Has anyone considered swapping the interior with a civilian model?

[Myrdhyn]

So, I potentially have access to another Explorer of the same generation as my PIU. If I can get access, plan to use it to swap out the front seats for leather versions and to add the 3rd row. I can also strip off some panels and replace the broken ones and install speakers, etc.

However, if I can get the access I can to the car at the level I expect, I could potentially replace the PIU dash, floor(carpet), etc with all the civilian ones. I can't seem to find anyone having discussed doing a full swap and am wondering if anyone knows of someone who did it?

Also as a side note, if no one has done a full swap, has anyone added push start to the PIU?

 

[lolford]

So, I potentially have access to another Explorer of the same generation as my PIU. If I can get access, plan to use it to swap out the front seats for leather versions and to add the 3rd row. I can also strip off some panels and replace the broken ones and install speakers, etc.

However, if I can get the access I can to the car at the level I expect, I could potentially replace the PIU dash, floor(carpet), etc with all the civilian ones. I can't seem to find anyone having discussed doing a full swap and am wondering if anyone knows of someone who did it?

Also as a side note, if no one has done a full swap, has anyone added push start to the PIU?

It's not impossible (and this is coming from a guy who added the blindspot system and radar cruise to a ford) but you're going to be missing a lot of wiring first of all. The civi seats have the canbus connections which the PI editions don't. Stuff like heated cooled seats etc won't work.

You won't have the hvac stuff for the rear (even if you have the headliner) If I get a PIU I'm considering adding it (the lines go under the car to the trunk) but you're gonna have to mess around with forscan. Another thing to consider is the swap for the shifter.

 

[Myrdhyn]

It's not impossible (and this is coming from a guy who added the blindspot system and radar cruise to a ford) but you're going to be missing a lot of wiring first of all. The civi seats have the canbus connections which the PI editions don't. Stuff like heated cooled seats etc won't work.

You won't have the hvac stuff for the rear (even if you have the headliner) If I get a PIU I'm considering adding it (the lines go under the car to the trunk) but you're gonna have to mess around with forscan. Another thing to consider is the swap for the shifter.

If I do this, I would be purchasing a salvage vehicle to gut the interior, so I would have everything available to me, like harnesses etc.

I'm currently attempting to get one that matches the color of my PIU so I could just swap doors out, rather than having to have it repainted. This would save me a $6000 paint quote I received.. So 6K + interior parts, front and/or rear bumper and hood.. If I can get it for 3-5 I would be happy, then I could part out the rest to make some money back. If I can't get one that matches my base color, paint goes back on the table as being something I'll need and the car is then worth a lot less to me.
Front/rear bumper requirement is to replace them due to holes PD drilled for lights. The hood would be because of several large paint scratches exposing the base coat/primer.

 

[lolford]

If I do this, I would be purchasing a salvage vehicle to gut the interior, so I would have everything available to me, like harnesses etc.

I'm currently attempting to get one that matches the color of my PIU so I could just swap doors out, rather than having to have it repainted. This would save me a $6000 paint quote I received.. So 6K + interior parts, front and/or rear bumper and hood.. If I can get it for 3-5 I would be happy, then I could part out the rest to make some money back. If I can't get one that matches my base color, paint goes back on the table as being something I'll need and the car is then worth a lot less to me.
Front/rear bumper requirement is to replace them due to holes PD drilled for lights. The hood would be because of several large paint scratches exposing the base coat/primer.

I've done bit's and pieces of this, I'm not sure how many fleet colours carry over to the civi models. I had a lk blue trunk swapped (car had been hit 5 times) perfect match! On the flip side I had the peelformance white on a crownie and the colors were totally off due to the repaint not being as good. And this was 2 cars with "identical" colours.

I also found if you're trying to get used body parts it's so hard to find ones that are less screwed up the the car you have usually. As for the harnesses, depending on what you want to add might be easier to just tap in to add stuff you want, most of it is just canbus connections, and power is easy enough to tap off with the police upfitter wiring. (I added the blindspot and radar using the upfitter wiring, as well as carrying canbus over to the sensor in the front bumper)

 

[Myrdhyn]

I've done bit's and pieces of this, I'm not sure how many fleet colours carry over to the civi models. I had a lk blue trunk swapped (car had been hit 5 times) perfect match! On the flip side I had the peelformance white on a crownie and the colors were totally off due to the repaint not being as good. And this was 2 cars with "identical" colours.

I also found if you're trying to get used body parts it's so hard to find ones that are less screwed up the the car you have usually. As for the harnesses, depending on what you want to add might be easier to just tap in to add stuff you want, most of it is just canbus connections, and power is easy enough to tap off with the police upfitter wiring. (I added the blindspot and radar using the upfitter wiring, as well as carrying canbus over to the sensor in the front bumper)

Based on what I see, the PD who had mine only painted the doors white. The black is the base Ford Black (paint code UW), so I should be ok. I do get the crapshoot comment on body panels from another car maybe being worse.. But its more about the paint here for me. My doors have chips and a few dents, but the main issue is half the door being white.

 

[lolford]

I've done bit's and pieces of this, I'm not sure how many fleet colours carry over to the civi models. I had a lk blue trunk swapped (car had been hit 5 times) perfect match! On the flip side I had the peelformance white on a crownie and the colors were totally off due to the repaint not being as good. And this was 2 cars with "identical" colours.

I also found if you're trying to get used body parts it's so hard to find ones that are less screwed up the the car you have usually. As for the harnesses, depending on what you want to add might be easier to just tap in to add stuff you want, most of it is just canbus connections, and power is easy enough to tap off with the police upfitter wiring. (I added the blindspot and radar using the upfitter wiring, as well as carrying canbus over to the sensor in the front bumper)

If the PI had been in any crashes there's a chance the white won't match so check the carfax!

 

[Myrdhyn]

If the PI had been in any crashes there's a chance the white won't match so check the carfax!

You misunderstand. I don't want the white on the doors, I want the original black...
UW is the paint code for 2020-2025 Black

 

[lolford]

You misunderstand. I don't want the white on the doors, I want the original black...
UW is the paint code for 2020-2025 Black

Oh I see, please keep us updated when you start!

 

[peterk9]

So, I potentially have access to another Explorer of the same generation as my PIU. If I can get access, plan to use it to swap out the front seats for leather versions and to add the 3rd row. I can also strip off some panels and replace the broken ones and install speakers, etc.

However, if I can get the access I can to the car at the level I expect, I could potentially replace the PIU dash, floor(carpet), etc with all the civilian ones. I can't seem to find anyone having discussed doing a full swap and am wondering if anyone knows of someone who did it?

Also as a side note, if no one has done a full swap, has anyone added push start to the PIU?

Regarding adding the 3rd row, I found this thread using the handy 'Search' feature; Adding third row to Explorer Police Interceptor

Peter

 

[badbrad1966]

Are you sure the dooes are painted white. Mine were a white wrap. Just peeled off with heat gun. Some glue still on tge door edges removed with solvent.

 

[Myrdhyn]

Are you sure the dooes are painted white. Mine were a white wrap. Just peeled off with heat gun. Some glue still on tge door edges removed with solvent.

Yes, I tried with a heat gun on an edge. The paint came off partially, but it’s def not a wrap. I unfortunately also scratched off some of the black too

One of the ways I can tell is it’s also painted inside the openings for the door handle hardware

Edit, actually, it could be either.. I'm going to take it to a shop and have them check, because I tried lifting a corner without the right tools and failed. Making it appear to be paint to me. But I could be wrong.