Ok Then.

If there is one thing boxcar owners love to hate, it's the steering wheel. Specifically if you have Cruise Control. The primary reason for not fitting a sports steering wheel is that owners want to keep the Cruise buttons.



Lets face it. The factory wheel is just ugly.

So I hunted around for a solution and came accross a guide on Ford Mods {DESCRIPTION} to use custom mounted momentary switches. I acquired the parts and looked around for a suitable steering wheel within my limited budget and found this.



It was marked down to $70 at parklea markets. It is leather wrapped and the four spoke design appealed to me. The red leather parts also would match my car nicely. I also picked up a boss kit for $70.

I got home and promptly created a 3D model of the wheel in Sketchup so I could design a bracket to mount the cruise switches on.

The Front.



The Back with Cruise Bracket.



I looked around the garage and found an old computer side panel which I used to draw the pattern for the bracket.



I then cut it out using a Dremel rotary tool and sanded the edges.



Here is the raw bracket on the back of the wheel.



The next couple of shots show the finished bracket with the switches mounted on the boss and then the boss and wheel and finally a close up of the switch setup.





I then mounted it all in the car and I am really happy with the way it looks.






The cruise switches work great and are positioned so my index fingers fall on them with a small reach.

There is now no excuse for you boxcars ownwers to put up with the factory cruise steering wheel.

I have also acquired some EF mirrors so look out for another update soon.

Happy Australia Day

BenJ

sweat looking wheel dude, suits your car well.. you just need to change that poxey autotecnica badge with a FORD one

You've got me thinking of updating my cruise wheel..
this is the one I have sitting in the shed..

Nice mod benj, looks like i will follow in your foot steps on this one as well as i hate the bus looking wheel (TAXI WHEEL)

Great boxcar interior BenJ....good to see some solid work thats not EF/EL.

Huge improvement very cluey idea with the wheel aswell

Great work with the wheel mate

EF Fairmont doortrims go well with the rest of the boxcar interior!

I think the whole interior is looking much better well done mate, are you going to paint any other pieces black or just leave it at the door handles

Damn dude, some nice work there. Plenty of effort obviously, but isn't it great when you can utilise other Ford parts instead of having to go customising too much.

I made an inquirty today on how much to redo my parcel shelf carpet in black, $85 incl. materials, so I'm back on the road to mods now myself. That will leave just the main floor carpet the onlyyyy grey bit left in the interior.

Then I have to address the arm-rests, new driver's door trim, more door trim painting, LTD door spears, etc. etc.

So much, one thing at a time I think.

wehttam699 - I would like to get some of the woodgrain door trims, in rough condition and paint them in the satin black too. I am also considering sanding the existing black dash and console trim smooth and painting them in the satin black for a subtle effect.

Rick_Deckard - Thanks mate. My carpet is pretty well stuffed, so I am considering my options. Mabye a good s/hand replacement or a new one, possibly in black.

Show us some pictures of the work you have done. It all goes towards helping others with ideas.

BenJ

Yeah I just looked at carpets on ebay, those aftermarket ones. I know people have bagged them in the past (no holes, two-piece, etc.) but they must surely be the cheaper option. Some trimming place would wants heaps you'd have to think for a custom jobbie.

I'll take some pics once I've got the parcel shelf done and put in my rear cappa interior panels (d pillar? I don't know, lol. The ones that sit either side of the rear windscreen) in.

My black roof lining and cappa a pillars and black dash all contrast real nice together. I'll take a pic of that.

great work mate! especially love your steering wheel mod, gotta hate the ea-ed Fairmont wheels

repost read all this on ford forums nah just playing,,,

good s**t

looks great didn't relise the ef/el doors would line up so well with the EB dash

hey Froudey

There is no excuse now for you put off finishing your wiring mate.

Just do it.

BenJ

Hello Again All

This is another interior mod I have done.

Given the age of the vehicle and high mileage, I thought it would be a good idea to carry around some tools and a couple of spare parts.

So I bolted in a toolbox, as I didn't want anything rolling around while exploring the limits of adhesion out on a cruise.

From the boot.


From the back seat.


I set it up so that the toolbox can be opened from the back seat once the seat back is folded down. We have been doing a few trips, and who wants to pull everything out of the boot, just to get a screwdriver etc.

Oh and in the top photo, on the right you can see where I mounted a fire extinguisher. You just never know when you might need one.

Regards
BenJ