That's what I do...my right hand drives when I have an auto...but with a stick I need an armrest there...it's just...weird to not have one...

I'm thinking of going for a shorter Explorer console now and custom building the front part around the shifter to accomodate the gauges and switches.

 

Good luck with your project. I guess I am lucky because my '06 has bucket seats and the nice console. My '03 had that 60-40 split with that fold down console and I thought that was nice at the time, but with this new set up I got I can't see how I lived without it.

 

haha Ranger_Pilot i got the same steering wheel cover as you.. just thought I would point that out haha.. good luck with the project LOOKIN GOOD

 

haha very cool. I rather like that steering wheel cover, though it's slightly out of alignment with the wheet and it irritates me.

Ok...the plan right now:

I'm going to get a console (shorter) from an Explorer or Sport Trac or Ranger, depending on what CobraXP comes through with. If he comes up with a console, I'll go from there. If not...

I'm going to build a console in front of the "short" console, more of a box really, but will conform with the truck to look better.

I intend to mount the three gauges up towards the front top of the gauge so they're in the basic same location as presently. That way I don't have to worry about the senders reaching or running any more wire.

Immediately below that I'm going to put the hole for the shifter. I think I'll put one of the little Hurst boots around it and call it good.

Behind that, I'm going to have a switch panel with the switches for basically everything (the driving lights, the amp, etc.), plus a couple of indicator lights, and a 12V power point. Will 14 ga wire be sufficient for the power point? All that will be running off of it at max will be a cell phone charger.

I think that will finish it up nicely, anything else I should notably note?

Thanks guys.

 

14 guage should do fine for your low power consuming products(cell chargers, effects lights... ect.). As for your "box", if you know what your doings, fiberglass and resin would be my first choice to make it outta; because it's light weight, strong, and somewhat easy to repair/make.

also, i wonder what it would be like to make your center consol part sub box for an extended cab.

 

I've seen those...they're quite common in the larger trucks, a console that runs full length and has a couple of tens or twelves inside. They can get pretty crazy in their designs.



Tonight I'll begin construction, with the goal of finishing tommorow. I'll deal with paint later.

I think I'll frame the edges with 2x4s or something similar. The box will connect at 90* to the rear box which will house the sub and hold the amp.

Once I get the frame done, I'll build the console box out of plywood, build the sub box (which has to maintain it's current spot) and get the amp in. I'm not too sure yet whether I want the amp between the seats or where it is not behind the driver's seat. It just barely will fit either place.

I'll then build the switch/shifter/gauge panel and completely set it up and get it painted, so it's just a drop in ordeal. I intend to use quick disconnects on all the wiring, so the only thing that requires effort will be moving the gauges over. That will be quite interesting to say the least.

Then I'll fiberglass the whole console as a unit, trying to make it smoothly conform to the sub box.

HOPEFULLY I'll have a nice, yet unpainted, console by tommorow night. Then I can deal with painting and getting it properly in.

 

Question. why cant you mount the amp where it would be if you had the factory option?

also post, or atleast send me some picks of it before and after instialation.

wow that was fast... thx zack

 

I don't even know where the factory amp would go if one was even available in '94. Plus it's a regular cab which definetly limits the options.

And to the garage I go... I've got the camera.

 

Well guys it didn't go quite as planned...

I went to the boneyard today to look for any more Explorers...as I was having issues deciding how I wanted it and there was a two week wait for me to be able to use the shop to fiberglass.

I found no Explorers...but I found an older wrecked Chevy Blazer with a decent center console. I test fit it, then picked it up for ten bucks.

It took a little notching to make it fit around the crossmember below the middle seat, but I'm quite satisfied with the result.

I'm going to remove the stock front console and replace it with just a plain shifter boot.

I will be building a box that will go from the dash to just in front of the shift boot to contain the gauges.

Opinions? Good or bad much appreciated. The shifter is in fourth gear in the picture, about 3/4 of an inch from the front of the console. Quite a nice fit.

 

wow!! lookin good!!! haha i really like that center console in there.. i've been considering doing something similar to my 99 ranger ext. I have the 60/40 seats and i wanna make a sub box/center console like the picture you posted earlier... would you say it was worth the effort? how many hours did you put into this overall so far? thanks
and as for the amp.. i would mount it either on the back of your sub box or on the back wall.. i have mine mounted on the floor in my ext cab with a big box just sittin in the back with 2 12's but since you have the reg. cab.. i would go with one of those

 

It won't fit on the sub box... You can somewhat in that picture see how the passenger seat is sitting, it's as far back as it can go, sitting flush with the sub box.

I'm going to pull the back carpet out (the stuff covering the rear wall) and put a peice of MDF behind it and just screw the amp into the peice of MDF, that way the carpet will keep it securely in place while the MDF does the actual holding of the amp.

The wiring should be fun though...the ground wire is actually pushing me around right now since it's the shortest wire, hardly reaching two feet from the grounding point to the amplifier. I'll figure it out. More pictures to come when that's all done.

 

I have factory buckets in my truck and I mounted a pre-fabbed downfiring box for my 2 12" Boston Acoustic G51244 subs and mounted my Punch amp on top of the box with the amp for my 5x7s in the doors. Also have the fuse block and ground block mounted on top. Have any of you ever heard of "speed wire"? Buddy of mine has a car stereo business and he gave me some of this stuff and it has all the wires you need to run from your amps to your head unit to tie into your factory harness. I didn't cut any of the factory harness out just used adapters and this wire. Neat stuff cuz now I have all the wires run inside of the same cable and I can revert to stock very easily.

 

Very cool Level2...you got any pictures of it? I'd love to see how they did it. I bet the BA 12"s hit quite hard.

 

Havent taken any pictures of it yet mostly cuz its so dirty. The Bostons pound like crazy!! I had 2 12" BA 12.5LF 2 ohm Pro Series in there before but they eventually just wore out. I put the new G5 subs in there last year but I didn't break them in right and I need to send them in to get them fixed cuz they just don't sound right and they flutter pretty bad but for the first 3 days they jammed really really hard! Of course my set up was a lot easier than yours since I have an extended cab and have more room but now with the baby arriving in the next month or so I'm contemplating pulling the whole system out but I havent made up my mind yet. I know the baby seat cant go back there but it would be nice to have the extra room for stuff inside.

 

chevy console?!?! are you the same guy that puts a 350 / 350 in his ford? :P im just messing with you. the colors matched pretty good for being different brands

Matt