This morning I discovered that a shift knob from a 2005+ Mustang will fit on a Focus shifter. This mod is good for anyone that has removed the reverse block from earlier models or never had one to begin with. Obvoiusly this won't look right on an SVT as the shift pattern is incorrect. All that's required is a razor blade and zip tie or twist tie that is at least 6 inches long. The swap takes about 5-10 minutes.
The knobs in question. The Mustang knob I chose came from a car with the interior upgrade package. A standard Mustang knob (GT or otherwise) will not have leather or the silver shift pattern.
The new Mustang knobs have a groove at the bottom that is used to keep the boot tucked up under the knob. On the Mustang this is accomplished with an elastic band sewn into the top of the boot, as most of you know the Focus uses a ziptie. This makes the Mustang knob an attractive choice for Focus drivers because you don't have to re-use or modify the shifter tower to keep the boot in place, you just eliminate it entirely.
The first step is to remove the stock shift knob, leaving you with something that looks a lot like this;
Next you'll want to pry up the shift boot. On a 2005 this is best accomplished by pushing the back of the boot frame forward until it pops up. The tabs at the front of the boot are too long and the frame will not flex enough to allow them to clear the console.
Slide the boot and shift tower up off of the shifter arm.
Turn the boot inside out to reveal the ziptie that holds your boot to the shift tower.
The boot is divided into three sections that are bunched up around the zip tie. Carefully seperate two of these sections to reveal a good sized section of the tie and cut it with a razor blade. Be careful not to damage the leather.
Remove the old ziptie and spread the boot out. Do not turn it right-side out yet.
Thread your extra ziptie or twist tie through the boot. The first thing I found was a twist tie so that's what I used.
Install the knob upside down through the bottom of the boot and tighten the boot and twist/ziptie around the base
Turn the knob over and thread it onto the shifter arm. Keeping the boot bunched up a little will make this step much much easier. It will be a tight fit so take your time and be careful not to crossthread it.
The finished product.
The Mustang knob will hold the boot up just a little higher than the stock shifter tower, but not so high that it will stretch when shifting into 1st or 5th gear. I can only assume that with a short throw shifter the knob will sit lower and give the boot a more natural look.
Ford verbage for the part is 'Intermediate Interior Decor"
Ford Part Number - 5R3Z-7213-BAA. Retail is $67.20, $44.35 through FORDSVTPARTS.
I look forward to any constructive criticism you may have. Enjoy!!
~Mike~