ReDesign by FEATHER

I'm doing this thread in my small business partnership even though this is intended more as something educational rather than promotional since I still have serious doubts about the merchantability of the results of this project.

By way of review, here is a brief description of the Flush Center Console Conversion as developed by me:

I actually started this project merely as a How-To thread about making a replacement trim piece for the shifter surround with the clock and two-control panel along the foreward part, and which would be recessed as the original, but which could utilize a different shaped analog clock.

It turned out that no one cared for the eliptical shaped clocks I had in mind; and then Nicole suggested that I should be doing something like the Kieth Widom flush console conversion, but something more than on a one-off basis. So, That's the direction I then took, notwithstanding that I completed the process to actually make a replacement for the original trim piece as intended, but with the new clock shape or perhaps without an opening for any clock. I just never made any of them.

I developed the plastic forming tooling for the two versions of the flush lower shifter surround, and then developed similar tooling to form an upper trim piece to house the HVAC vent, control panels and to accomodate a double DIN unit in the middle. The A.S.H. Recepticle is eliminated. So is the clock in the lower piece.

At this point in the program it would seem like I could simply form these two pieces and send them out. However, that doesn't turn out to be the case. When these two pieces are formed the conversion process is just barely getting started. More about the whole process later.

Here are a few pictures of the tooling and formed inserts. You will notice that the lower trim piece is actually made in two seperate versions--one for the Autos and one for the 5-speeds. They are formed in the same forming devise but with some changes in the components to make the recess in the interior area different.

FreedP

MjRocket

Very interested!

ReDesign by FEATHER

Let's say that we have the plastic inserts fully formed and maybe even trimmed, or at least roughly trimmed with the band saw and ready for the final tirm with the disc sander. Before we can tell just what else we need to do to the inserts and maybe even what shape they really need to be down inside where it will count, we need to take the Center Console out of the 928.

There are several mounting points for the console and as you can tell from just looking, several components mounted in it that have to be dealt with. Take the mounting screws out and remove all of the components and render the console totally free of everythjing about it that will come loose. (Except see below.)

Then we will notice that in the top area of it where stuff was mounted and which is recessed, the recess that we are intending to eliminate, there is a sort of shelf at the bottom on the recess. Along the outer sides of the shelf there is also a sideways recess about an eighth of an inch deep and about a half inch tall that the lower trim piece and the upper trim piece were held in by. We are going to use that grove to help hold the new stuff in also.

Now that we see what the mounting grove is like and where it is, we can turn back to our formed inserts and decide where to make our final trim and where we will need to start putting some doubler material to help us utilize the groves.

What I do is set up one of my band saws with a rip fence and cut some strips of ABS plastic out of drop material or scraps that is the same 3/32 inch thick material that the inserts are formed with, and glue and clamp the strips into position along the bottom edges of the inserts. The bottom edges are curved so it takes some work and a bunch of spring clamps to get them into position and hold them there til they cure. I usually leave them overnight because of the tension they are held in while they cure. Otherwise one might only hold them til the glue just sets and then let them cure unclamped. Not these strips.

When they have cured they can then be further trimmed at the ends.

The next steps involve further modification of the upper insert and of the console itself. Those events are complex and I'll describe them in more detail tomorrow when I can set them up and take some pictures as I go through those steps. Basically they involve cutting three major openings in the face of the upper insert, glueing in some doubler material in the back of the insert face and then opening them up again or some more; and then also modifying the HVAC vent grill by trimming it for its new location. More on those tasks tomorrow.

After the upper insert is opened up and properly doubled we will then be removing the vent flapper valve mechanism from the top back of the console and trimming it to put it into the upper insert where it will now reside. That too is a complex operation and I'll get some pictures of that when we get to it also.

In the meantime, now that we have the console out of the car we can finally deal with that unsightly delamination that has been bugging us for so long along the bottm aft edges. We will deal with that later with some pictures also. Too, we are likely to find several of the mounting tabs on the console are broken off. We will aso deal with those shortly as we go.

Oh, one thing that I should change is that although the air vent temperature sensor doesn't need to be removed from the console which is otherwise included above in the suggestion to take everything off or out that can be taken. Leave it in, unless it is broken up and you are in a position to replace it with a newer one.

17prospective buyer

Have at er'!

Bigfoot928

how much to just buy the 2 peices...no brackets, no instructions just the 2 plastics parts. i upper and oe lower. sell me those 2 pieces as a starting point nd I will ne thrilled. Were do I send the money to? ad how much....

Alan

Jerry I think you are hearing already here (and before I think) that folks just want the basic modular kit - with remaining work to trimout, adapt and fit to their console. And they are quite OK with the work that involves... (even if as you say its a huge amount more to do...)

