I'm not sure if you have electronic skills or not, but you can buy PWM speed controllers with soft start etc on ebay. there's only 4 wires to connect - two for power feed and two to the motor. The potentiometer is a rotary type, which is easily exchanged for a slider type, to fit into the same spot as the factory 3 speed switch. Most are based on a TL494CN PWM switching regulator and a pair of N channel mosfet's
To my mind it's a far more sensible way to drive the motor, because the 3 speeds aren't enough - full bore is too much and sometimes 2 is not enough. and one doesn't even blow air half the time - I think fresh air overrides it.
Anyway, that's just an option
You'll find them on ebay everywhere or you can buy a 10A or 20A kit from jaycar, which are a bit pricier - but don't be fooled by price. often the components in ebay stuff are just junk. So be aware of what you're buying.
Here's an example:
uniquegoods 6V 12V 24V DC 10A PWM DC Motor Speed Controller Adjustable Variable
Jaycar 10A version :
10A 12VDC Motor Speed Controller Kit | Jaycar Electronics - nb you can add another fet and run 20A for example:
Attachment 126135Attachment 126136
20A HD version
12/24VDC 20A Motor Speed Controller Kit | Jaycar Electronics
Anyway, it's all easy to fab something like this up if you have a working knowledge of circuits. use a 10K sliding linear pot and that should fit into the existing space - or near enought to -
RA4520F-10-20D1-B5K Alpha (Taiwan) | Mouser Australia