Is the BA an AU Upgrade

[AWD Chaser]

With the exception of the engine and driveline etc, what parts on the BA are interchangable with the AU. For example: Are the doors the same on the AU and the BA, or door mirrors, or for that, is it the same chassis, just with different panels? It would be mad to do a BA body kit upgrade!

[EA2BA]

The mirrors are the same.

DOC fitted a BA front on an AU wagon and says that is way different and needed alot of changing/mucking around to fit.

[Casper]

BA = AV.
Yes, it was an AU update just as the EF was an update over ED.

That said it really is a whole new series as just about everything was changed and I'd prefer not to associate them with my AU :P

[Sylox]

Front end and rear is interchangable between au and ba.
All interior trim is different.
Engine and driveline is different.
Suspension is different.
Doors are the same with different trim pannels on the out side in some cases.

[XR6-VCT-2000]

Originally Posted by Casper

That said it really is a whole new series as just about everything was changed and I'd prefer not to associate them with my AU :P

lol , long live the AU ;) ... 3 cheers - ahoy ..lol

I dont know about what parts are straight up interchangable without modifying, but i think i'll keep my AU and all the mods AU style . There allready seems to be hundreds of ba-bf falcons going around , imo the way they are producing those things they will be worth bugger all in a few years unless everyone starts writing them off in crashes and they become a bit more hard to get. Just seems I don't see as many AU XR6's getting around , which makes them all the more unique.

[smally289]

Wish it was easy to fit BA XR front sheetmetal to my AUII wagon......

[The Dok]

Originally Posted by EA2BA

The mirrors are the same.
DOC fitted a BA front on an AU wagon and says that is way different and needed alot of changing/mucking around to fit.

Ahhhhh, that would be me. Doc has a BA XR sedan & he's in Adelaide, close but not quite.

Originally Posted by smally351

Wish it was easy to fit BA XR front sheetmetal to my AUII wagon......

Well it's not "easy" as such, but it can be done, best bet is to wait till it NEEDS a new front but I doubt the insurance company's would allow it under "enhancements" within a policy.

[clontarf_x]

Originally Posted by Sylox

All interior trim is different.

Disagreed. Parents BAMK1 has exactly the same jesus bars, sunglass holder lights and other miscllaeneous stuffs

That being said though her seats are very nice and firm compared to my leathers

[The Dok]

Originally Posted by clontarf_x

That being said though her seats are very nice and firm compared to my leathers

mmmmmmmmmm leathers.........are they the type with the bum cut out???????????
Sorry dood, couldn't resist :

[Dark Horse]

The sunglass holders in the AU's won't fit because of the flatter aspect of the ceiling in the BA's. The scuffplates for the front are an easy fit though.

[OZFORDAU]

Will the BA seats fit into the AU seats?

Cheers

Simon

[apolloxbgt]

Originally Posted by OZFORDAU

Will the BA seats fit into the AU seats?

Cheers

Simon

I don't think that they will fit the seats :,they might fit the car though.

[XR6-VCT-2000]

if your not happy with the seats in your AU , a local upholsterer could redo the packing in it and add a bit more or less within reason of the stretch allowed by the original material. I dont think it would cost that much as i had a lounge done , a 1 seater , a 2 seater , and a 3 seater fully repacked and extra added , costed next to nothing. So i couldn't see 2 front car seats costing much to repack- on about the seats i have noticed on my AU where sometimes the seatbelt catches the edge of the seat after uncliping it (near right shoulder in drivers seat , and near left shoulder on passengers side) , that part of my seats the foam underneath has gone a bit out of shape and soft due to the belt pressure againt it for prolonged times in the past i think , ill have to get mine redone somtime in the future.

[Sylox]

Ba seats will definately not even get close to going in. 2 1/2 bolt holes line up and the seats on a slant. Completely different mounting frame under the BA seats.

[jabba]

Originally Posted by Casper

BA = AV.
Yes, it was an AU update just as the EF was an update over ED.

That said it really is a whole new series as just about everything was changed and I'd prefer not to associate them with my AU :P

Deep, deep down you want an BA don't you Casp. It's your little secret to own a BA fitted with triangles.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by jabba

Deep, deep down you want an BA don't you Casp. It's your little secret to own a BA fitted with triangles.

Bwahahahahah..
Deep deep down you want to wear womens underwear too right? :togo:

I can honestly say that, as much as I think the BA/BF is a good looking, successful and worthy car, I have no inclination at all to get one now nor in the future.
I may, one day, buy one as a daily driver but it will never replace my AU, simply allow me to keep the AU in better condition as a weekend car. As a car they are very good but they leave me cold as far as passion and excitement go.

[T3man]

The BA an UPgrade over AU? I don't think so ... more like a DOWNgrade if you ask me. LOL

The BA shape was designed DOWN from the AU because people (read motoring journos) couldn't handle the RADICAL style. So the shape was made more conservative.

Furthermore the BA is longer in the wheelbase which may give it a better ride but it does effect the turn-in ... it isn't as sharp at changing direction. It is also heavier, contributing more to the problem. And even though the engines across the board are more advanced the fact is that they use more fuel model for model than the AUs. And their performance is not that much better, if at all, except for the base models.

The interiors are also disappointing .. to me anyway. The plastic trim is very hard to the feel and I've seen a lot of broken trim bits on BAs that didn't happen with the AU. The command console has reasonably good control layout, (just a couple of controls set the wrong way about), but it faces up into the light and I sometimes have trouble seeing it as it reflects a lot of glare. The seats are really good though. The BA is quieter inside than the AU.

