86 Svo Sissy Handle Question

[FELLENLONG]

My newly aquired 86 SVO has a grab handle or sissy bar above the pass side seat on the interior headliner . I was wondering if this is a rare option? i have not seen one in a SVO before!! Any idea"s on how many of these are out there??? Any info on this question would be appreciated!!! Thanks---SCOTT

[Otto Man]

We always called those things "Jesus Handles" or "JC Handles", as in:
"Jesus....slow this thing down!!!!!"
I have one in my 85.5
Chris

[FELLENLONG]

RE 1986 SISSY HANDLE

Thank you for the replie on the SISSY HANDLE .I wanted to know if it was a rare item!!There was a SISSY handle for sale on evil-bay awile back. I was kind of leary of it since i had never seen one in a SVO before!!But my 86 has one,and your SVO has one so I should have picked up the one on evil-bay for 30.00 and put it aside since it was NOS . OH_WELL . I lost out there!!

[8T6 SVO]

Sissy handle

There was an interior package that was standard on certain year SVO's - cloth headliner, lighted visor mirrors and a OH HELL bar. I'm not positive on any of these facts I've just stated here, but I think this is the way the handle came about. How's that for some specific information! I know someone on this site knows forsure.

8T6

[Otto Man]

When I ordered mine it was supposed to come with the lighted mirrors in the visors...but it didn't. I got the swivel map light so I figured that was Fords example of lighted mirrors. I never bothered to complain.
Incidentally, does anyone else's map light rattle, or rather buzz over half of the time? It drives me nuts! If I take the lense off and throw it in the glove box it shuts up! Always wondered how to fix it right.
Chris

[Pat_in_L.A.]

My 2 84's have the passenger side chicken handle.

My 85 has it.

My 85.5 has it.

My opinion: If the headliner got redone, maybe that's why it's missing. I have one 84 that has no inner clips for the visors. That is the one with the redone headliner

[richsvo]

My 86 does not have it, but I think that is due to it having the sunroof??? Not sure...but I've never seen one in an SVO before either, (or maybe I never noticed?) but that doesn't mean that they never came with them. Ford has always done some wierd things when it came to options, and even more so on our beloved SVO's!
Rich

[kiwi]

Grab handle.......

....gots one....

Chris W~ If you take that light out and look behind...real simple to work on......the actual 'spring load' is against a plastic part/ so don't break that (takes some finegling with a solder iron and more plastic to fix)......

[8T6 SVO]

Originally posted by richsvo
My 86 does not have it, but I think that is due to it having the sunroof???

Rich, I think you hit it on the head. The sunroof cars have vinyl headliners (and vinyl visors as well?). Was this the reason? I know someone here knows.

[richsvo]

Yes, it originally had a vinyl headliner, but cloth visors w/lights...oh yeah, and no map light either....
Rich

[Eyelawdoc]

I believe all the early 84 cars had vinyl headliners avd vinyl visors with no lights on the mirror. My original owner 84 2A "low mileage" 221K car is like this (build date 11/22/83). Also every SVO I ever saw new was equipped with a grab bar. Like Pat says, I'll bet more than a few have lost them along the way when the headliner was replaced.

While we are on the subject of early 84 cars, they also had chrome dome lights and chrome rear seat ashtrays. These parts were black in later cars.