Fiberglass center console - tips/comments?

[AALynch]

Hey guys,

I've been building this console very slowly for my '69 Camaro. I am about done with the shape/glovebox/shifter area, with just the armrest and stereo surround to do. Then I'll get it padded/upholstered in black by a local shop.

My only concern now is the double-DIN stereo area. I've got an Eclipse DD stereo to go in, and it FIT before I molded my stereo cage into the console. Now that it's in, I cannot slide the stereo in or out, much less after the console is wrapped. I guess I'm going to fill the gap between my stereo cage and the console with fiberglass resin so I can sand the inside out, but that is going to be a PITA...anyone have an easier idea? I would hate to cut this back up...

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/564/img20110531181120.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/840/img20110531181120.jpg/)

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I've got a drop in glove compartment for the back. This will allow me to hide my mounting bolts for the console, and keep a clean look in the back. It looks rough on the inside walls, but that's just small amounts of saran wrap stuck to the inside - it's very smooth. I'll end up spraying this section only with the felt liner...need to figure out how to make a console lid to cover this.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/1fine69/Camaro/Center%20Console/IMG_20110621_133727-1.jpg

The center section where the shifter(and fugly shift handle) go will have a piece of brushed aluminum in there along with a shift boot.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/1fine69/Camaro/Center%20Console/IMG_20110621_133717-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/1fine69/Camaro/Center%20Console/IMG_20110621_133747-1.jpg

The whole console actually shifts about 3 inches forward to tuck under the dash more - normally, the front of the stereo sits about 1/2" in front of the bottom of the dash.

My main concern is getting leather/vinyl wrapped around the stereo area, but I need to take a trip up to the shop and see what they say/recommend. I really want this to look professional and not out-of-place in the interior, so any tips/comments toward that goal would be great. As it is, I'll probably end up rounding my edges a bit more, and spend some priceless(:rolleyes: ) hours with the file and sandpaper.

Thanks for your views!!!

[DarkoNova]

I know this doesn't help, but how did you even make it? I'm looking to make a center console out of fiberglass as well, and I'm just curious how you got everything super straight and smooth.

Looks good to me, though. :thumbsup:

[AALynch]

I know this doesn't help, but how did you even make it? I'm looking to make a center console out of fiberglass as well, and I'm just curious how you got everything super straight and smooth.

Looks good to me, though. :thumbsup:

All it takes is patience and a bit of fiberglass knowledge - thankfully my dad's been a Corvette guy for nearly 40 years. I wish I would have taken pictures along the way...

I started off with the sides of the console - using cardboard, trim on it until you like the shape, mirror it for the other side, and then I layed about 7 layers of fiberglass on top of the cardboard to build your sides. After that, clean the edges, and then I squared the sides off and clamped them to a table at 90 degree angles. Afterwards, lay cardboard across the center section and fiberglass it. That gave me a perfect base, and from there I just built on toward the back. The stereo section was made by wrapping my stereo 4-5 times with wax paper and then saran wrap and then fiberglassing directly over it. After my stereo and glove compartment were molded in, I cut out my shifter area and used a router to bevel down an edge so I can sink my alumium trim panel/shifter boot into the console.

My glove compartment was made using a stainless steel kitchen pan, just like what they use at Chipotle :lol: .

Generally, a belt sander worked wonders for getting straight edges to me.

[Taylor1969]

any updates to this? Would like to see the finished product.

Thanks!
Chris