66 mustang console

**figfry** · 12-23-2008, 01:53 PM

I am building a custom center console that will be able to house my computer and lilliput but also be usable as storage space when i take the computer out. I havent gotten very far yet. I am going to coat the mdf in bondo and paint it to make it smoother and to hide the screws. I am going to put cherry veneer down in the middle of the console between the rails. The rest of it will be painted black. Should I glue the veneer straight on the mdf in the middle or should i bondo the middle and attach the veneer onto that somehow? Any other general tips would be great!

**HiJackZX1** · 12-23-2008, 02:11 PM

Wow, thats cool..... I have a question though.... isnt the area were you put your arm too high? Also wouldnt it look better to have the center console wrapped in the same leather as the seat, then the cherry veneer going down the middle?

**figfry** · 12-23-2008, 02:24 PM

yea it is a little high, but the thing is with the old comp im using im gonna need it that high, also its actually at a very comfortable place for my arm to rest. Im not completely sure about it yet, i may bring it down a bit. It would be cool to wrap it in vinyl like the seats. However i dont know where i can get vinyl to match and it will probably be pretty expensive. Also im not sure about how neat and tight i could make it.

**HiJackZX1** · 12-23-2008, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by figfry

yea it is a little high, but the thing is with the old comp im using im gonna need it that high, also its actually at a very comfortable place for my arm to rest. Im not completely sure about it yet, i may bring it down a bit. It would be cool to wrap it in vinyl like the seats. However i dont know where i can get vinyl to match and it will probably be pretty expensive. Also im not sure about how neat and tight i could make it.

Your hooking up a classic car, I would do it the way they would have done it. i dont think bondo will achieve that original look... but I could be wrong, i am no expert. I am actually in the process of designing my rear console, again. The first one didnt look OEM. It cost me $250.00 to have wraped in vinyl. Go to a fabrics store, they may have the kind you need. The $250.00 I paid was in labor. The fabric was only like $18.00.

**figfry** · 12-23-2008, 02:52 PM

yea i went out and looked at it again, turns out the computer wont fit in it anyway, i didnt compensate for the big graphics card, so ill just put it in the trunk i suppose. The comp and screen are only temporary. I dont really want a computer in there, however its my only car so i dont have another vehicle to live out my carputer fantasies in. hahaha. I like the vinyl idea, i went and checked it out. I think i could do it myself, especially if its only 18 bucks for fabric, that will allow me plenty of second chances. My only concern is that all it takes is something a little sharp to snag on the vinyl and bam thats it, id have to do the whole thing over again. Im leaning towards endurance more than factory. I have also thought about using carpet. My idea with the bondo is that i can make it all smooth and use several coats of gloss or semi gloss paint and get a similar sheen that dash has, its painted steel. But i dunno, what are your thoughts?

also, i will be making it shorter, it would be silly for me to make it oddly tall just to compensate something that is going to be temporary anyway. i think ill take between 1 and 2.5 inches off.

**HiJackZX1** · 12-23-2008, 03:35 PM

HEHE, I bought my truck originally for me and my family (4 Dogs), Since i take them only once a week to the park, that left me driving a big regular SUV. I had to hook it up... I really dont think you will have snagging issues, otherwise your seats wouldnt be mad out of the stuff. I have 3 rows of seats and all are vinyl. My Driver side has a small rip, but the rest looks like new. The first console i built was to wide and the seats would hit it on the side, but now once did it rip or anything. I myself have been guggling the vinyl idea or duraglass idea...... problem is, if I go with Duraglass, the texture wont match my front center console. Also the arm rest is vinyl, plastic and vinyl wont match. If i go vinyl i will have to be ontop of the guy... he used special glue thats stained the vinyl, which he covered with vinyl paint and caused the vinyl to not match my car. The new console is more complex inside, but outside I made it easier to wrap. If you look at my worklog you can see the issues I had.

**figfry** · 12-23-2008, 03:43 PM

yea, you dont think the screws will snag the vinyl from the inside? The more i look at the vinyl the more i think it would be appropriate. Where did you buy your vinyl, hobby lobby or some place? or some mom and pop fabric store? Yea if the rest of your vehicle is vinyl then i wouldnt use duraglass, it is way too smooth and wont match. I think i could get away with just buying a little over a yard. It is only going to cover those two sides, they are 48 in long. I can get it online but im hesitant about buying a fabric i cant hold in my hands and see the color of. I checked out your pics, looks pretty nice. Ill look at them some more later.

**HiJackZX1** · 12-23-2008, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by figfry

yea, you dont think the screws will snag the vinyl from the inside? The more i look at the vinyl the more i think it would be appropriate. Where did you buy your vinyl, hobby lobby or some place? or some mom and pop fabric store? Yea if the rest of your vehicle is vinyl then i wouldnt use duraglass, it is way too smooth and wont match. I think i could get away with just buying a little over a yard. It is only going to cover those two sides, they are 48 in long. I can get it online but im hesitant about buying a fabric i cant hold in my hands and see the color of. I checked out your pics, looks pretty nice. Ill look at them some more later.

NO.... that looks like MDF. Did you use MDF screws? Most are flat head, so they should be flush with the wood. Also padding goes inbetween the MDF and the vinyl. The vinyl is attached from the bottom and from the inside and what not. The guy that did mine made it so your couldnt see staples or anything.

**figfry** · 12-23-2008, 04:06 PM

Does the padding come with the vinyl? like its attached as a backing? I cut off the excess now on the top, this is now what it looks like, i think its much cleaner.

Where did you get your vinyl?

I think i can get it at joanns, im going to go there now and check it out.

**HiJackZX1** · 12-23-2008, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by figfry

Does the padding come with the vinyl? like its attached as a backing? I cut off the excess now on the top, this is now what it looks like, i think its much cleaner.

Where did you get your vinyl?

I think i can get it at joanns, im going to go there now and check it out.

That does look better.... No it is something you have to buy seperate. Although vinyl already has a white padding, you have to add more.