IcemanG17

Keith
Its amazing what fixing a simple little vac leak can do to improve HVAC performance...... :>)

Nicole

The more I think about it, the more I lean towards this:

I'd have two ***** - one for the fan speed, and one for the temperature. Then I'd have the buttons for the flaps inbetween, as well as a button for AC on/off.

I like the idea of digital indicators of fan speed and interior temperature. Ideally, they'd be matrix displays similar to my existing display in the instrument cluster.

Don't need exterior temp on my car - the 89 and later cars already have it built-in.

Alan

Tom,
I think changing to a convex look would be a very major change to the interior design (would help with the vents though!)... I do think you can get some of the same space benefits by bringing the console up flush to the sides in the upper area. At the bottom horizontal area this is a little problematic in that the shifter ends up essentially shortened... I think a solution to that might be to go lower profile (eliminate the raised sides) on the horizontal section... this would change the look a little but could be subtley blended in the current basic flow... just swoop on down a bit more before flattening out...

What do you guys think?

H - I agree with you our vents are crap - problem is not much else fits.

My ford expedition has really good vents - easy to direct, lots of airflow and air goes exactly where you point it.... the 928 door vents are the worst I think - they are good at directing air at the window - but won't adjust far enough to put air to your face or hands and the flow is fairly anaemic too..

Alan

928ntslow

Brian...Yea, actually you flipped the vac lines around or turned over a check valve or something. I don't remember , but it made all of the difference in the world! Thanks again.

Tom...as previously mentioned, convex trim would not match the top edge of the existing console. Besides, then you have some compound curves to deal with and the equipment is all flat faced. You can try to "hump" it some to meet the edges of the components so that they protrude out more, but I think the final result may not be worth the hassle. I am just going to work with the console being flat across.

Andrew, I thought about a wood frame and then glassing it, but I don't think that is necessary. I even thought about mocking up with metal dowels and tacking them. BUT, why try to reinvent the wheel...there is already a vacuum formed trim piece. This should be sufficient to add material. Adjustments will have to be made as the trim piece will not fit exact at the top edge of the console.
As I had mentioned, I will know more after this weekend.

In the meantime, maybe Paul can tell us how he made his piece as a starting point to adjust from there....Paul?

BTW, I know I had asked this a couple of times, but maybe someone could find another HVAC unit from a different car and try to wire it in and see if it works. Most all work off of the same principle I believe...at least the climate control ones.

Alan

Keith - I think Tom meant convex front to back - not side to side... (at least thats how I interpreted it) see the Mazda console - it bulges froward towards you then inevitably does a sharp angle at the botttom...

An even bigger change...

I don't think any alternate climate control will be compatible without quite a bit of equipment retro-fitting and adaptation (esp with rear air!).

Alan

Tom. M

Yep Alan,...that is what I meant...starts flush at top...curves out and then sharply down...meeting at the shifter nearly vertical. sides are straight so will be slightly recessed at the top edge..and stick above console edge in the middle and then back to recessed at the shifter..

A large GPS screen would be able to fit nearly horizontal in the center part of it..and the other controls either on top or bottom of the screen..at varying angles...

It would be tough to make it look smooth..but once a mockup is made..maybe something can be tweaked to make it flow better..

Either way...getting rid of the archaic temp controls should be first on the list..heck ..I would prefer round dials..over the sliders...

someone rode in my 84S way back and their first comment was how old the controls made the car look..

later,
Tom
89GT

928ntslow

Alan...that gets back to Andrews original comment about a fiber glass insert. Either he or I labeled it as that, but THAT is something that I find interesting.

I think the PERFECT company to do this is JAGER. They have the technology and such to mass product a center console insert to reconfigure the center console. Different finishes as well

Nicole..wanna contact your boys and ask them if they would be interested? Some of us could submit some designs/drawings for them and they can come up with a final concept and present it back to the 928 community for approval.

AO

Keith-
I'm with you on this point. Have decided to get a practice piece to try first. I think I've secured one for very little investment. I'll be interested to see what you come up with.

Interestingly, I happened to notice this JVC Single DIN Nav unit today...

Alan

Andrew - I have one of these Blaupunkt 1 DIn Sat Nav's in my GTS...

I installed it just before Denver OCIC and it was great using it on the way. On my 15 hour drive home it was accurate to within 10 minutes of my ETA at the half way point...

It only has a direction display and a topographical representation of upcoming turns & junction layouts not a real map...

However there is a very insistent (at times) female voice telling you exactly what to do...

Its quite comforting - just like my wife is really there with me...

Alan

AO

Maybe I should reconsider installing...

928ntslow

You should have th option to change it to a male voice.

Anyway, what I like about the double din, is it is easy to read, touch screen and does tons of other stuff, eliminating old and enhancing with new. (AM/FM/CD...useless.)

AO

So, are you saying you like to be dominated by other men?




(I'm dead!)

928ntslow

uhmmm...No! The male voice on my NAVMAN is something like, "Yo Bro..hang a left up by the liquer store!"...the female voice asks me why I wasn't focused on her while driving past the college campus!

AO

LOL!

928ntslow

Ooooo ooooo...BTW, I had a great idea the other day that went along with this new console config.

1) CUP HOLDERS! (all you guys ready to roast me for that one, let's face it, the cup holder thing has been approached many times and that is at the top of many lists. Don't want a cup holder?..don't buy that console version! OR, there are inserts for cup holders now that hold cell phones, IPOD and many other things if you care not to use it.
The holder(s) can be placed right in front of the shifter where the ashtray is. (remember, the WHOLE console is being redesigned) They can either be recessed as one would normally expect OR, hindged where they would fold out from the console meaning the would flip up and over 180 degrees to the outside when in use. The void where the cup holders flipped out from could be a small storage compartment. They could be on the same kind of gas like shock on most dash compartment doors where you push in once and they slowly open outwards. OR, there could be a thin narrow band...similiar to the Cayman and Boxsters (above the glove box on those cars) located up the console some...maybe midway up.

2) different finishes from wood grain and carbon fiber to EXTERIOR colored like the 99X's


3) The inserts can be vacuum formed or injected.

4) New designed HVAC vents can be part of the new console cover that would have ducting in the back to plug right into the existing duct/void with no modifications.

5) Console center can be designed to hold much more than what exists right now. Vents could actually be relocated high than their present location allowing more room underneath to comfortably fit other components.

6) Consoles would be sold as solid units and can be modified to fit what ever components you desire. All you would have to do it just cut out for the appropriate component. A strip of screw holes located on the inside will be for mouting the components.

OK..so as I was jotting down a couple of these ideas, some others came to me.

I think if some of us came up with a drawn design, we can get Jager to make it...or not. Maybe someone else. I would bet though, this would do quite well!

Any thoughts?

I will try to render an idea on paper and scan it.