Jerry Feather

Some time before Hans started the thread about his fantastic center console re-design, he asked me about making a replacement for the lower center console trim piece that surrounds the shifter and ash tray and which has the opening for the clock and for the two switches for those cars with rear AC.

After Hans inquired about it I studied one of the trim pieces that I have in my spares, but because I was working on two or three other 928 plastic projects and other projects, I set it aside for the time being.

Then, more recently, I was inspired to consider this trim project again, partly because my spare trim piece was still laying here next to my computer, so I thought that at least for my own purposes, and since Hans had gone a more radical and extensive direction with his console concept, I ought to see what kind of analog clock I might find as a substitute for the very rare and expensive analog clocks found in the later 928's so I can convert my own cars out of the digital clocks.

I went on eBay Motors and searched for "auto clock" and found about 8000 of them. In the first few pages I found a beautiful little elipitical shaped analog clock from a Nissan Infiniti from the model years 2000 to 2004 or so.

I bought a couple of them to see if one would be about the right size and to see if the case and mounting system can be modified to fit the 928 trim piece and still have enough room for the rear AC controls in a couple of my cars. When I received one of them I decided I could make it work; and I will go into the modifications required later.

What I decided then to do with this project is start this thread as a HOW TO on this re-design and fabrication project showing what I suppose might be the "old fashioned way." I have a mill, but it is not CNC; and I don't do drawings on my computer: and aside from figuring out how to wire the clock into my 928's, there wont be much or any real "technology" involved.

I am going to post this thread in numerous segmemts so none of the postings are so long. I am going to include some pictures with each post showing some of the steps I will be describing as I go along. To start, here is a picture of the trim piece I am going to try to replicate.

Jerry Feather

Based on the limited but growing experience and knowledge about forming plastic items, and sitting and studyinjg the subject trim piece, I have been able to mentally conceive of nearly the entire devise I am going to try to create to form this new replication.

I am going to try to keep the replicated trim piece as close to the original as I can, but I can see some places where deviation will not be apparent; and I am going to loose the leather-like testure of the original, ending up with the ABS plastic "pebble-like" finish. I am considering , however, that I may form this trim piece thin enough so that I can conver one or more of them with leather to match the interior of my cars.

On the other hand, I am going to try to incorporate one significant deviation that will be quite obvious, and that is the optional elimination of the ash tray position in favor of an extra area that I can use for other considerations I might want to make on one or the other of my project cars, such as gauges and such. That option is, I think, going to be designed into the tooling so I can make the trim piece either way I want.

Here are some of the pictures of the start of this project:

1. First I drew the outline of the curved profile of the side of the trim piece onto a sheet of graph paper, then drew the outline of the piece of the forming machine I will use for the side of the form.

2. Next I glued the paper pattern onto a handy piece of sheet aluminum and then cut the pattern out in the bandsaw. Then I filed and sanded the edge true and smooth.

3. Then I transferred the pattern onto a piece of 3/8 inch thick aluminum plate two times and cut both of the pieces out on the band saw. (I'll bet most of you didn't realize that the bandsaw could be so handy in cutting aluminum.)

4. I first clamped both piece together and then sanded the cut edges in my belt sander (not shown) and then replaced the clamps with bolts and commenced to draw-file the curved edge to make it true to the pattern.

5.Then I used the mill to true up the straight parts of the pieces both at the lower edge and then all around.

ROG100

Jerry,
Great idea and I would love to have one for one of my cars.
The replacement of the digital clock with something that fits the style of the 928 is long overdue.
You need to be in the "928 hall of fame" along with Dwayne and others.
Roger

Jerry Feather

Thanks Roger, That is quite a compliment, but way too premature. It isn't like I have already done this and am now posting the step by step on how I did it, but rather I am posting this as I do the development; so the end result really remains to be seen. But thanks again. You really are too kind. Jerry

ROG100

I am pretty confident you will do it as I have seen what you have achieved so far.

Ducman82

when you get this up and running.... ill take one.

Nicole

Hi Jerry: The ideal, perfect solution would be a complete console reorganization that's also flush with the console - as done by Keith Widom.

I can't see any pressing ergonomical reason for the HVAC controls to be so far up and separated from the rear AC controls. It would be better to have an option to install a double DIN sized navigation / media unit in place of the current DIN slot and HVAC controls. For those who want to stick with a regular DIN sized unit, this would open up a storage bin for sunglasses or other items.

