2000 windstar mom van overhead console and it fits

[lostforawhile]

This is a 2000 Ford Windstar mom mobile overhead console, I took a chance on eyeballing it on ebay for 15 bucks. It was a good deal as they normally go for a lot more. This gives me the neat overhead compartments and a better dome light.

in the picture I already have one compartment out working on it



the first thing I did was remove the compartment with the child surveillance mirror, the mirror itself snaps off, then you are left with the mirror mounting

it's a simple matter of grinding off the melted plastic rivets and removing the mount

this compartment will be used to hold my switches for the manual fan override and the oil cooler override

the only issues I had with clearance were with the top of this compartment,so I gave it a shave

I'll fit a piece of plastic in there later

[lostforawhile]

I had no use for the sliding door switch or the rear radio controls,so out came the switch and the radio circuit board

This is cutting the 1/8 aluminum plate to make the filler panels for those two items, the XM radio box will go where the sliding door switch was,this is also the front mounting bracket plate






this is the template used for drilling the holes for the filler panel for the radio controls

the dremel will soon take care of the pesky radio controls face

[lostforawhile]

There are two extra 5/16 holes behind the material in case I ever need them for anything

This is the front mounting bracket



ignore the wires everywhere,once everything fits, those will be fixed

making the pattern for the back bracket, I will be making this tomorrow

[lostforawhile]

the XM radio is installed, I got some of the wiring laid out, I still need to figure out the switches and put a plug on for the auto dimming mirror, I'll just run a grommet and run the wires to the mirror.

[ecogabriel]

Very nice mod lost.

Too bad I cannot use something like it in my car - it has a sunroof (LX-i)

[DBMaster]

Lost and his "Frankenhatch!"

[lostforawhile]

Lost and his "Frankenhatch!"

one of the things I hate about this car is the lack of space for anything, this gives me some storage and a place for the switches etc

[mykwikcoupe]

one of the things I hate about this car is the lack of space for anything, this gives me some storage and a place for the switches etc

more switches? You already have switches for switches

[lostforawhile]

more switches? You already have switches for switches

same ones, I just had to move them since this console
replaces what was overhead before.

[lostforawhile]

I had to fix a minor issue, the rear mounting bracket was sitting over the edge of the console, so it was visible, I had to mill the wooden blocks down about 1/8 of an inch, then shear some material off of the aluminum plate on both ends, then the plate hit the lights, so it required cutting some material off of the plate. It sounds simple, but it involved a lot of running between the shear, the belt sander, the mill, and screwing in and removing the screws over and over. now the front bracket is off a bit, but I'm working on it.

this is the bracket before

[charliekuney]

Legit as fuck. The curvature of the roof worked with the curvature of the unit?

Too bad I cannot use something like it in my car - it has a sunroof (LX-i)

I have an LX-i without a sunroof.

[2oodoor]

wouldn't be a true cock pit without overheads, amazing project work!

[itzdave]

wouldn't be a true cock pit without overheads, amazing project work!

Heh heh






































Cock.....

[lostforawhile]

Legit as fuck. The curvature of the roof worked with the curvature of the unit?



I have an LX-i without a sunroof.

it's very very close, the small gaps can be fixed by simply putting some foam under the area of the console, I don't know if the roof on an lxi is the same, the hatch roof is different then the other models, except maby the coupe, I know they share the same floor pans, but I'm not sure about the roof

[lostforawhile]

Heh heh

It depends on if I have enough space in the pillars to run the wires, but I may put my fuse block I had to add in the third compartment, It's just out of reach when you are in the drivers seat, but it would be perfect for easy access to those fuses, it originally had a garage door opener compartment. push the door and there are the fuses. It's a good size compartment.

[lostforawhile]

I ended up upholstering the front bracket, since it's visible, the wood blocks didn't hold up being removed about 20 times, so I made aluminum blocks with threaded holes.



I think the small gaps on the sides may be parts of the console pushing the headliner up, i need to mask around it and trim the headliner under the console. the other areas just need a little foam under the headliner



sunglasses holder



change holder



empty compartment, this is where I'm thinking of putting a fuse block



this is the gentex photo chromatic mirror thats going in



console harness

[lostforawhile]

[niles]

Very cool! How did you attach it to the roof liner?

[lostforawhile]

I have two brackets, one attaches to the threaded holes for the OEM light, the front bracket uses the threaded holes for the original mirror, the rear one have wood blocks, that I shaped to match the sides of the console, they screw to the plate that is attached to the original mounting points. self tapping screws attach the sides of the console to the blocks, just like in a conversion van. the front is aluminum pieces that are tapped for machine screws

[lostforawhile]

thats the front before I changed to aluminum blocks, the edge of the plate was visible so I wrapped it in black imitation leather, there was a very slight gap near the front so i added a little padding behind the headliner to fill it in

[Dr_Snooz]

Cool!

[lostforawhile]

only thing I want to change are the wedge base bulbs in the lights to LED replacements, I think they make direct replacements, the originals melted some of the factory wires for the dome lights, the factory wiring in the console, the LEDS create less heat, plus I can leave the dome lights on longer without draining the battery

[niles]

Thanks for the detail lost. Not sure how I missed the first half of the thread (using Tapatalk). I'd run LED strip lights around the outside if it was in my car. It would look like a halo

[lostforawhile]

Thanks for the detail lost. Not sure how I missed the first half of the thread (using Tapatalk). I'd run LED strip lights around the outside if it was in my car. It would look like a halo

when I upholster the plastic pieces that go on the A pillars I might run some on them at the top edge, but not taking this console out again if I can help it