I know you have taken some time to figure out how to do everything... but nobody wants to send their console off for this - and besides I will bet people have very different ideas of what they want to do with this... and how and when and what else to combine it with.

You note this project is a challenging business model... it doesn't have to be - sell just the modular parts - trimmed minimally.. buyer beware, much assembly required, ship some material for doubling, maybe show how in some instructions, make notes on the things you have to deal with (and maybe example of what you did) - but stop planning to do the work yourself, It can't work as a business that way (I think you know this).

The great thing is that nobody wants that business model anyway - so let it go...

There aren't a huge number of people that can do this work and make it look great - but there are some, and many more that want to try... Some will probably need to buy replacement peices from you - after they ruin the first ones... so what?

As a basic 'chinese menu' of partly finished parts the pricing can be relatively low (while as a service it never can be).

Alan

PS I'd buy the parts - and thats really all I want to do at this point, I might even up front buy several of some parts to try out different things (e.g. shifter surround).

FLYVMO

Jerry,

I think Alan worded it perfectly, and I am of the same mind set. I'd jump on the chance to just buy the basic pieces, and then make my own adjustments as needed. If you go that route, then add me to the list of buyers.

Cheers!
Carl

ReDesign by FEATHER

Thanks, Alan, for that. It is great input, as always, from you. Where that may very well lead us is into something we might call a "Stage One Kit." Just where we leave off the development of the components, and just how many of them we include in the kit still remains to be determined. For example, right now I am thinking that the kit might include the two inserts formed and finished out to the point of at least the external doublers that we are going to install this afternoon, I think. It may also include the vent cut-out at the top of the upper insert, and probably also with the doublers we are going to put around it inside. I have to wonder, however, just how many guys or gals (Nicole) might not want their vent grill up there any more or some other kind of vent grill. I'm thinking that the kit should include that opening and have it deleted as an option.

I think the kit might also include the heavier plastic shift boot base; and maybe even a pattern for the leather shift boot itself. I would probably cut two holes in the bottom of the shift boot recess to at least get the finisher started cutting that opening out.

Maybe a stage two kit could have more of the openings cut out and doubled and might include the transition devise if the HVAC vent is going to be moved to the upper insert.

Let's see how this progress thread goes and see if there are any more distinct points that might be identified for levels of finish by me before I would send stuff out.

Thanks again, Alan.

M. Requin

Jerry, I think what you just wrote is a reasonable compromise between what the market is telling you, which Alan characterized very well (and my 30 years in sales and marketing tells me that is exactly what the market has been saying about this project), and where you would like to go with it. And "stage" of course can refer to time line for development as well, and I think you could benefit from the feedback a couple three pioneers could provide in developing your solutions to "Stage 2". Win-win.

yardpro

i also would want the unfinished pieces.

looks like i am finally going to be able to do the ash recover/hvac iaphram replacement project in feb....

i will have the center console out then anyhow, so it would be cool to do this job then

Randy V

Peter & Betsy - I'm guessing that either your icon indicates a cryptic comment, or you are using it as a placeholder to be able to find this thread later.

If the latter, you can always subscribe to a thread for future reference by using the Thread Tools dropdown located at the upper right of the thread.

If the former, perhaps speak your mind.



Any pics or drawings of the finished product, Jer?

ReDesign by FEATHER

Thanks, Martin. Not much going on today so we closed the office early and now I can work on this some more.

I guess I didn't think of what I suggested above as a compromise, but rather just an effort to try to define what it is that fits the phrases such as "unfinished pieces," "basic pieces," and "2 pieces." No one has really clearly expressed just what they had in mind to buy to start with; so I am thinking that it probably ought to be the inserts finished up to a point that is likely to be common to anyone or everyone else's desired starting place. Otherwise I suppose it could actually go all the way back to the flat sheets of plastic that I actually start with, but that is extreme and not likely to be where anyone wants to start. The only doubt I have about that is, again, the opening for the vent at the top of the upper insert, but I will really hate to send these out without that opening if it is going to be used.

ReDesign by FEATHER

Pictures from before.

FLYVMO

Jerry,

Those pieces look marvelous and my hat goes off to you for your ingenuity and skill. I personally, would love to buy just a flat piece of plastic that fills up the center console, or if you make the 2 separate pieces without any cutouts, that would work for me. People have different goals and designs in mind for "their" center console, and having a blank canvas is probably what most of the "do-it-yourself" crowd is looking for. Again, great looking craftsmanship and just what I could use.

Cheers!
Carl