Jerry Feather

I was going to discuss next the Overall structure of the forming machine I am going to make, but I will wait until I can get out in the shop so I can get some more pictures.

Therefore I thought this might be a good place to talk a little about the clock so you can see where I am trying to go.

I have four pictures of the clock for you. The first two show the clock that I have been working on the modification of and which I have loosely and roughly taped into the clock opening in the trim piece that I have been studying for this project. You can see what I mean about the size and the really nice shape and proportion for this setting.

Next I have a picture of three of the clocks that I have found on eBay. They came in three different colors for the face--one is white, one is black and one is silver. The silver will go in my silver S4. the white in my white conversion (early Panamera) and the black in my Red PU conversion. I will probably make another one for my other red S4 in whichever color I find, and I already have an analog clock in my other red DD.

You can see the black face one in the second picture has had the end of the case removed and the mounting tabs cut off. I will be glueing a new end on the case and some kind of mounting tabs, when it comes to the final fitting.

The last picture shows the cut off clock with the end piece I cut off and the piece of the circuit board I had to cut off so it will fit. What I will need to do with that piece is put it back on at a right angle and reconnect the 5 circuits that I think are cut. I hope I can do that kind of very tiny soldering. I do have some copper foil that I think I can use to bridge the circuits with.

Then I will have to put some wires on the circuit board where the original connector is and fix them to adapt to the wiring in the 928.

I was concerned about figuring out how to wire this clock to the 928, but just noticed that the back of the new clock has each of the four wires identified. Top to bottom they say:
BAT
GND
ILL-
ILL+

I can figure that out except I can't figure why there is both a ground and an Illumination minus? Anybody have any idea?

I am also going to need to find some LED's that I can put into some of these that are burned out. They measure about 4mm across and have very fine wires coming out of them, not the stiffer leads like you find on radio shack led's. Anybody have a source for those. With the LED's I can rebulb the existing lights rather that having to try to buy replacements form the Nissan Dealer or somewhere else. I found some close online, but not quite correct.

One other thought I have is that it would be nice to find somewhere that I could have the center part of the clock face re silkscreened to cover up the Infiniti name and logo and put is a tiny porsche crest, or crest shape with a "P" in it, on one side and "928" on the other.

Jerry Feather

Hi Nicole. Thanks for your input. I am really trying to keep this project simple and to merely and primarily adapt a nice analog clock to my cars. Your ideas are certainly worth much merit, but probably beyond this project. I am not sure I completely understand some of you ideas, but my impression is that much of those seem to be a significant part of what Hans is doing. Thanks again. Jerry

porsche928guy

Very cool idea. Its great to have such enterprising ppl as part of this forum. Maybe someday I'll have enough skill to contribute solutions too.

Jerry Feather

What it takes, Jeremy, is reading, watching, listening, and doing, not necessarily in that order. It also takes almost a lifelong accumulation of tools and equipment, but not necessarily all at once.

I don't really expect anyone to duplicate what I am trying to show how to do here, but just stimulate others to take on something themselves and maybe use some ideas that one might find in my project.

Thanks for catching on so quickly. Jerry

Nicole

Actually, no, not at all.

Hans is changing the electronics of the car; Keith Widom just rearranged and regrouped items in the console, made everything flush, and made room for a double DIN multimedia/nav unit.

Here is how Keith did it:
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...upid-long.html

One other suggestion: Make an insert for the later cars that can take either the early model round clock, or the clock from the 924S that was used in the factory Exclusive root wood inserts.

pcar928fan

I LOVE what Keith did! Hans and Paul are taking that concept to the next level for sure! It would also be nice to have an alternative that uses all the stock parts and just moves them around a bit to make room for some up to date tunes/Nav/DVD etc....like Keith did but his is a one off so there is not base that you can sort of start from to replicate what he did...you would have to kind of reinvent the wheel each time a person wanted to build that...

Champagne

Actually Nicole, that is what we are doing, on top of updating the electronics. We just choose not to make the insert flush. Like most of the current high end cars, from Bentley and Aston to Ferrari, the recessed center console is very much up to date.

By the way Jerry, very interesting thread. Looking forward to what's coming next.

Paul

Nicole

The Panamera and 2011 Cayenne doesn't have' this recessed... I just think the flush look is cleaner and leaves more room in the console.

Will your solution offer the option to reuse the car's standard electronics, switches, etc., and install a Double DIN unit like Keith has?

As cool as it may be, I'm personally not interested in changing everything and installing a carputer. However, I'd be interested in a solution that allows me to do what Keith did.