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Just for your information - the center console is made from ABS plastic, not fiberglass. That means that it can be “welded” simply by using ABS cleaner and adhesives from you local hardware store. If you need additional materials, you can use ABS scrapes and mix them into the adhesives.
Ok, this is very interesting. Kudos on the hot glue and metal to hold things. I’ll store that one away too.
I’d love to know more about the ABS cleaner/adhesives statement. Did you mean ABS SCRAPERS?
This is my first time using fiberglass. Got a little more to go before its finished but just wanted to give y'all an update. So i used hot glue and some scrap metal to hold the middle piece in place. Will take better pics for u guys later.
Edit: Can u make the pics smaller?
I'll throw in what I learned modding the bezel:
1. JB weld works great.
2. I kept the opening surrounding the HVAC intact and moved it down to keep surgery to a minimum.
3. Located USB in the console.
1. JB weld works great.
2. I kept the opening surrounding the HVAC intact and moved it down to keep surgery to a minimum.
3. Located USB in the console.
So Curt, correct me if I make a mistake. You cut the lower area that surrounds the HVAC and moved it down, then modified the ashtray cover to fill the hole. There’s a circular hole in the middle of cover for I guess some accessory?
You used JB Weld for all the gaps and contact areas?
So Curt, correct me if I make a mistake. You cut the lower area that surrounds the HVAC and moved it down, then modified the ashtray cover to fill the hole. There’s a circular hole in the middle of cover for I guess some accessory?
You used JB Weld for all the gaps and contact areas?
Yes to all. I put a usb charge port in that hole but since I usually leave my phone in the console it's really only for passenger convenience. Might still delete that and put an emblem or something there.
Yes to all. I put a usb charge port in that hole but since I usually leave my phone in the console it's really only for passenger convenience. Might still delete that and put an emblem or something there.
Excited to see the final result. Are you painting it or covering it?
I guess I should have taken a picture of the finished result but the car's in storage now. To add: The 1.5 DIN factory radio is wider than a double din...DD mods and the metra bezel have the sides of the radio opening moved in about 1/2" on the sides which would not be of benefit for a tablet application...I made my own brackets which filled the side space without further alteration to the bezel. Also in an older related post was mention of a product called SEM texture coating which worked awesome for me to match the rest of the interior.
Im gonna try wrap this thing up in some nice vinyl/fabric. I hit it up with some quick spray paint JUST FOR FUN. Im gonna send in my bumper for some new paint, maybe i should paint this in Pewter to match the car while hes at it?
Last edited by Bengtsson; Feb 10, 2018 at 10:28 AM.
Im gonna try wrap this thing up in some nice vinyl/fabric. I hit it up with some quick spray paint JUST FOR FUN. Im gonna send in my bumper for some new paint, maybe i should paint this in Pewter to match the car while hes at it?
I have personally never been a fan of bringing the outside color of the car to the interior.
Im gonna try wrap this thing up in some nice vinyl/fabric. I hit it up with some quick spray paint JUST FOR FUN. Im gonna send in my bumper for some new paint, maybe i should paint this in Pewter to match the car while hes at it?
I have been fooling with wrap vinyl for awhile now. I’m no expert, but tho’ bringing in the exterior color is an opinion that I think is good sometimes and not other times, if your bezel is painted professionally It should look good, however, I found, after wrapping my bezel in a similar color to the pewter, that I got tired of it. It’s now painted a textured black.
As for the actual wrapping, if you want a good education in wrapping pitfalls, its the perfect subject. You have to resign yourself to the fact that as flexible as it is, wrap vinyl has limitations. It takes 2 or 3 pieces to get it right.
You might want to consider integrating one of soundman.ca's slider kits. I had an android tablet installed permanently in my prior Corvette. It worked great during the cooler months. During the summer time, the high heat would kill the battery life way down and there wasn't enough time to fully charge it back up on my short commute.
If I installed another tablet, I'd use a slider kit. When installed properly, it looks permanent, but it pops out real easily. You can take the tablet in to work or your home with you.
Well. I made some mistakes but what the heck. It looks better in person and it needs some fine tuning around the ignition and the AC controller. Trying to wrap it was very hard and i should have done some traning before trying to do this bezel. I would rather have it factory-look like the first picture tho. The big cost is the ipad, then its just the fuax alcantara from Ebay and 3M spray glue. The ipad is hooked up to the 12v socket giving constant slow charging, and hooked up to my new sound system. If i want internet i just share the network on my phone to the ipad.
I got Spotify thru offline mode and with icloud, its up to date with everything my phone with wifi at home and at work. I even got the Fast And The Furious movies on there
And finally i have some space to put my wallet and my swedish Snus inside the bezel. =)
It was fun and i got something unique to my Vette. Cheers
Last edited by Bengtsson; Sep 16, 2018 at 03:10 PM.
I am intending to do somwthing similar as. My center console is all. Cracked up..
So i might as well modify it and cover it.. Love the work for inspiration.
Any recommendations on tools? Plastic welders? Jb weld?
