Center console connector B14

sethwas · Dec 7th, 2002, 07:23 PM

Hmm,
So this is going to be hard to describe without pictures. I guess they'll come later.

Anyway, in fancier cars the center console connects to the dash/HVAC/radio in one swoop. There is no gap. In out cars the cupholders and ashtray are the 'bottom' of the dash, and the center console is a separate component. THe only thing 'connecting' this are the ledges of the spot under the ashtray where I usually keep coins or my cell.
What I was thinking is to create a 'buttress' out of fiberglass, aluminum, or carbon fibre to connect this gap. It is only 2 small hollow triangles. They would be permanently fastened to the center console via double sided tape, and not physically connected, just touching the dash. That way you can still remove the center console if you have to.

These would be farly simple to make, and cheap.
I'l try and do a photoshop to show you.

Seth

sethwas · Dec 7th, 2002, 07:51 PM

From this:

to this:

Of course the look I am trying to achieve is this:

Seth

Psch91 · Dec 7th, 2002, 08:40 PM

One question, why does it matter?

superfro86 · Dec 7th, 2002, 08:49 PM

it looks more luxurious Psch. i wanted to do the same thing to mine at one time. but two triangles are just going to look ghetto. you would have to custom fab another center console or at least the part from the shifter on up.

superfro86 · Dec 7th, 2002, 08:54 PM

if you actually do it i would like to see how it comes out but another thing stopping it from getting the desired effect is that that part in our dash doesn't "lean" and you would be getting rid of your cell phone pocket.

sethwas · Dec 7th, 2002, 09:54 PM

Well,
You could always Audi TT it and just have two rectangular aluminum strips connecting the console to the shifter.

Seth

sethwas · Dec 7th, 2002, 10:10 PM

Here,
Like this:

Psch91 · Dec 7th, 2002, 10:52 PM

Sorry, I dont see how that would make any type of difference, and how it could make the interior look more "luxurious". It looks like the two sections are broken and your trying to hold it together with the bars.

sethwas · Dec 7th, 2002, 11:39 PM

Actually,
You're right. That's exactly what the audi looks like. Which is also why I didn't think that option was as viable as the first one. However, the first option will look stupid if it is the only dash piece in that mould. For example, if you have a carbon fibre trim (ring around the stereo, HVAC, cover on the ashtray, shifter surround, around the a/c vents, around the window switches, etc.) the carbon fibre 'gussets' or 'buttresses' won't look out of place at all. Or if the trim was aluminum, an aluminum gusset won't looks bad, or if you have blue or red trim, then red painted fibreglass won't looks bad.
You follow?

Seth

verno-dub · Dec 8th, 2002, 02:54 AM

My friend had a TT and he let me BEAT ON IT! Let me say that bar is there for your left leg/shin to brace against when you hitting those massive cornering G's that car was capable of.

Nothing funnier that a drunk dude hawking chunks down the passenger door panel because the windows were too small. What's ever funnier than that is the drunk dude was the OWNER!

I wonder why the car was sold. Hmm.....back on topic. sorry, I thought i'd share some fond memories.

-verno

sethwas · Dec 8th, 2002, 01:25 PM

(whatever is 'out of place' black would be one color or material)

superfro86 · Dec 8th, 2002, 01:26 PM

well i just looked at some interior pics and that triangle thing might work if you mold it into the dash and center console and its made out of plastic that matches the dash.

andre · Dec 8th, 2002, 11:40 PM

I agree with superfro86. And it would be cool, in my opinion, if you could fabricate a cover for it too...so it would look smoother (kinda like the Volvo)...and you'd need a little curve in it...so its smooth.

Thats a great idea by the way Seth.

sethwas · Dec 9th, 2002, 12:13 AM

Well,
TO be perfectly honest, the easiest way to do this mod, but most difficult in production, is to simply fabreicate a one piece console. Not the whole damn dash and shifter area, just the shifter area. Between the armrest area and shifter area is four plastic pieces. The two main pieces with the seam under the e-brake, the cover for this seam, and the shifter surround. If you took the main piece which goes from where your right foot goes (passengers left foot) and to the e-brake, and re-made the whole thing, with the 'gussets' it would be cleaner. YOu could make the whole thing out of Carbon fibre, or whatever. A year ago I suggested making it out of aluminum.
Here's what you'd do. Take it out and clean it. Make a mould for it by pressing it into whatever you use for your moulds. Then press another glop of this material to make the inner mould. Then just wrap your fibreglass or CF into this mould for an exact match.
Don't forget your 'gussets'.

Seth

verno-dub · Dec 9th, 2002, 02:55 AM

wood, bondo, and fiberglass are your friends.

-verno