DIY Hacked OEM Shorty Console

[jnshk]

What follows is some info on my DIY shorty console, as requested. I'm going to present it in evolutionary steps, but I'll also include some notes of things that I've learned along the way.

Part 1 (12-28-2007):

I haven't been entirely happy with how the OEM center console interferes with my elbow during driving, so picked up a spare center console on the cheap and since I had some time off on X-mas day I got to work. Mostly this project was just winging it, and I'm pretty pleased with the results considering the lack of a clear direction.

Basically, I cut the stock console off where the cupholder/ashtray area begins, and then attached the power window switch mounting area (which was also removed from the console via Dremel) to close off the new shorty console.







How to attach the pieces was another lucky accident. While cutting the plastic I noticed how prone it was to melting and sticking to itself, so I took a Zippo lighter to it and sure enough I was able to get it to form a bond. NOTE: It's actually rather difficult to get the right amount of melting without just burning the plastic. My updated recommendation for attaching the pieces is to use a product like "Rapid Fix" glue and filler.





Testing fitment:




(Please ignore the pink steering wheel. That was just a temporary fix.)