on the door frame.

With the wiring set up, it was time to cut the door panel. You can see the line we marked on the door to cut enough space for the control switch.

With the switch now in place, we could hook the wiring in for the other windows. The driver's switch acts as the hub for the other three windows, but all the wiring is colored coded, and the kit comes with a wiring guide that's simple and easy to use so you can make sure everything's hooked up correctly. After you've crimped all the wires together, wrap the crimped connections in electrical tape to protect from any moisture that might get inside the door panel.