[pnandy]

Just wanted to know if anyone on here has made a custom center console or overhead console for their 67 68 mustang or if they have plans to build one id like to get some ideas on what would look good thanks in advance

 

[Fast68back]

Randy, aka HTRDCowboy has a nice custom console in his car Link
There are a number of people that have, you could try a search

 

[GypsyR]

I've seen some nice homemade consoles but they always seemed "homemade" and so slightly clashed with the interior of the car in a way I didn't care for in my car. If I get bored enough (or inspired?) at some point in the future I might try fabbing something out of fiberglass.
For the time being I prefer retrofits.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z277/GypsyR/Oheadconsole1.jpg http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z277/GypsyR/Oheadconsole2.jpg This is my overhead. Out of a Chevy Tahoe or something, I got it at a swapmeet. I recovered the base with extra headliner material after fitting it to my roofline. One door had a button for a garage door opener I didn't like so I made a switch panel for it. I needed a place for switches anyway. The front had a blank where I believe other models have a display similar to mine. Mine however is transplanted from a 98 Explorer. Shown disconnected, the temperature is at rock bottom. The "cal" is telling me the compass has not yet been calibrated. It's all been since hooked up except for the speed sensor for windchill correction and works nicely. It was NOT fun to figure out how to make it work though.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z277/GypsyR/console2.jpg My lower console is simply the "Deluxe" one ribbed from around a 1977 Mustang II. The Deluxe version has the bright metal trim around it where 90% of them don't. Brushed a bit it's a very nice match to my 67's Deluxe dash inserts. At least I think so. I don't care much for how the shifter fits but I'll see how it looks after the T5 is in. It's not bad now, just could be better.
I can't say I recommend either swap fro anybody, but I like what I did. For the time being.

 

[68EFIvert]

I made one out of plywood and then took it to a upholstery shop to cover. They covered it in the same vinyl that was used to cover my rear seat (matched the Procar Seat pattern). I now have 4 gauges. I needed to add a boost gauge.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb156/68EFIvert/P1010097.jpg

 

[pnandy]

I made one out of plywood and then took it to a upholstery shop to cover. They covered it in the same vinyl that was used to cover my rear seat (matched the Procar Seat pattern). I now have 4 gauges. I needed to add a boost gauge.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb156/68EFIvert/P1010097.jpg

hey do you have a picture of what it looks like in the mustang this is pretty much what i want to make

 

[68EFIvert]

I can't get you a picture now. I have the car at the body shop still and it is tore down to just the shell. I designed it so that the arm rest angles down where your hand would normally angle down while relaxed. I mounted my power window switch on the angled panel of the armrest. The only thing I am concerned about is the opening for the arm rest. I designed it to open to the rear so it would give me more clearance for the Procar buckets I am using but the upholstery shop mad an executive decision that it would look better opening to the side. I hope it doesn't cause a problem.

 

[7ro1t13210]

...the upholstery shop mad an executive decision that it would look better opening to the side. I hope it doesn't cause a problem.

so you sold them your car? Because that's the only way I am letting someone else make an executive decision for me.

 

[68EFIvert]

He talked me into it when I dropped it off but I forgot how tight things were. My fault really. I gave him full discretion on the rear upholstery and door panels. I feel you need to give artists discretion on this type of thing.

 

[pnandy]

hey were did you pick up the cup holder inserts i havn't really looked but i would assume an autozone would have something like that

 

[68EFIvert]

Go to a boat supply store. Less than $2 each. Measure how deep you need before you go. I own an extra set of 4 you can have for shipping if you want them. I think they are about 2 1/2" (if I remember correctly) deep and 3" diameter. PM if you are interested and I will measure exactly how deep they are. I needed slightly shorter ones because of the transmission hump.

 

[pnandy]

thanks for the offer but this is a future project like couple months from now im just gonna be doing some simple sketches and brain storming till then I might modify your design a little make the rear cup holders flip out or just get rid of extend it a little in back and put a shallow sub there . do you have speakers on both sides on the front of the console? i rather do that then have the kick panel speakers.... what does the under side of the console look like did you have to shape it at all?

 

[angrybadger]

I made one out of plywood and then took it to a upholstery shop to cover. They covered it in the same vinyl that was used to cover my rear seat (matched the Procar Seat pattern). I now have 4 gauges. I needed to add a boost gauge.

Care to share your woodworking plans, or did you play it by ear? It looks great. I noticed the reverse speaker placement, was that so you didn't have to put any in the doors or kick panel?

 

[68EFIvert]

I don't have any plans. I used a large cardboard box that I cut to 43" long and 12" high and used that as the starting point. I put the seats in the car and then started getting the curvature of the lower dash below the radio. Once I had that at an acceptable fit I traced the basic shape I wanted. It is about 7.5-8 inches wide. Cup holders front and rear. Power window switches on the front part of the armrest. I used 1*2 wood for the underside support as a frame and a place for the construction adhesive and wood screws to attach to the plywood. I think the plywood it 11/32". I would use thinner plywood on the gauge panel than I did because it made it more difficult to mount the gauges. It is probably overbuilt but I didn't want my kids to step on it and break it.

I actually have speakers in the doors (hidden by deluxe door grills), kick panels and the center console. My car is a convertible and wanted to make sure I had enough sound while cruising at high rpm with the top down. I will also have 2 10" subs in a custom enclosure for the trunk. I do have plan for that if anybody is interested. My cousin made them for me on his drafting program. I did a slight tweak to the plan to make it fit better. I made the depth 1/2 inch shorter. I have two amps that will run the system.

 

[LAstang]

Derreld, did the upholsterer dismantle the console to cover it? It looks like he would have or he added some panels to it. Just trying to get an idea. It looks very nice. You did it right.
I haven't dove into this project yet, but I want to. I've also been thinking about the retrofit route mentioned above but haven't started looking at what would work really well in a 65 Mustang.

 

[68EFIvert]

He covered the sides with the vinyl but made panels for the top surfaces and them attached them with glue and plugs. There is so much adhesive and screws he would have had a hard time taking it apart without destroying it.