I apologize, I completely missed the "interior" part of the thread. So with that in mind, my truck is a '90 so I have the old style interior. I prefer the "newer" style interior, but I'd love to have seen it with a fully integrated overhead console and a cup holder that disappears into the dash when not in use. Gauges in the instrument cluster with numbers, some type of organizer for behind the seat, a more ergonomically designed bench seat.

One thing I never liked about either style interior is the steering wheel. I always liked the thinner, larger diameter style of steering wheel that the bull nose trucks/broncos had.

 

I installed the map pockets from a 87-91 truck and love them.





Also swapped to the 1996 style Dome Light and love it...It's sooo much brighter.



And I installed a Rearview Mirror with the Courtesy Lamps.



And swapped to red with my cluster colors.

 

That's an easy fix for you if you want, AFAIK a bullnose wheel bolts on a bricknose column. I'm actually the opposite, I like thick steering wheels and smaller diameters. With power steering the extra leverage isn't needed any more.

 

Nice post Sidewinder. I like the mirror, is it wired up? I see you added the metal bullnose door handles too. I got tired of breaking the plastic ones on my 94 when I had it.

 

Yeah it's wired up..

Simple as can be..

I personally had to redo the inside of it to work off 1 switch, as the other switch was fugged up...

But it works, but is sorta dim (LED TIME!)

Just ran a ground and the + side is fixed onto one of the 5amp fuses in the fuse block.

 

I got an XLT Lariat Ext-cab 4x4 so it's pretty much decked out the way I would like... captains chairs with center console, air, cruise, power windows and locks, auto with a manual t-case. I have upgraded the audio to a USB/CD head unit with subs and the PO had already swapped the auto hubs to manual so there's not much more I'd like except maybe remote entry.. I got that on my Subaru and absolutely love it, and maybe suicide doors on the rear of the cab like the newer trucks, it just makes access to the rear that much easier.

 

My wife's Chrysler has that flashlight option. It's pretty nifty. It also has the double glove box.

I have the XLT as well, wish I didn't have power windows or locks, just more things to go wrong. My ultimate goal for the interior would be completely weather proof. Rubber flooring, water resistant material for the seats, sealed electronics, marine stereo and speakers. I would love to come back from fishing hunting camping or whatever and just spray out the interior with a hose. Not really sure that would ever be possible, with all the electric mumbo jumbo in these trucks.

 

I'm on the fence with crank vs power windows. On one hand I like being able to operate the window when the ignition is off and like the reliability. On the other hand it's a royal PITA to reach across the truck to roll down the passenger window.

Power locks, no downside. If they stop working then they're just regular locks anyway. Also I love the Ford driver door keypads, very convenient.

 

my daily driver spoils me w/ DVD, steering wheel AC/radio and cruise controls, auto climate, heated seats, awd and 100 hp more than my f150 but I just like the barebones simplicity of the lightning. its got 2 useless cup holders, ac that freezes you out and a sliding back window, thats about all i could ask for.

 

I think the answer to the question is relative to how you use the truck.

One of the great automotive commentators (Hot Rod Magazine's David Freiburger) once wrote an editorial about this back in the 90s or early 2ks, I think he was EIC of Car Craft at the time. He said the vehicle with the best aminities (as far as a daily driver) he has ever driven was a late 60s or early 70s Slant Six automatic four door Dart. The car had a comfy couch-like bench seat, vent windows, ample gauges (analog volt, oil pressure and temp and a long sweep speed-o), working heat and AC, aftermarket AM-FM-CD stereo, the dash with the little shelf under it, and an amply sized glove box. Freiburger rationalized that you dont need bucket seets, a tach or AC with a six cylinder, an automatic and 4-60 air conditioning (you know...4 windows down, 60 MPH) and the vent windows and to top it off the car even got 20 MPG, or so he claimed.

