I had the day off today and got some progress on one of my many projects.
This one involves making a center console that incorporates my radio and fits my body better. The old one has cracked arm rest material and does nothing to complement my custom 2" seat lift that I've had for a while now. Since the recent theft of my old stereo, I have decided to put the new one(JVC KD-AR560) behind locked metal.


I'm sort of making a cross between the stock 2 inches higher, and Brians console from Tuffy. I am just jumping into this with a general idea of the finished product. I haven't drawn up any dimensioned plans.

Here is my progress...

Cardboard idea







After cutting and bending using lots of guess/check.



Better pic. This was my stopping point for the night.






I should have some time to work on this tomorrow. We shall see.

 

hey chris,

cool project! i like stuff like this

is there a reason why you put your stereo in the center console though? i would think it would make it a pain in the ass, not to mention, a little dangerous to have your eyes focused down and center while driving.

bob

 

I think it would make things easier. I can have my hand at the radio anytime without hassle and I usually memorize where the buttons are pretty fast. Plus it has a certain cool factor in my eyes.

...also I am sort of leaving the spot where it used to be open for a carputer screen.

 

chris..

I dig that muchos.. let me know if oyu want a hand sometime with it.. if thats a cd player, be sure to check the angle its going to be mounted at against the owners manual.. i know that past a certain angle it wont hold a cd

 

well in that case, DO IT!!! carputers are awesome. hehe

are you going to make a lockable, hinged cover plate? i can't recall where i've seen that, but i think tuffy makes one for heeps

bob

 

oh yeah one more thing: are you going to make it out of metal? the entire thing? that is something that i would like to do. or at the very least, make the storage bin thing metal and bolt it down. the 99-02 cupholders in the 3rd gen 4runners are plastic and held down by two bolts. its flimsy.


bob

 

Matt-Yea I checked the manuel. It said something about how I shouldn't mount it 30 degrees or mor...blah blah blah. I'm just going to do it anyway and see what happens.

Bob-Yea the whole thing will be out of metal with a lockable flip around door over the stereo, with locks on the storage compartment as well. I have some sheet stainless steel laying around, and I also have tons of 1/8 inch diamond plate steel. The stainless will make up the walls(what I have done so far) and the diamond plate will make up the top. I will use angle iron as a frame structure and bolt it like a rock to the floor.

Does anybody know what the rules are for welding stainless? I can't remember so I kinda figured I would just bolt it instead of weld it.

 

I'm interested in how this all works out. like angle of the radio and what not. I was looking into this myself was afraid of the angle. good luck.

 

Man, this shall be most righteous when you finish this! i hope it turns out well. i don't envy the wiring extensions you will have to do for the stereo though

if you are talking about welding down this custom center console to the body, i wouldnt. have the flexibility to remove it if youre not satisifed or if you want to redesign it. besides, two bolts (three is better---one towards the front of the console) would be plenty strong.

bob

 

No No, I wont weld it to the body.hahaha
Yea that would be funny.

I am welding the diamond plate to the angle iron and would like to weld the stainless to it as well. I will just try some scrap and see what happens.

As far as the wiring, I am not proud of the PO's previous work sending wire to the speakers and will be redoing most of it.

 

are you using MIG, stick, or flux core?

you will need some stainless electrode or stainless wire. what all is stainless? is the angle stainless? or just the sheet?

honestly, i would just make the whole thing out of stainless, or the whole think out of mild steel.

these are the ones we sell:


all aluminum, light weight and lots of storage room.

 

All one material would be ideal I agree. It's just that I have some stainless sheet and some mild daimond plate and angle iron. So that is what I am using.

I zapped some scrap together as a test and they work great.
I am mig welding with 100% co2 on my lincoln 175 pro.

btw what is that sitting in front of your box in your pic?

 

Looks like a cup holder, something that definitely needs to be incorporated into your center console!

 

Here is the progress as of now.


This is much easier that trying to bolt the stainless up.



All tacked together.



This stuff is 1/8" thick. Around 200#!



First piece cut out.



Trust me that diamond plate looks SOOO much better cleaned up and painted flat black.


Dig?

 

That cup holder looks tiny, or is it just me?

 

Looks familiar!

 

Here is the end of the day progress.


This is the bracket that holds the radio in place.



This design only allows the radio to be removed from underneath. Good luck stealing this!


Getting some character.





Hopefully I can make some more progress on this in the next few days after work, cause I don't have another day off untill next week.

 

Nice!!!!!!!!!!

 

Very cool idea. Can't wait for more pics.

 

How did you bend the steel? Clamps and a straight edge? Or do you have access to a sheet metal brake?