With the shifter area of the console outlined, I wanted to add the rear portion and have it go back to the area of the original console that started to turn upward. Going this far back also hides all of the wires and shifter cables under the new portion of the console. I made the top portion of the console around the shifter 7.5 inches in length, then made the rear portion of the console 18 inches in length.
To complete the console there will be four sections that will need to be fiber glassed together, then the sides of the console will need to have added vertical height to meet, and even overlap the original console. To achieve the fiber glass junctions in a precise way, I made a "mold box" the I can position the cut and trimmed sections of the of the removed section of the original console, and hold these pieces in place to add the fiber glass junctions.
The interior of this box is the exact width of the console. A "floor" was made that is 7.5 inches in length of match the fiber glass section of the original piece of the console that I made. An 18 inch section of "floor" was added to the box that is at the correct angle to allow the second piece of console to meet the shifter section and end up meeting the uncut portion of the original console at the back. The fiberglass sections were then cut to approximate each other, placed in the mold box and glassed together.
It fit rather well when put back in the car.
This is just the start of the process that will allow me to add two more sections to the area ahead of the shifter, then I will add vertical height to the sides where needed, all using the mold box to assure a stable proximity to the pieces to be joined. All of the junctions will be refined with body filler and sanded, to have a "one piece" look.
When it is all done, I should have a complete, one piece console that will overlay the edges of the original console. As for attaching this new console, I am thinking of making a few support posts around the shifter base, then using Velcro at all of the contact points to avoid having to use screws in such a visible area. (again, sorry about the rotation issues with the photos.)
To complete the console there will be four sections that will need to be fiber glassed together, then the sides of the console will need to have added vertical height to meet, and even overlap the original console. To achieve the fiber glass junctions in a precise way, I made a "mold box" the I can position the cut and trimmed sections of the of the removed section of the original console, and hold these pieces in place to add the fiber glass junctions.
The interior of this box is the exact width of the console. A "floor" was made that is 7.5 inches in length of match the fiber glass section of the original piece of the console that I made. An 18 inch section of "floor" was added to the box that is at the correct angle to allow the second piece of console to meet the shifter section and end up meeting the uncut portion of the original console at the back. The fiberglass sections were then cut to approximate each other, placed in the mold box and glassed together.
It fit rather well when put back in the car.
This is just the start of the process that will allow me to add two more sections to the area ahead of the shifter, then I will add vertical height to the sides where needed, all using the mold box to assure a stable proximity to the pieces to be joined. All of the junctions will be refined with body filler and sanded, to have a "one piece" look.
When it is all done, I should have a complete, one piece console that will overlay the edges of the original console. As for attaching this new console, I am thinking of making a few support posts around the shifter base, then using Velcro at all of the contact points to avoid having to use screws in such a visible area. (again, sorry about the rotation issues with the photos.)