For a daily driver or travel vehicle, I think I agree with Freiburger. I prefer a 5-speed just to make driving more interesting, but my commute doesn't involve a lot of urban stop-and-go driving. Also I want an auxilary port on my CD player...but thats nit picking. My DD Subaru suits its purpose well.

The seats make or break a driver or travel vehicle. Seats should be comfortable. I think the newer vehicles, late-model Ford trucks included, are too ... ergonomical, for use of a better word. They hold you at attention and force posture when really I would rather lounge and enjoy driving.

I think a work vehicle needs to be as spartan as possible. Less to screw up, easier to clean. My '92 F150 is a strip Custom model and is perfect for hauling mulch and lumber and cutting wood and trips to the junkyard and that sort of thing.

The F250, which is my towing rig, is kind of a dual purpose vehicle. Its used forthe occasional trip to work and some travel when it pulls the camper on vacation and drags the car trailer out of town to feed my crappy car habit, but it also gets worked when I need the 4x4 or I have to move the tractor or go down in a field and yank out a parts car. For it, I want the comfy cloth covered bench seat with the folding middle arm rest (not that I use it for an arm rest, but you can stash stuff behind it when its closed including a hand gun and dual magazine pouch). The AC is also nice, as is the cruise control.

However, the F250 is an XLT Lariat, which includes some things I don't think trucks need. First off, carpet...its not like I take my shoes off and enjoy the plush **** while driving - a vinyl mat is fine by me. I also don't like the cloth headliner. My father's mid-90s beater GMC has a vinyl wrapped piece of cardboard stuck to the ceiling of the cab which soaks up all the excess noise in the cab nicely and doesn't hang down in your face when the glue starts drying up. Power windows and power door locks are equally unneccisary and replacing the plastic bushing around the driven gear in the window lift motor gets old and tends to break oh-so unnecesary plastic door trims. I kinda liked the early 80s trucks smaller door trims that didn't wrap around the top of the door to meet the window. And who needs the faux wood trim?

My '92 half ton has a nice cup holder and cubby that hangs on two bolts screwed into the front of the seat frame. I wish the '89 had that.

Otherwise, the only creature comfort I really wish our trucks had, along with all that I don't like about them, would be steering wheel mounted blue tooth controls for cell phones. I got spoiled witht the rent-a-car when I traveled up to Ohio and back. Too many states are making it illegal to use the phone (even with the speaker phone) while driving without some sort of hands free device, and I can't stand the ear bud type hands free devices for phones.

 

I have had the Custom (92), and XL(83&94) trim levels and like the XLT that my 95 has. It has the power windows, locks, A/c, door storage pockets,, and everything still works but the cruise. The cloth on the seats is still in nice shape The bench seat is OK but buckets would be better and I wouldn't mind losing the tilt column. My Supercab is nice but the rear seat is really only suitable for dogs, coolers, and other things but not people. Power mirrors would be nice and I have added cup holders and some gauges. All of my Fords had good heat and the interior design, while not perfect, worked very well without any major flaws or breakdowns.
I will miss this truck when its gone, Nelly Belle has 245k miles and while the engine and transmission are still working very well, its starting to get a little rusty and will need some front end work. The 92-96 series with the 300 IMHO is the the best all around PU ever made.
I'm now looking for its replacement which will probably be sometime this summer.
Regards
rikard

 

I added a couple features that were not offered in my various trucks

Heated mirrors
Boost, EGT gauges
Mechanical Oil press, coolant temp
Intercooler
Supercharger
Onboard air(electric) and overload air bags
IPOD acceptable radio
Cup holders
Bed lined interior(can just hose it out)
Steps
Tinted windows
LED lighting
I am sure there are more, I jut have a bad memory

 

i wish these trucks had the angled turn signal/high beams/windshield switch like the super duties...

 

would love to see your install into an obs. you may have a write up i haven't seen, if so could you forward it to me.

 

I bet that could be retrofitted if one really wanted. Something to think about...


To me that looks like a Super Duty interior in a Super Duty truck, not a OBS.