need to build a custom console, tremec tko shifter is way off to the side and i like where the shifter handle is, so im just going to build something custom around it.

obviously the top is stock and the bottom is what i want to make out of sheetmetal. Havent figured out what im going to do about the parking brake cause its real close, might have to find some way to move it but ill figure that out while im building it.

anyways ive never really built something like this, any sugestions on what thickness of sheet metal i should use to make something like this, think im going to make custom stereo and hvac plate in the console as well. not sure if i should maybe be going a tiny bit thicker with the radio plate? Is it better to use stainless steel or aluminum? cost isnt a big factor if aluminum works.
all sugestions/different ideas welcome, id like to build one of these this winter

probably do custom window switches. and stuff as well, but a small little boot close to the floor.

 

no ones got any input on this?

when you pull the top section of the middle console out the whole plastic structure that makes up the side of it im going to cut to the shape in the picture, then i just need to make a flat sheet of metal in the right shape to cover the top and have a tab that bends over the side.

ive never built anything like this before, so not sure if i should make it out of stainless steel or aluminum, and also have no idea what gauge thickness of sheetmetal i should be thinking about

what gauge sheetmetal to use is my biggest question, not sure about that.

i think its going to look awesome, also need to find some custom switches that i can wire up as window and trunk switches, probably put a couple other ones in there too

 

I'd go with 22-24 gauge sheetmetal. If you're going to cover it or paint it then galvanized is the way to go, just remember to wipe it down good with vinegar before you paint it so the paint wont flake off. It's dirt cheap and easy to cut with regular tin snips. You could use stainless, but there's really no need unless you want the metal exposed. If you go with aluminum you'll have to go with something around 16-18 gauge for strength since it's so soft.

 

galvanized works for me, its getting painted black anyways so i guess ill order a sheet roughly the size i think i need

was just going to have the edge fold over the top of the plastic, and maybe just screw it in to the plastic? not sure if i should make ti more removable then that, dont know if theres any easy way i could secure the top without it being permanently attached to the plastic

 

So are you raising the back or lowering the front?

If youre lowering, my only concern is, that in an automatic, you have to hide the bulk of the shifter below the handle, might not leave much room.

Otherwise it looks pretty cool. Cant wait to see the end product! Guys are always looking for more room anyway/.

 

lowering the area around the shifter

have a tko 600 5 speed and the shifter is against the console in 5th gear with no shifter plate in so i have to build a custom piece, and dont need any space for automatic stuff, the shifter handle seals right near the floor

and gonna paint it all black
im going to get on it soon, just have to work out how im going to make the 90 degree bends, probably a couple clamps a 2x4 and a hammer, but well see what happens

 

You can just take your drawings with measurements to any sheetmetal shop in your area. A/C & heating companies of any size almost always have a sheetmetal shop. Show them your drawings and tell them what you want and they can do all the bends/breaks, even spot weld it together for you. Then you wouldn't have to order any metal. They could probably just make it out of drop off scraps. Almost all of the parts that I fab for my car are made from scraps that we were just going to throw away anyway. You could probably come out cheaper in the long run that way.

 

thats a good idea
ill talk to a couple places and if they could even just do the bends for me, doing the cuts isnt a big deal, would love to have it spot welded together too

 

I made something similar to that, and with lack of tools you will get frustrated quicly.

The angle is harder to replicate than it looks. If you DO do it yourself, i suggest start with a couple of Jumbo cereal boxes, tape em together, and make a template.

Maybe even make a template and give that to the shop guy. If he has less to measure and plan, he will prolly be cheaper.

Just my 0.02.

 

ya im thinking realistically id like to get the sheet of metal, cut it out myself (already know exactly what its going to look like, keeping it somewhat simple) so if i can make all the cuts i need to i can just get somewhere to bend it for me.

 

It seems to me that no matter how you choose to do it, sheet metal, mdf and fiberglass, etc. it's not going to match the interior very well unless you do something with the dash, unless perhaps you had it covered in leather or vinyl to sortof match the texture of the dash cap.

If it were me, I'd add cup holders, a tray to hold change and such, and I'd try to keep a little glove box somehow.

If you were going to do a custom dash later, then I'd definitely make it out of MDF and fiberglass, giving it some nice curves. I'd also try to fit a place for the radio in the console instead of the radio pod. The cleaner and less stuff that's on the dash, the better it looks, IMO.

Actually, I've seen a Silverado before... it was a sports truck theme, so a little more flashy than what you're going for probably.. But they actually smoothed most of the dash, put the radio in the console, even removed the vents in the dash, and then they had it painted and pinstriped. Words cannot describe how awesome it looked. I have the magazine somewhere, but I don't think I have pics on the computer.

Mathius

 

hey doug, this is a good idea for a little more room, i wold love to see what you come up with.

a for me, i ended up with Forte's new offset style shift for the TKO, it sets the shifter handle back 2" so it is centered in the console, though it is still over to the right a little too far, but with a straight stick with a 1" offset to the driverside i can clear the shifter-plate, its tight but it works. I dont have a pic handy but i can get one if you want it.

