ReDesign by FEATHER

I wonder if now is a good time to begin to identify the level of completion or non-completion of any of this conversion project that might be made available for those of you interested. A few of you have expressed an interest in this at the earliest stage of completion and one or two at something much later or more nearly complete. I suspect also that for the number of times this thread has been and is being looke at that there may be several others who are simply hiding and watching, but who may also have some interest.

I am not sure yet about my doing this conversion at near the finished state, which would likely still involve me having your console to work on up through about step 8A in the Second Checklist, but before we go there I have some fairly definite thoughts about what and how something much short of that might be made available.

I'll probably start a new thread when I or we have finalized how to do the basic kit and/or the kit with various additional items completed. One thing we need to do is more carefully describe what the term "pieces" means in the context of someone saying that "I just want the plastic pieces and I'll do the rest of the project myself."

What is your poison?

Alan

Jerry,

I'd need the basic upper face/frame complete with vent hole but nothing else cut out - then I'd like a manual shifter set up with just a shifter cutout and the simple adapter part for the air guide between the console face and the existing air vent set-up - I'll not be cutting mine off since I'll be using a different vent set-up (old style) with automated vent movement (no manual), so just the front is required.

Then some spare material strips for doubling (BTW the stuff you sent me before has come in very useful) and your excellent ideas & know how that you have already shared in the thread...

Alan

Ducman82

^^^^ this!!!

FLYVMO

Jerry,

My requirements mirror Alan's almost exactly. Just the upper air vent cutout and a lower piece (shifter piece) with no cutout and some spare material strips for doubling.

Your piece looks fantastic, great workmanship!

Cheers!
Carl

ReDesign by FEATHER

Thanks Alan. The "basic upper face/frame" I will take as what I have commonly identified as the "upper insert." "Complete" means that it will be formed, trimmed to finish and with doublers along the outside of the bottom edges of each side.

Now, the next thing is the opening for the air vent. That actually comes in three stages. The first is cutting the opening in the basic upper insert. Then it is doubled inside, but including the doublers for the Double DIN opening and top of the bottom opening. Then it is cut again to trim the doubling to match the air vent opening. So I don't know just what you want in respect to the air vent opening.

As to something to connect the air vent grill, that is moved to the upper insert, to the air vent still in the console, you will have to create for yourself since that is not part of the conversion I have developed.

The five speed shifter/lower insert will also be trimmed to finish with doublers on each side and with the stiffener crossways under the back edge. I do not recommend opening the shifter hole up fully until after the leather is stretched over it including being formed into the recess with forming blocks as I demonstrated in this thread. I will however, drill the four large holes in the bottom of the recess so you will have holes to put 4 bolts through for your leather forming blocks. You can connect the large holes later which will then leave the bottom of the shifter recess fully opened.

ReDesign by FEATHER

As soon as we all get on the same page with this I'll tell you how much it is going to be.

Ducman82

one thing i was thinking... could all this be installed THEN covered in leather? made seamless ?

ReDesign by FEATHER

Think that one through. Why do you think the original one is not made like that?

Alan

Yes exactlyWhat you described is fine - the doubling for the double DIN unit is fine with the dimensions you have used so farI understand and am quite willing to make it - But, I do think quite a lot of folks will want this. I know it leaves functionality issues wrt the vent control - but I find I rarely use that. I suspect folks will want to mock it up, play with it and then maybe eventually commit to cutting the vent with flap control and moving it up. I suspect they just won't want to start there... My reasoning is a little different of course.

So I think it might be worth figuring that part out too in the sprit of a modular kit of parts (but thats up to you of course), maybe others will chime in on their thoughts. For the amount of fabrication that still needs to be done anyway - I supect others can just make it themselves too...

Yes thats fine too.

I played around with my '83 console with the big double vacuum actuator - certainly no way a double DIN will fit with that in the stock location (even with it moved as much as possible). Since I will be deleting the interior temp sensor & fan in favor of one in a new head unit - I'll have room there for the actuator (very easily). In fact I think it could fit even with the interior fan still there. Just haven't looked at what else is under there in the console.

From there its quite easy to replace the airflap's square RH pivot with a longer version with a lever and use the actuator to spin that - I think it will work very well. So some options exist!

Alan

Ducman82

not flush? no idea. LOL shifter would be fun yes...

ReDesign by FEATHER

OK. The Basic Kit will consist of both the upper and the lower inserts each finished and doubled on the outside as previously shown. This will be either the auto or the manual version. The kit will also include a shifter boot base finished to near final trim. There will be some extra ABS material strips for use in patching, blocking and doubling as desired. This kit will be $250 plus $15 S&H domestic.

Either of the three inserts will be sold similarly for $125 each. However, for anyone who has purchased the basic kit, either of the inserts can be replaced for $75 each finished as in the basic kit. Either plus S&H of about $7.50. The replacement of the shifter or lower insert will not include the boot base, but buying it outright will include it. The replacement of the upper insert will not include any openings. They will cost that same as with the original kit.

In other words, when you bomb out with the upper insert in doing you own thing, as I did about twice or three time in this thread, and you don't want to patch it up and continue, but would rather start over, I'll replace the insert for $75 plus the cost of whatever additional work you had me do on it in the first place, or for that matter, whatever additional work you might like me to do to it, based on a schedule that I will be publishing later, or maybe sooner, or maybe in a new thread.

The additional charge for the Air Vent opening cut, doubled and cut again, with doubling of the inside face down the sides to about the bottom of what might become the double DIN opening, but not across the bottom of it, will be an additional $60.

ReDesign by FEATHER

Not seamless!

Ducman82

Ah! Lol

But u get what I mean right? Glue the insert then cover the whole thing .

syoo8

Jerry- I follow your products with great interest because of the quality of your cowl cover...

Can you explain (so I don't have to read eleven pages of threads...) Does this flush console serve a functional purpose, or is it purely cosmetic?

ReDesign by FEATHER

That's exactly what I thought you meant. However, you seem to have failed to do what I suggested and that was that you need to continue "thinking" about that one and think it through. To help you in your thought process I kind of suggested also that you consider why the factory did not make the original seamless. In fact I will suggest further that you might consider why they did not make the whole car seamless. Why do you think the car is not simply all welded together rather that having all those useless bolts and nuts and things. Think how much simpler it would have been to make, how very smooth it would be, and how very little maintenance would be required, or even possible. When something failed one would just send it to the shredder for recycling and then buy another one.