05ROUSHER

Hey, I just did a little modification that some of you might be interested in. If you have a radar detector mounted to your windsheild and you hate having that cord hangin down over the dash and plugged into the lighter socket (or you have put the start button mod on) then do what I did. First, go to a Radio Shack and pick up a "Size N Coaxial Power Plug" and a "Panel Mount Size N Coaxial Power Jack". Then remove the Dome Light assembly from the car and Drill a 5/16 hole in the forward part of the housing in the center. This needs to close to the edge of the housing so be careful. Next locate the single Black Wire that "Y's" out to each bulb. Using 16 gauge Hook Up Wire, strip a section of insulation from the Black Wire and solder the 16 ga. wire to it and the center post connection on the Power Jack. There is 3 solder lugs on the Power Jack, so I would reccommend using a ohmmeter to verify the power and grounding lugs before soldering. Then solder your ground wire to the ground lug and put a Ring Terminal on the other end so it can be attached to roof support framework. I made my ground wire about 4 inches long so as to have room for attachment. I also used a 1/2 long 1/4 drive zip screw to attach the ground lug to support. You cannot use the ground circuit for the lights because that is what Ford uses for the dimming feature of the lights. (and we don't want our detector shutting off) You can now snap the light housing back in place.

Now all you have to do is attach the Power Plug to your detector cord. Just make sure that you get the polarity right on this as well. You now have a hidden power port and the cord is up out of the way. This mod will also power down after the car is shut off and Ford Timer times out.

Enjoy