 

well the shifter bar i have is angled back, so that puts the shifter in a pretty good position.

if it moves it over to the left a little bit that would be good, ill still make the center console regardless well because it gives me something to do to the car. If i could have a little more clearance from the e-brake that would be nice, was thinking i probably should relocate it but i should have just enough clearance that it wouldnt be in the way.


mathius
as for it looking out of place its going to be spray painted black, and im even probably going to top it off with the stock arm rest, it wont look out of place because this cars interior is very race car themed, its getting a huge custom dash come summer as well so itll all work.

that being said cup holders and change holders are not part of what the purpose of this is. I would like to move the area around the shifter lower to the floor, and just run a small boot from there with the majority of the shifter handle exposed

if i can get my car door unfrozen ill go pull out the whole center console piece and cut it up so you guys will understand what im doing

 

Well, if you're doing that dash too, then the point is moot. That's what I said.. if you do something with the dash you can make it match. I don't think it's going to match the stock interior well just because you painted it black. You have to match either the textured plastic, or the vinyl dash pad for it to match, IMO. Unless you upholster it like the seats or something, and that'd be just ugly.

To each their own. If I wanted a no-frills race car, I'd build a tube chassis. If I still had my camaro, I'd want it as comfortable inside, as it is fast and aggressive outside.

Mathius

 

you dont really need to match it to anything, ive seen anough cars with just a square metal center console (mostly auto cars) thats been painted and looks like a perfect fit for the car. I'm actually going to hack up the lower portion of the center console tmw and already made a paper version of the sheetmetal top im making for it, so ill put a picture up of what it looks like.

you also have to understand where this car is coming from. It started out as my first car at 16. Within a week of owning the car i had ripped out the back seats because i got sick of being a taxi and sold them. Once i did that figured might as well rip the interior out of the back if no ones going to be sitting back there. So i did that and in the near future (no funds right now) it will be getting a nice 6 point cage.
It recieved a tko-600 5 speed transmission and the shifter is way off to the right which is the only reason im building a custom center console. Not to mention i didnt grow up with all of this stuff, so if i build it and it doesnt look good ill throw it out and make another one im not worried tho its honestly going to look pretty stock when its done, im topping it off with the stock armrest at the back so itll be nice and tasteful.

car also has a mild 355, is going to be the venue for me to get into the solo-1 scene and then keep moving on from there. It truly is designed to be a bit of a race car for the street. If im worried about comfort i have a winter beater thats insured all year round i can take out. the iroc is just a toy, and as such is being turned into a street legal race car



hey 86 is his offset shifter just the shifter is cut and he welded a piece goign sideways and then it goes from there? i saw a pic of it and wasnt super enthused about the appearance of it. I actually like where the shifter seems to be now so the center console can just be built around where it is

 

yea, i posted a pic before, when i first got the trans, it looks like this


its just setback, not over to the left. It looks like a hack-job in the pic, but its not that bad. It does have an issue, because of the offset, in 2nd and 4th, the rubber boot under the shifter binds-up and will pop the trans out of gear. a total PITA, but if you remove the rubber boot, its fine. except for random crape getting into the shifter . I told Forte's about this issue, and i dont know if anything every became of it.

 

ya im totally not in love with that back yard garage design, seems like would make the geometry less ideal for how force is applied into the shifter. sorry to hear youve been havign trouble with it, seems thats all these trannies end up being, guess thats what you get for putting a ford in a chevy lol.

i'm using this hurst shifter stick


doesnt solve the left to right issue, but clears the ash tray and imo puts the handle in a very nice spot. The only problem i have is that the stupid shifter is only grooved on one side of the stick and its meant to go on the right side of the shifter shaft. This means i have the smooth side of the shifter on the grooved side on the right side, but i tightened it down real tight and it doesnt seem to move at all no matter how hard i poudn through the gears.

 

I know at the last sign shop I worked at, we had a 4' cutter & a 8' sheet metal bender, so cutting & bending up that console woulda been a simple thing to bend up, and put together. The 2 part epoxy we used, would even make welding unnecessary.

The boss still lets me go by there and borrow the tools & space. I could build me one with cup holders...

 

my design is super simple, will be some progress and mock up pictures tommorow well monday the pics will be up, as far as the epoxy there is going to be 2 points on either side where two edges meet each other where they will need a tiny little tack to be held together

 

We just did 2 pieces together, forming a "wall" & "floor", then the exopy held them together. We did that to build the lighted letters on buildings. Outdoors 24/7, under every weather conditions, and they hold, pretty much forever! And kept water from seeping in to the neon tubing for the lighting.

