Center console work

[cheap]

If you saw my car at Moochfest, you saw my interior was a little torn up. I've never been really satisfied with the flat aluminum panel used to cover the trans tunnel. Last year I decided to build my own console, something to make the car look more "finished." I started last year but wasn't happy with how it was looking, so tonight I decided to give it another hack. Here's where I'm at:











I think I'm going to wrap it with fiberglass and I have plans to mold a dock into the center for whatever new phone I'm going to get this summer, after I get back from my next deployment (for GPS and audio).

[RonSchofield]

Dave,

Looks good. I am doing a custom control also for my coupe. Looking forward to seeing your finished product. I used foam board and Bondo to shape mine. I plan to make a mold for the final fiberglass piece.





The plug uses pieces cut out of a Ford Focus console so it can accept the boots.

[cheap]

Glued (well, 80% at least). Tomorrow I'd like to staple the fleece on after I finalize the glue how I want it... it'd be awesome to put the first coat of resin on the fleece too but I think the temperature will be too cold and any kind of fumes make my pregnant wife throw up.

[riptide motorsport]

Looks fantastic, great work. .... Steven

[RonSchofield]

Glued (well, 80% at least). Tomorrow I'd like to staple the fleece on after I finalize the glue how I want it... it'd be awesome to put the first coat of resin on the fleece too but I think the temperature will be too cold and any kind of fumes make my pregnant wife throw up.

Make sure you use the correct mask when working with resin.

[cheap]

thanks guys, and here it is wrapped and ready for resin.






Ron, what do you mean use the correct mask? Are you talkin about respirators?

[RonSchofield]

thanks guys, and here it is wrapped and ready for resin.






Ron, what do you mean use the correct mask? Are you talkin about respirators?

Yes. One that deals with vapor.

The console looks great.

[mcwho]

Thats looking good, I was thinking some type of rails like you have with perhaps some wood vaneer to give some pazzaz.

[Hankl]

Dave,

Great work, a little down time?........

Hank

[cheap]

Thats looking good, I was thinking some type of rails like you have with perhaps some wood vaneer to give some pazzaz.

Thanks guys! I'm glad it turned out better the second time. I still have to fiberglass the whole thing, and I've never fiberglassed before but as long as the cold winter weather didn't ruin the resin I bought last year I look forward to doing that as soon as I get back from my next deployment.

mcwho, I saw on here a really nice roadster dash/console that had a good looking wood trim, but if I were to use trim I'd have to go with brushed aluminum. I'm not personally a big fan of wood in cars and had to work hard to convince myself to use wood as the form for the console as it is. Also, with my design theory I find simplicity is the best - other than the aforementioned dock I only plan on putting an engine start button in the display area, cutting holes for the shifter and ebrake, and maybe working a cup holder or two into the design (we'll see what I have to work with after I convert to midshift). I was toying with the idea of converting my armrest area into a armrest/storage console but I don't think I could pull off a clean enough conversion to be happy with the end product, and I really don't want to ruin what I've built so far.

I do hope to figure out how to do really nice leather stitching for when I wrap the finished fiberglass so I can have some nice seams running down the sides.

[cheap]

Ok, I've been slacking on my updates. Here's the short version:

The first attempt with long-strand fiberglass mat was a disaster - the mat was very messy and didn't lay like I wanted it to. I tore it all off but the fleece had bonded to the plywood in some places so I ended up having to cut one new piece but I was able to salvage the rest. I rewrapped it with fleece, applied some fresh resin, bondo'd it up and finally today got it in the car to see how it looks. I'm pretty happy with how it's progressed. I still have a few low spots to fill (out of bondo again) but it's going to be wrapped so it doesn't have to look perfect. Oh, I also installed a new Pro 5.0 mid-shift kit just the other day that I'm very happy with.

[RonSchofield]

Dave,

I have found that using fiberglass cloth or mat so much better than using long strand fiberglass. Since you lay it like cloth and can use a roller it is ends up with a better surface. Of course I am also making molds so cloth/mat is the way to go for me. Last week I finished the center console mold.



Yours looks good and I look forward to seeing the final product. It's nice making something custom like that.

Ron

[Hankl]

Dave,

Hows the project going? Out passing gas lately?

Hank

[cheap]

Been working on AC upgrade and moving in a week, so it's been busy around here. I've got the console in; need to fill some low spots with my last can of filler and then cover it all up. I found an old yoga mat around here that is very thin yet nice and squishy that I'm planning on using for padding once all the fiberglass work is complete, and one of the retired chief booms around here does interior work and has agreed to help me wrap it (and rewrap my dash). Busy busy!

[cheap]

That's Aircraft Commander, not Air Conditioning.

[Hankl]

That's Aircraft Commander, not Air Conditioning.

Both are Cool! LOL

Hank

[michael everson]

Hey Cheap. Any chance you could make me a copy of your dash? I recently bought a Spdyer kit, and the dash is missing.
Thanks Mike

[cheap]

Hey Cheap. Any chance you could make me a copy of your dash? I recently bought a Spdyer kit, and the dash is missing.
Thanks Mike

Shoot, you shoulda caught me before I moved across the country last November; you coulda taken it and made a whole production run if you wanted. I'm not set up for mold making, but JayP is in MA and might be able to help you out.

[michael everson]

Any contact info for him?
Mike

[cheap]

Any contact info for him?
Mike

Send him a PM on the other forum. He's posted a lot there and is in the registry thread as well. BTW, do you know the frame number and FFR serial number of the one in your shop? Any details on this kit?

[michael everson]

Its kit number 26 Will look for the frame number. Base kit with 3 link. That's about it for options.
Mike

[Carlos C]

I just purchased a Coupe kit, since it's the only one from FFR that can fit my running gear. The Spyder GT would have worked also, and always was my first choice, but couldn't find a virgin kit.

I'd like to put the Spyder's dashboard on the Coupe. Who is actually making/selling this dash, or has a mold for sale? Thanks.

Carlos

[michael everson]

Get a hold of Bill Hough in MA Sorry I don't have any contact info for him that I can find. He made a Spyder dash for me. FFR may have contact info for him. Also he makes GT40 bodies, so you might want to try the GT40 forums. He has a mold for the dash.
Mike

[Carlos C]

Thanks, Mike. I'll try to locate him. Is he on this forum? Hope someone else is making them, in case I can't find him.

Carlos