That's how I see it anyhow... flame me if you like

[GlennBA]

The BA is more modern. They did a great job at redesigning the AU, obviously its a hit with the public looking at the sales figures. As for power not being that great? They've come a long way in the past few years imo. XR8, XR6T, typhoon, and GT etc are quite powerfulcars compared to what they had on offer in the early au series. They've graduated onto more power. Like you said jeff, the base models especially are quite powerful over the AU. I drive BA's and BF's every day for work and I would say i'd take a BA XT over my AU quite quickly given the oppurtunity. They go very well for what they are.

[smally289]

I just can't get used to the cheap silver plastic trims on the dash. Looks like a TEAC TV!!

[robbo_yobbo]

DOK >,.............. Just exactly what was involved in changing over the front end to the BA, what parts needed changing, did any parts need modifying or was everything standard to either the BA or the AU???

[JC]

Originally Posted by robbo_yobbo

DOK >,.............. Just exactly what was involved in changing over the front end to the BA, what parts needed changing, did any parts need modifying or was everything standard to either the BA or the AU???

Do a search. Dok has explained this at least twice - look for radiator support panel, and you should find what Dok went through.

[robbo_yobbo]

did a search for that, but all I managed to stumble across where a couple of other posts asking the same question - any1 got any pointers to a previous thread where this has been explained, or even any new info?
Cheers.

[The Dok]

Originally Posted by robbo_yobbo

did a search for that, but all I managed to stumble across where a couple of other posts asking the same question - any1 got any pointers to a previous thread where this has been explained, or even any new info?
Cheers.

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=14130

[Bucknaked]

Originally Posted by EA2BA

The mirrors are the same.

DOC fitted a BA front on an AU wagon and says that is way different and needed alot of changing/mucking around to fit.

I cleaned up a bird which cleaned up my side mirror. Ford gave me one from a BA. Perfect fit

[GK]

Originally Posted by Casper

I may, one day, buy one as a daily driver but it will never replace my AU, simply allow me to keep the AU in better condition as a weekend car.

Wasn't there a Bond Flick many years ago, "Never say Never again" LOL!

Originally Posted by The Dok

mmmmmmmmmm leathers.........are they the type with the bum cut out???????????
Sorry dood, couldn't resist :

Dok, have you been to see Brokeback Mountain recently? LOL!

Originally Posted by T3man

It is also heavier, contributing more to the problem. And even though the engines across the board are more advanced the fact is that they use more fuel model for model than the AUs.

I'd have a BA for a company car, if the company was paying for the fuel!

GK

[Professor Farnsworth]

The doors are the same on the BA, and the mirrors, as has already been said. Problem for me is, the BA/BF interiror is nice enough, but quite plain. Point is it's workable, very workable. The controls are all in the right spots, everything for me is just where i need it. The AU to me is TOO curvy and 'radical', allbeit 8+years old. I'd like to see Ford bring out somewhat of a compromise in the next model, have the best of both worlds.

The finish of the BA/BF can be tacky, and the build quality isn't all that fantastic, pretty ordinary in some cases, but that's been the case for a long time with mass produced cars unfortunately. Still trying to decide what i'm doing, sell the BF, go back to an AU XR8, or a BA Ghia 220. The AU is looking very appealing. Least i can work on it myself too without voiding warranties. So sick of the way Ford has treated my car(s) in service. Come back to my car, seat's all the way back, steering wheel fully adjusted, AIRCON on MAX with full fan, (on a 25degree day) and 40km gone from the range... bit of common courtousy would go a long way. Anyway, that's for another time.

Complete rebuild is how i'd refer to the AU-BA/BF update.

[Dauphin]

This isn't contributing much but I found it interesting. Ford made the extra window on the C-pillar of B-series LWBs a little wider, but the actual window inside wasn't changed.

[FTE217]

Different animals made by the same donor who likes cutting corners more than the Handbag !
I think thanks to the BA's sales success AU has lifted another peg......

[BPXR6T]

My two cents. I had an AU XR8 ute and now have a BA XR8 ute. I don't know whether I've just developed a sweet spot for the AU but it really was something special. The tickford badging and all that just made it feel special and something apart from the regular run of the mill taxi.

For a live axle sprung ute the AU handling was amazing. Although I had significantly worked on the suspension. I could hold that thing side ways for ages and feel in total control. You could get yourself in trouble, but it was much harder to do than in the BA. The BA has a mix of heaps of power, too much weight, and not what I would call stunning handling. In the hands of the inexperienced a potentially dangerous combination.

Now the BA XR8, and to be fair I have not touched the suspension. My first thought when getting in for a test drive was damn this thing is fast. I was in the wet and just could not get traction. My second thought was damn this thing is heavey. The BA handling is great until you really push it to the edge. It then feels unpredictable, weighty, and just plain twitchy. Kind of like a V8 LJ, maybe that's a bit harsh. But way too much weight over the front wheels and not enough over the back.

If I keep the BA I will do the same mods to the suspension that I did to the AU, I'm curious to see the difference. A point worth mentioning is that I did drive around an XR6T for a while before I got my BA XR8. Whilst it still didn't feel as good as the AU XR8 it did feel better than my BA XR8.

In the overall looks department the BA has it hands down, that bonnet bulge is something else. Its a real character car. However, the interior cloth in the BA is just plain ugly. What is that a fern pattern. Yuk, the AU cloth was much nicer. Could have been worse though, look at a VX clubsport with cloth. Now that's bad!

Basic point is if I were to rob a bank and had the choice between an AU XR8 Pursuit or BA XR8 I would take the AU hands down.

[Professor Farnsworth]

if it's run of the will XR fabric it should be tyre tread! (look at it again).