Jerry Feather

Jeff, those chassis dimensions are the same as the chassis of the Pioneer units that I have used for the development of my Flush Center Console System. The face piece that will protrude through the leather lined opening in the upper trim piece is likely to also be exactly the same. I don't think that will be any problem with the unit you are describing.

There may be some minor difference in how the face fits through the opening in terms of the exact configuration of the added support/doubler material I put in the back of the trim piece to have it protrude the way it should, but that does not change the basic trim piece I have developed.

Tom in Austin

Just curious about something ... every console mod I've seen, including this one, retains that little strip below the HVAC control head with the A/C and door lock button. With so little available space to work with, is there a necessity of allocating that space for just two buttons or could they be relocated somewhere? Like, in Jerry's design, alongside the clock, etc.

Jerry Feather

Tom, I guess the question is, at least in respect to the design I have worked up, what do you see as the need for extra space? If you had extra space to work with what would you want to do with it.

In my design the A-S-H receptivcle is eliminated, but you should not be smoking in your 928 anyway, if at all. The power outlet can be put into the lower trim piece if that is still needed. The original clock is also eliminated, but smaller clocks are available that can be put back into the lower trim piece; or you can raly on the time display in your new NAV Unit. The other two controls either side of the original clock space can still be put into the lower trim piece. With some custom machine work on instrument cases you can even put some instruments into the lower trim piece in my Conversion.

What do yoiu think is being left out?

911 Crazy

Bet if we found someone to fabricate this we'd probably be able to sell 50-100 of them. Heck, I'd take 3 or 4 myself. Any fabricators out there?

Felix928

Bump for the double din

Nicole

Is there any news on the availability of this modification? It looks as if it was super close to production in 2012.

MjRocket

x2

Thx

Jerry Feather

Hi Nicole. The post that you have copied just above here is pretty much where this project stands. Actually I have fully developed all of the components necessary to make this conversion in just about any given 928, either automatic or manual. The thing I haven't done is complete the indicator lite aspect of the version for the automatics, but that is probably an unnecessry element of "feature creap" that will end up being only optional and in fact may not even work worth a darn when it is finished the way I have it designed.

Since you were to one who actually suggested that I broaden my how-to project relating to the fabrication of the trim piece around the shifters and into something like the Widom flush conversion, I suppose I could start with you and try to set up something that would make this conversion end up at least in your car. Is yours an auto or manual? Are you willing to take your center console out and send it to me for a while. You and I will need to work out the leather color and what version of double DIN Nav Unit you would like to include. Then, I do still have a little bit of engineering to do in respect to how to reconnect the HVAC head unit after it is moved to the lower position. When it is moved down from its original position the multi-connector plug that goes to it no longer will fit in the confined space below.

Even If we do it this way there is some skill required on your end to complete the installation. Then, you will have to have some kind of technician do all of the wiring and such to complete your Nav unit installation.

Send me a PM and let me know if you are interested at all in trying to put this together for your car.

This project just never turned out to be something that I could put together as a kit and send out for anyone to just plug and play in one's own center console. Even the only one I did, for Jimmy M. in FLA, which I pretty much did on the basis suggested here, doing most of it here myself, I don't think was ever completed in his car after I sent it to him for completion by him and his technician.

Nicole

I'd love to have this in my car at some point, but I'd be extremely reluctant to send-off an integral part of the interior for an unknown period of time. I wish I had known this earlier - I just sold a console that I had sit around here for years and could have sent that one instead.

Mine is a 91 S4, which is always automatic (in 90/91 only GT models were manual).

Jerry Feather

Yes, Nicole. I understand about GTs and S4s and such. I just neglected to look at your signature when I asked about your transmission.

If you still had the spare console I would have thougt that you might well have preferred to put it in your car for a time while your original S4 console was being converted.

I don't actually know just how much difference there is in the center consoles, but I think there are at least some minor differences. Most of the differences, if not all of them, I also suspect would make no difference in terms of this Flush Conversion. That being said, I suppose one approach to this conversion for you might be having me do it in one of the spare consoles I have and sending that to you. However, I think the better approach might be to have me send you a spare console to put into your car while your original console is being converted; and that would be on whatever time table that you and I work out ahead of time. Depending on just what you have in mind to be included, with little or no additional development, which I had run into with Jimmy's conversion, I wouldn't think your console would be tied up for too long, even with me doing it only in some evenings and the weekend.

Nicole

Jerry: I was hoping to purchase the inserts and doing the conversion myself. I am not willing to send the existing console.

Since I have an airbag car, I could not have used the other console, which was for a non-airbag car. However, the opening for the vent, HVAC controls, radio, ashtray and shifter would have been the same.

There are some tolerances in those consoles, though, but I don't think they are significant enough that I could not deal with them over here.

Jerry Feather

[QUOTE=Nicole;11003044]Jerry: I was hoping to purchase the inserts and doing the conversion myself. QUOTE]

Yes, Nicole, I think I have known all along that that is what you were expecting or at least hoping for. However, as it turns out, the process involved in this conversion is just too organic to allow for that, and that is pretty much what I have been trying to explain, although in my feeble way.

I think what I am going to try to do is start another thread about the complete process involved, while completing this conversion in one of my cars that I actually kind of started some time ago when I needed that in the development. With that, it may be that you and I and hopefully some others who are interested and capable will find a solution to the dilema we seem to be faced with. There is hopefully some point in the conversion that can be identified where I can do my thing and then send it to you and you can do yours.

I have court later today, but when I finish, and I think it will be early, I'll come home and change and try to organize my stuff on this project and give it another go with some pictures. Then we will see. I hope you all pay close attention because there will be a quiz at the end.

Bigfoot928

with the numbe of do it yourselfers on this forum I think this would be a great option to just sell the parts and let people go at it... instead of having people send you consoles..... I'm one of those people.... if I can't buy the bits from you I'll likely make my own....

z driver 88t

One interesting side note with respect to the first post is that I expect we will see an increasing availability and lower costs of used 996 PCMs as more of those cars suffer IMS bearing failures or D-chunk piston failures and used 3.4 replacement engines becoming harder and harder to find at a reasonable cost. I think we will see more and more 996s parted out over the next 5 years.

It would be very cool to see a "Hans and Paul" style plug and play setup for this the like on the window control modules.

Alan

I see no reason to maintain that switch panel, and I think in updating the looks the HVAC head has to go - it's a real dinosaur! The AC button should clearly be integrated into the HVAC - that it isn't is just a residual legacy issue - it makes no sense at all. Having separate rear AC controls is equally silly - that they truly actually work completely independently is just bafflingly stupid! (e.g. the rear can be cooling while the front is heating - and they just fight it out...)

The central locking to me would make more sense on the driver's door than in the console... and the lower console face is actually a lousy place for power outlets especially on a manual car. A clock should be closer to a line of sight than ours is... meanwhile the window switches should be on the doors

It's mostly wrong... so if you are going to re-imagine the whole thing why not fix all these...

Alan