# Beforelectronic turn signals, how did Mustang turn signalsequentially operate? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [June 29, 2020, 1:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544 "2020-06-29T13:52:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 1:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/1 "2020-06-29T13:52:41Z")
Or did early models not _[][]**[]**_ _[]**[][]**_ _**[][][]**_ Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/2 "2020-06-29T13:59:44Z")
The only early (pre-74) Mustangs that did that were some of the Shelby Mustangs, that used the turn signals from the T-Bird. It was some sort of mechanical relay or rotary switch, I don’t know the details. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 2:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/3 "2020-06-29T14:04:27Z")
How did they operate ? Very well . ---
**Author:** ![edb1961](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/edb1961/32/122_2.png) [@edb1961](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edb1961)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/4 "2020-06-29T14:10:12Z")
A buddy of mine had a 68 Cougar with the sequential turn signals. If I recall it was a mechanical setup like texases described. Ed B. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 2:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/5 "2020-06-29T14:16:03Z")
Apparently there was a dc motor driven rotary switch in a device known as a “dynamite stick” mounted in the trunk. They were rather failure prone and electronic replacements are available. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/6 "2020-06-29T15:06:37Z")
Here’s everything you might want to know about the TBird’s system: [http://www.vintagethunderbirdclub.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=6708](http://www.vintagethunderbirdclub.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=6708) ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 3:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/7 "2020-06-29T15:08:55Z")
Wonderful! Thank you, texases. PS: Never noticed sequential turn signals on anything but Mustangs. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 4:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/8 "2020-06-29T16:08:09Z")
The technology has been around since at least the 1930s on theater marquees. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/9 "2020-06-29T16:13:01Z")
Motor driven sequential turn signal flasher for the Mercury Cougar; ![sequential turn signal flasher](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/4/1/41c336ea10f65669fe0c64ff6d1b82e764e29668.jpeg) > [@VOLVO\_V70](#): > > How did they operate ? Very well . Around 1980, a neighbor mechanic told me that it was unusual to see one that still worked. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 4:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/10 "2020-06-29T16:37:41Z")
I live in Florida. What are “turn signals”? ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/11 "2020-06-29T16:44:21Z")
> [@Nevada\_545](#): > > Motor driven sequential turn signal flasher for the Mercury Cougar; > > ![sequential turn signal flasher](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/4/1/41c336ea10f65669fe0c64ff6d1b82e764e29668.jpeg) > Around 1980, a neighbor mechanic told me that it was unusual to see one that still worked. Probably just needed a little oil once in a while. Now replaced by a boring solid-state timer? My 1940’s glass-bottomed Union Switch and Signal FN16-A mee-mool light **(o)T(o)** flasherelay is entirely mechanical. Metal ringstacked on a center pole shared by two electromagnet coils affects magnetic fieldecay which determines flash rate. (Back then they suggested 30 - 40 flashes per minute.) ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 4:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/12 "2020-06-29T16:51:46Z")
Something snowbird’s use for at least 8 to 10 miles before their turn then it is almost always the wrong one. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/13 "2020-06-29T16:56:50Z")
> [@Renegade](#): > > Something snowbird’s use for at least 8 to 10 miles before their turn then it is almost always the wrong one. 👍 That is what Seinfeld used to refer to as “signaling for an **eventual** turn”. 😆 ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 6:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/14 "2020-06-29T18:10:58Z")
> [@Nevada\_545](#): > > Around 1980, a neighbor mechanic told me that it was unusual to see one that still worked. 1979 took the engine from the rusting 68 cougar, and put it in a ranchero, signals still sequential still worked. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2020, 7:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/15 "2020-07-03T19:45:00Z")
I never watched a single Seinfeld episode to completion A few times while channel surfing, I would tune in for a few minutes, but it could never hold my attention Of all the actors, Jason Alexander is the only one I like. I’ve seen him in a few movies, but the rest of them, including/especially Jerry Seinfeld . . . One of the actors from the show has a kid or grandkid in a school near here. I’ve got it on good authority the actor is thoroughly unpleasant, has a fat head, and acts like it, too. And I know this because my mom has encountered this person a few times . . . at the school, where she has a position . . . and remarked to me how awful that person was, on more than a few occasions ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2020, 8:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/16 "2020-07-03T20:31:52Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > I never watched a single Seinfeld episode to completion > A few times while channel surfing, I would tune in for a few minutes, but it could never hold my attention That’s because you are in the L.A. area. Seinfeld is classic “NY comedy”, and it doesn’t translate well in some other locales. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2020, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/17 "2020-07-03T21:13:13Z")
I think Kramer was my favorite Actor, If you are into stupid mind numbing films UHF with Kramer and weird al is fun, so is idiocracy is good for political insite, but Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was one of my favorite car movies. I never investigated how the sequintl turn signals on my 68 cougar worked, as I did not need to. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/18 "2020-07-03T21:35:58Z")
The turn signal sequencer referred to as the “dynamite stick”. Note the cardboard tube housing the whole thing. I have seen pictures of original units marked “General Electric”. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/7/8/78096a24e23805e04c42b96184e75a9c7ae3b400.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2020, 10:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/19 "2020-07-03T22:36:14Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > I’ve got it on good authority the actor is thoroughly unpleasant A lot of talented artists can/could be unpleasant to be around. At the top of my list is Buddy Rich. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2020, 10:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544/20 "2020-07-03T22:58:48Z")
Buddy Rich was a great drummer, did not know his personal side, a guy could be a great mechanic, but may not be a people person. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/beforelectronic-turn-signals-how-did-mustang-turn-signalsequentially-operate/166544.md?page=2)