Hey all about to begin a BA dash conversion into my Au3 Forte...

Now before all you AU people begin your "BA interior dash quality is s**t" please understand that the AU dash is a acquired taste... you may say the AU2/3 looks good... this just means you've come to live with the AU1 quick fix... the position of the head unit is s**t... its looking at the fuel tank not the passengers the heater controls look ok and the clock is put there to fill the space.. and what the hell is with that useless center console

what i would want from the a conversion would be the center console, whole dash including Working XT Heater controls, make a din hole where the stock xt cd player is and fit a aftermarket GPS with a video input for future upgrades (tomtom, Navman etc.) in replacement of the screen. A working BA Cluster (XR) and working BA Passenger Airbag

so all we would need to figure out would be
- BA XT heater to AU (low series for me)
- BA XR Cluster to AU (low series for me)
- BA Passenger Airbag to AU
- BA Headlight controls (on Indicator) to AU

no worried about the steering wheel... (atm)

fairly sure the physical dash should bolt straight in aswell as the door trims... just the wiring that will be the issue... i really need to find out if the dash wiring would be compatible



to begin i have brought some BA XR Door trims in the Black trims and scuff plates should pic them up and begin fitting tomorrow... i will have to investagate rear power windows as i only have a forte


all help appreciated

Last edited by fourL6 on Wed Sep 22, 2010 10:07 pm, edited 4 times in total.

99% sure its a big job - not like a EA-ED to EF/EL dash conversion.

didn't another fordmodder so this or something?? i am 99.98% sure someone did

yeap i know its a big job but in keeping most of the AU electrics... the only possible hard part i can see is the cluster... the heater controls have a heap of options as far as even putting a BA heater box in...

put AU controls on the BA dash? i think putting a BA Heater box, and controling it with th BA electircs could be interesting...

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sitting on Page 131 looking for that other blokes conversion for ya (working backwards)

http://www.fordmods.com/forums/and-the- ... 32508.html

Thanks Froudey... looks like iv got some reading to do...

You're gonna have fun getting a BA ICC to work I reckon.. it can be done though, Ford themselves had a BA prototype running around in an AU shell a few years back.

im not using the BA ICC... im going to try use the XT heater controls and thats it... im going to smooth over the cd player section and put a din slot and replace the screen with a after market gps...

this should be interesting.
I hope yoru a patient man, as Brett351 said it was a big job and he wouldnt do it again!

how do u plan to use the XT heater controls when they are just electrical switches which the ICC interperates the inputs from, and puts this information on the CAN bus (which your AU won't have) ready for the HIM module (again you wont have this) to interperate and move the required levers.

BA HVAC does not use vacuum at all.

also the HIM does not function correctly without CAN bus inputs from the PCM, the BEM, the ICC, and the IC, so simply dropping it in will not quite work either.

i dont want to discourage you just bring to your attention how different the two systems are.

it would actually be more straight forward to fit BA engine/gearbox and entire wiring looms.

cheers for the info... sounds like au heater controls might be the go... im really after the look of the BA not the functions... had no idea how the BA dash works thats why im after this sort of info... have tried the doors today...

SCUFF PLATES

are a direct fit and love it (as we already know lol)

DOOR TRIMS

(have only tried the front left)
the BA door trims are a direct fit...
But they are thicker at the front than the AU so the doors wont close with a AU dash... The door handle is a direct fit. the loom for the windows is different so ill figure out the wiring tomorrow...

hears a few pics...

this is the as far as the door will close before the dash touches the trim

I would be interested in how you go with all of this

not at all easy atm... but im determined lol...