 

thats prettu awesome actually, what kind of epoxy is it

 

Just an idea and what might be a bit cheaper; I'd go to a couple of junkyards and look in cars and see if there are any existing center consoles you might be able to use. Before I went with my 4th gen center console, thats what I was going to do...I think theres a guy on here that installed an RX8 center console in a Camaro...

 

appreciate the idea but i have to admit half the reason im building it is cause i love building stuff but have very little experience. I would like to be able to make full custom dashes and custom center consoles from scratch in the future, so this is a good start.

 

why not grab a spare console, remove all the covering so its just base plastic, then cut is appart and build onto it with whatever, then fiberglass it. After that you car get it re-covered or just paint it

ive been toying with the idea of making a new set of rear interior panels with foam, then fiberglassing over it and carpeting everything, nice and light and it can be whatever i want it to be. Maybe another winter project for me....

its a shame i chucked my old console, maybe i could make a custom one for my bird

 

thats exactly what im doing, taking the lower half tonight to a shop where i have access to air tools and im going to cut up the lower half, basically going to just have a flat sheetmetal top for it, painted, and going to top it back off with the factory arm rest at the back, should be nice, thinking im going to end up custom fabbing the area for the cd player/hvac controls i think im going to have to completle hack it off right where the vents are after the ash tray, havent figured out that much yet tho

 

When I put a ratchet shifter in I fabricated a new top plate. I didn't do anything to the lower section, but maybe this can give you some ideas if you end up doing the top in aluminum. Unfortunately the car is long gone so these are the only pictures I have.

 

well heres the update on try number one, my friends bought 4 parts cars this year so i have a couple spares and might attempt this again.





so problems, first of all ive never had a shifter plate on since i did the transe swap, was hoping my shifter would clear the ashtray in its current location but apparently not. this means i have to cut further along to the point where i hit the vent, once im into the vent it looks like ill have to hack off the entire portion for the head unit and hvac controls and custom fab that

other issue that you cant really see from the pic, but the angled part i cut out i took all the way back to the front edge of the arm rest, because of doing this the parking brake mechanism is not higher then parts of the console. My options are to either lose my parking brake (it hasnt worked since the day i bought the car anyways), find a parking brake from another car that has a lower profile, or attempt this again using another console and follow the contour of the original console to the shifter handle (is onyl on passenger side of console) and cut it out identical to that on both sides, then i should be able to retain the stock parking brake mechanism.

 

I think what would look real good is if you got stainless steel, and some special welding wire or something. Then just weld it up and leave it raw. If you like having a race themed car, and not stock apparence, this could look great. It would go well if you used stainless somewhere else too like in the new dash.

As for cutting the sheetmetal, yeah snips will work. But if you want good results without warping the metal, get a good electric shear. Like the one that takes a 1/4 piece out of the middle when you cut.

 

hmm im not even sure what an electric shear is but ill look into it, have a big cutter at the shop but thats only good for doing large straight cuts.

i think im going to have to re-do the console, i cut the angle for it to come down right from the arm rest, instead im going to follow the layout that it uses on the passenger side of the console for the parking brake, and just mimick it on the other side, should be able to keep the parking brake and not have it look bad if i do.

as far as the finish i think both the custom dash and the center console are going to get painted black. The whole interior in the back of the car is gutted and all the metal is going to get painted black inside. The goal is to make it all look custom, but no one piece stand out any more then the other.

part im thiking is going to be tricky is fabricating the hvac/head unit area

 

i think he is talking about a "nibbler" not a shear, an electric shear is just two teeth, like small scissors, cutting the metal, it will warp things a little, a nibbler punches out little pieces of metal confetti and leaves the other metal unharmed and straight, though i do not believe the are cheap

 

Just use a vertical band saw. Easy to manipulate to curves & such, no distortion, etc.

 

lots of good info appreciate the help folks!

i should be able to get the second version done next sunday so ill post pictures as this progresses

 

To cut the metal without warping/bending it I suggest using a pair of double-cuts. Nibblers suck. I do sheetmetal work for a living, I've used just about everything there is to trim/cut metal.

You can get a double-cut adapter/head that fits in the chuck of a drill at Home Depot. Or, you can buy an electric double-cut tool. It's shaped like a drill, but instead of a chuck it has a cutter on the end of it. They're very easy to use, even for a first timer. It cuts out a 1/4 wide strip of metal leaving the two outside remaining pieces flat.

 

ill look into picking one of those up

how quickly does it snip, could you cut a radiused curve with it? or is it mainly for straight lines. Also whats generally the thickest gauge metal theyre good for. Thinking as well for when i build a gauge cluster, going to need to cut out some probably 16 gauge sheet

 

bringing this up again because im finally getting around to buying tools. The electric double cuts look great for cutting the outer shape of the pieces. Thinking im going to need that in conjunction with access to a vertical band saw though to cut out the smaller areas.

how well do the double cuts do at cutting around a curved line? im figuring theyre mostly for straight cuts and that the radius's will also need to be done on the band saw.