How well did the shifter hook up to the transmission, any hiccups?

 

I made a shifter arm for the transmission that was slotted that gave me a lot of adjustment. Surprisingly everything fell into place on the first try. My wife drove the truck without any issues with the shifter. I would have to look at my build log to be sure what Chrysler product it came out of. I do know it was a front wheel drive.

 

If it was the same one your seats came out of probably a 300 M or Intrepid, I got my seats from a Chrysler LHS which is no longer. Went to the scraper

 

Drew , the console is gonna be a head turner. Are you going to paint the primed areas to match your body color or try to match the seat and door panels?


I have to start thinking about the console for my truck now that I am finally getting to the phase of truck wiring where I need to finalize and locate switches. Maybe you should pay me a visit now that you are a highly trained console guru...hehe

 

Really haven't decided yet. Heck, I'm so thrilled to have a truck that runs and drives, I haven't been working on anything other than things that affect how it runs or drives. First thoughts were painted but upholstered would be a little harder to damage.

To be perfectly honest, if I were going to build another console, I would do it in metal. I think I could have built it in half the time. As many years as I have worked with fiberglass this was my first experience where I had a big problem with it.

And if you lived just a touch closer, I would be glad come over and help.

Highly trained console guru? Don't think so.

 

Sorry If some of this build thread makes no sense. Just trying to get some photos that I've been able to locate regarding my take on building my console. Hopefully these photos will help regarding some questions that I've been asked.

 

From what I can see of the pictures still in the thread, it turned out good! Flows well with the seat lines and isn't square and boxy.

 

Thanks!

It looks good I like the inserts, I think I'm going to throw some walnut in mine. What type of fabric did you use, or is that a mat of fiberglass?

 

Man, there's a few old names brought back, some literally from the dead.

 

The cloth was just some cheap fleece that was stretched over the wood form and stapled. I hardened the fleece with fiberglass resin and later some 1oz fiberglass mat and resin to give it a little more strength. Not knowing whether I was going to paint the console or cover it with material I went ahead and gave it a wipe with body filler , sanded and primed. The wood inserts are cherry which matched my instrument insert. The small dark piece of wood on the back side of the shifter was walnut and was used to cover up a raised section on the chrysler shifter. I'm probably going to use some more cherry wood in my door panels to break up the upholstery.

 

Drew,

How did you "bend" the luan for the console? just force it, or did you apply heat and water?

 

I read that he used Cherry wood and in the photos it looks like it is solid wood and not thin veneer, especially Luan.

 

The Center console is Luan...

 

If you're talking about the top of his console I believe it is just stretched over material then fibreglass. The slight curve to the sides may have been steamed or soaked a bit with hot water a possibly clamped until dry..just my thoughts..don't see Drew on here much anymore..

 

Wow! I had to re read this whole thread to find why I was "following it" and when... That was a good looking console.