SN95 Style Dash in an older FOX

Not 2.3L specific but for those interested in putting an SN95 stye dash in you older fox Mustang here you go. I just started doing the conversion today. It took me about an hour to get the old dash out and another hour to cut the new dash and install it. Follow the links below for pictures. I still have a lot to do for the conversion as I am also switching tmy interior color from red to grey but already the dash looks sweet.

Here is a shot of the two dashes. Notice how much deeper the SN95 dash is. You have to cut off a good 5 inches. Basically you are cutting the dash along the rear (closest to driver) side of the defroster area.
www.flemworld.com/Slug/Howto/Images/Dash1.jpg

The next two pictures are of the sides of the dash where it meets the kick pannel area. There is a lip on the SN95 dash on each side that needs to be removed. I simply peeled back the vinyl and cut the ends off with a grinder.
www.flemworld.com/Slug/Howto/Images/Dash2.jpg
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Here is a shot near where the VIN tag is. The dash is just sitting there right now but when it is mounted you will not be able to see any of the edge.
www.flemworld.com/Slug/Howto/Images/Dash3.jpg

The next two are pictures of the shifter area. It actually lines up perfect but the dash is just sitting there so it looks a little cocked.
www.flemworld.com/Slug/Howto/Images/Dash5.jpg
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The next two pictures are of the steering wheel area. There is quite a large gap here. I will need to figure out something but I'm pretty sure I will be able to find another ford car with a similar setup that has a longer steering wheel shaft cover that will work.
www.flemworld.com/Slug/Howto/Images/Dash6.jpg
www.flemworld.com/Slug/Howto/Images/Dash7.jpg

Here is the window pillar area. There is a gap here as well. I may just recover the pillar piece and extend it out more.
www.flemworld.com/Slug/Howto/Images/Dash9.jpg

Here is the glove box area. I will have to do a little fabrication here as the glove box will not close all the way due to it hitting the heater box.
www.flemworld.com/Slug/Howto/Images/Dash10.jpg
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Here is the heater vacum plugs for the older fox heater box and the SN95 Dash heater switch. This will be an easy mod here. The colors are even the same.
www.flemworld.com/Slug/Howto/Images/Dash12.jpg

More info will follow soon. I'm pretty much done for the day. I will keep every one updated on my progress.

Mike

I posted the links not thinking that it would show as links. I was expecting people to copy the url to the address bar. But I renamed the files and fixed the links for ya.

Here are a few more pictures. These are of the heater controls.
What is sweet about these is the plugs are identicle. You simple plug them right in. The only differences between the two heater controls in the manual line that operates the heater core and evaporator coil and the vacuum lines. For the vacuum lines you simply remove the whole line system from the older style and put it on the SN95 one. It will then plug into the existing lines at the heater box.

www.flemworld.com/Slug/howto/images/dash14.jpg
www.flemworld.com/Slug/howto/images/dash15.jpg

My car is a 85 Notch with an 88 Turbo Coupe motor and and 89 Mustang electrical system. The older 85 heater plugs would be different and require cutting and splicing.

What really sucks is the older 85 head light system would have mounted right in the dash since it uses the same pull switch to turn on the headlights and dim the interior lights. The 89 has that crappy pull lever which is now going to require me to cut and splice.

Another thing that will be a challenge is the speedo gauge as the SN95 cluster has an electronic gauge and the older mustangs have the manual ones. I am pretty knowledgeable in the electronics of cars so the gauges and that shouldn't be a problem. I may just go to aftermarket gauges and save the hassle.

More to come....

ASH - fixed the links.

Quik87 - I will be doing the door panels as well but have not started that yet. I trial fitted them on my 85 Hatchback and it looks that all I will need to do is trim off some of the material on the ends as the panels are thicker. The door length is the same. The door handle as tuff to get on my Notch because of the new dash. I researched and found the 96 Mustang uses cables to open the latch mechanisim. Once I fit the door panels on I will use those to operate the latch. The lock rod that comes out at the top of the door will need to be moved back an inch but thats no big deal.

BOWTIEKILLER - As for the heat the fan and the vacuum controlled vent selection knobs work perfectly. I need to get the SN95 style heater/AC cable as the hook up on the SN95 heater controls are different. I am using the SN95 heater box elbow off the 89 heater box and it all lines up I have everything except the defroster. The defroster is going to be the challenge cause I had to cut out that area to get the dash to fit right. I'm going to go JY hunting next weekend for some thing I can cut into the dash.

I will have more pictures next week and I will hopefully have the first part all written up in HTML and posted on my site.

Another thng that will be a problem is that my emergency brake handle does not line up. The emergence brake handle on the 85's are in the center but the SN95 is more to the passenger side like the 87/93 Mustangs. Right now I just bent it over so I can opreate it.

I will also be installing the SN95 front and rear seats in the car as well. The width is the same in the back but I will have to fab somthing up cause the back seat is a split peice that folds down in the SN95 Mustangs. For the front seats you just change the tracks.