Finally motivated by a sagging headliner, I installed the Expy overhead console I picked up a while ago, in my '99 F-150 Reg. Cab. At this point all I have wired is the dome/map lights (which, BTW are far superior to the lights which came in the truck), but the eventual plan is to wire the compass/ambient temp unit contained in the console, add some gauges where the rear HVAC control panel sits, and put a switch panel in the rear compartment.

Not perfect, but not bad considering I'm pretty much making it up as I go along ...





I made up some mounts for the middle and front mounting points on the console. These two mounting points seemed to pull the back up tight against the headliner, so I didn't bother w/ the rear mounting point. Now that it's all installed, I may go back and add a rear mount just to pull that end of the console a little tighter into the headliner.





Installed w/ the unmodified headliner and the new shorter sun visors to fit w/ the overhead console ... You can see the gap between the headliner and console which needs to be filled.




I built up the headliner panel w/ a couple types of foam. Because the console mounts to the cab through the headliner, all the foam really has to do is hold itself in place. I still needed to add foam to fill the gap between the headliner and the front of the console in this pic ...




Since I have no need for rear HVAC controls, I made a face plate to replace the HVAC control panel. I'll eventually add some gauges to this faceplate ...

 

Looks great, like it was an original trim package, well done ! You've got me wanting to revisit doing the same to my 98 :-)

Nice work on the brackets too.

I'm curious what kind of headroom you are left with in the center seat ?

 

That looks great! Nice job..

 

Nice job on the headliner!!

 

good work....

 

Very nice.

Sent from my iPhone using IB AutoGroup

 

Thanks for the kind comments

I really had a lot of fun doing this mod. My guess is it could be done easier using one of the later year headliners and the stock expy OH console mounting bracket, but at some point I decided if it was ever going to get done I was going to do it w/ the parts I had on hand.

I wanted to fiberglass the modified headliner but I got really pinched for time (doing a 800 mile round trip to San Diego this weekend). If I start to have problems w/ the foam coming apart, I'll fiberglass it then.

far-trader, inspired by your question, I sat in the center seat to check the clearance ... I'm 6' and my head was about an inch from the dome light. With this mod, the center seat is probably only good for someone short.

I haven't been around a lot since I got my latest hobby car about a year ago ('02 WRX), but I still do things to the truck when the desire hits me. Next step is to figure the wiring for the compass/ambient temp unit. I found where the six wires for it go, I just need to determine which of the six black wires is which

 

Expy display might also have the MPG instead of the F150 compass/temp.

 

In my searches for these OH consoles (they also came in Excursions), I noticed there were several different configurations. Some had trip computers, some had compass/temp, and some had nothing. I'm about 95% sure mine is a compass/temp unit.

 

Yup thats a compass/temp unit. Make sure you go through it and check your resistors

 

Thanks for the info fairlaner, much appreciated.

 

That install looks great!! kick butt job!

 

Nice Work!