Customize Center Console, Can someone help? Options

[krillin47]

A friend of mine and I are working on his celica and we are wondering if anyone knows how to mod, or create a custom center console. We are trying to fit a 7 inch lcd screen into, cause we are working on a car computer. We want to make it look like it came standard. I was told by someone to use like styrofoam to make the mold of the console, then use bondo to make the actual mold from the styrofoam. does that sound right?

Any help would be great.

kRiLLiN

[Drocay]

thats one way, or u can make a frame for it out of somthing then mold that into the center console with fiberglass, finish it with bondo and sand it smooth and paint it wut ever u want and then just mount the screen in like it was supposed to fit.

[krillin47]

I though about fiberglass after I left the message, and I was wondering if anyone knew where I could get a fiberglass kit to be able to mold my own?

[chosen1]

Make sure to take pics of your progress and do a How-To article on it when you're done.

[krillin47]

I will, but we will probably test it on his brother civic first, so that we don't have to mess up anything in his celica. After we get down, then we'll do the celica.

Anyone know where to buy fiberglass kits to be able to mold your own?

[krillin47]

Found one in my area. Its a plastics store, and they carry fiberglass stuff, and filler and stuff.

[ghostdog]

this should give you some idea:

http://www.hzemall.com/1999_vw_console.htm

and this link tells you what plastic filler they used:

http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_...8162&PN=0&TPN=1

[95STHATCH]

check this page out too.civic hatchback

[forkee]

argg...there was this really good page of someone that did custom lcd in their audi, i think. it had a touch screen connected to a pc. but i lost the link anybody have it?

[BigEdge169]

You also might try talking to doggy. He's got a SAFC installed in the center consol and it looks stock. He's also got a divided box in the pocket under the radio (that could have been stock for him though, they always seem to get the better stuff so I wouldn't be surpised ). He might be able to point you in the right direction.

[ghostdog]

[krillin47]

cool, thanks. I'm hoping to be able to do this, this weekend. What kind of fiberglass do I use? mat or cloth? I want to make sure I purchase the right stuff, the first time.

[krillin47]

I think that audi setup is cool, but we are going to be totally changing the look of the center console, you wont even be able to tell, that you are looking at a celica center console. I'll probably draw a picture of what I'm talking about, and post it.

[Drocay]

as far as the fiberglass i like to do the first layer in cloth because it cleaner and the rest in mat because once u get the first layer done the rest just stick in place and dont get to messy.

[krillin47]

ok, cool. Has anyone thought of fiberglassing the whole inside of there car? like floors, and roof?

[XxDJFate76xX]

you can get fiberglass resin at an auto parts too, im waiting to round up some money to get a 15 solobaric with a kicker amp, and two 10' pioneers with a pioneer am so i can fiberglass my trunk.

[playr158]

best place around where i live that i found that carries everything for fiberglassing ect. is HOME DEPOT

[Drocay]

i found for resin home depot will run u 17 a gallon and for the glass i like advanced auto it's about a dollor cheaper then home depot.

[krillin47]

How much do you think will be needed to mold a new center console or add to one?

[Coomer]

I just completed my interior panel yesterday. It didn't turn out near as well as I'd hoped it would, but I can always modify it some more until it's perfect.

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[ghostdog]

looks pretty good. but I would create some sharper edges where the window switches are and define the area around the gauge a bit better. right now it looks a bit like an amorphous blob, although thats probably due to the photograph as well.

[doGGy]

Sanding, sanding and more sanding I hate that part, but it makes things look better Actually - WAY TO GO COOMER

[Drocay]

wow coomer from the pic u should me yesterday thats a big step nicely done.

[Yobbe]

Thats a pretty nice setup, but i guess you prolly should have used some harder materials together with the fiber glass or what ever you used. Like a small wooden piece under the switches to get it nice and flat. I guess it all depends on what you were going for though

[celicarocker]

did you make a whole new piece of just modify the existing one?