Well, been getting in parts for my custom floor console. Here is the plan. It will hold the radio, cupholders, aux power plugs, phone holders and possibly have a couple of speakers in it. This is the beginning of the build, other than a crude skeleton and the concept.



The start.

I am using the erector set stuff because I have a crap load of it. And yes, that is a ford HU out of a 97 F150. The plan with it is to mod it with a 3.5mm aux input. I got 4 of these HU for $25 a JY. Wasn't what I went for but is what I came home with.

Other parts I have purchased are usb power ports to power or charge cell phones and junk. Haven't decided on whether these will be powered all the time or just with ignition. I might put a timer module on it so it powers off after say an hour. Since there is circuitry, it will pull power all the time if i do battery power.

Also bought large cup holder inserts. Outside diameter is 4.25 inches. Bought the big ones for my favorite coffee cup. Problem here is if I just drop them in, the cup only goes in about an inch before hitting handle. If I notch it for the handle, I will have to figure out how to keep it from turning and how to make it look good. One idea floating around is to put them in, notch it and then fiberglass the hole thing.

The idea here is to have something that looks like it belongs, gets me the things I need, but can be removed in one piece if i want to take it back to stock. This will be self contained and have a plug of some kind for disconnecting power wires and such. I already have the factory 97 f150 radio plug tied into the 77 radio wiring. Will post pictures and stuff as I progress. Will also do a write up on radio mod as it should work for any radio with cassette or cd player in it.

Thanks for reading and ideas and comments welcome.

 

subb'd for updates.

 

Subscribed for possible inclusion to the Tech Thread Compilation.

Slik... yes, 'glass it for that finished, professional appearance. I'd weld and grind that angled steel to increase overall strength and rigidity.

 

Wow, forgot all about this post, found it while looking for something else. I can't get in to edit the original post, so here is the missing picture.





I kind of scrapped this idea. The reason being I found a factory AM/FM radio in the J/Y and am planning to have it cleaned and modded for aux input.

The main reason I built the skeleton from the metal stuff was cause I had it and I thought it was needed for holding the radio. I still plan on doing something, just not sure what yet. My ideas for the truck keep changing. Not planning on really getting into the interior until I have all the mechanical done. Hopefully be summer I will have either a rebuilt and modded 400 or a 460 in it. Then I can address some much needed body work and start to get interior done up.

 

pic isn't showing up, this makes the Ford gods angry!

 

Feeding the zombie thread. Here are some pics to appease the Ford gods. lol

 

BUMMAGE... We wanted to see this happen.

 

Think it might be a photobucket problem. Can't log on to site from pc.

I might still use the same carcass and just do gauges where the radio was going to go. But it will depend on my seat choice. Thinking about newer seats with built in cup holders. We will see

 

As a continuance for anyone that will try this, check this site out for aftermarket plugs. I used them to modify my USB and AUX ports in the Subaru:
iSimple


Another idea would be to make the front of the console big enough to have a forward firing 8" sub in there.

 

I've been wanting a center console in my truck too, but will have to do some mods to make one work I think as my 79 F250 4x4 is a manual, so I'll have to deal with both shifters on the floor. Am thinking of trying to find a set of bucket seats and center console out of a 79 Bronco and see if that might work and would give me the center console but still leave the room for the floor shifters. Anyone here ever tried anything like that before with a manual 4x4 ?

 

Personally I have not tried it, but since 78/79 Ford Broncos with a 4 spd are out there I am pretty sure that the Bronco buckets and center console will work in a reg cab truck.

Good luck finding them though, and I seem to remember that the passenger side bucket seat is a complete tilt forward set up?

 

thanks, I was thinking that they would probably work and yes now the work is to actually find a set.

 

I believe IIRC that the floor pans are different between a reg. cab pickup and a Bronc are different, the super cab and Bronc share the same floorpan I think.

 

As an FYI... Here's a comparison of the more plentiful squarish bullnose console and the 92-96 'tapered" console.

I intended to use the square one in my TKO-equipped 2WD '70 Bumpside with the '70 Mach 1 seats. Buuuut after installing the seats it turned out the square one was a touch too wide to fit with the TMI Sport Seat foams. I went back to the JY and spied a 95 XLT with the tapered version that is slightly narrower. The problem was that it sat a touch too low so I fabbed up a metal base to raise it about three inches.

Pics to illustrate....

 

I attempted to fit a Thunderbird console into my 73 and a major obstacle is routing the floor heating ducts in a nice looking fashion as it is going to be visible to some extent. and there is overcoming the 4x4 shifter.

I bet if I had a clue with fiberglass it would have been easy.

The later Ford SD's console drops right in-between bucket seats a with a few mods. Granted it would take some serious mods to get all that stuff the PO wanted to include inside but on the flip side there is plenty of room under the lid.