The Idea


The measuring


The finished product


Placed in MG for "simulation"


The cup holder came out of the back of a mercury villager van. I basically cut a hole and plastic welded it it. Im very happy I dont have to wedge my drinks in between places to make them stay put. I have to modify the plastic part under the consol just a little bit to make it fit.

Looks like a great solution if it doesn't cause problems beneath (lots of stuff running under that cover....)

quote Originally posted by zefferk: Looks like a great solution if it doesn't cause problems beneath (lots of stuff running under that cover....)

Actually, not really. A few wires may need to be moved to the side, but as many times that I have had my center console removed, I see no real issues. Perhaps the skeleton would need to be relived a little also, but nothing detrimental to the operation of our little mid engined monsters.

As usual Chris, pretty cool.

Tony

Edit: What is the cup holder from? Inquiering minds need to know.

[This message has been edited by Tony Kania (edited 01-15-2011).]

Look at the first line right below the last picture.

Looks good Chris - only issue I see is interferance during shifting. I guess if you are just cruising or have an auto it will be great, Might be a pain when playing in the twisties! Still a great improvement!

Pat

My car isn't exactly...stock. Anywhere lol. Specially under the console. No wires are in the way though.

Ive got the controls to my choke control running under there. Two fiero door lock solenoids, and a sunroof switch. I was tired of the manual cable and had these parts laying around so i hooked up some relays and blah blah blah BAM!



I raided a villager van and got some cool electronics out of it.

This is from the damper door thing, When the motor lands on a specific spot it completes a circuit, i hooked up some LED's to demonstrate.


This is a motor that pops the rear windows open.


Seems like i got enough to be dangerous Any ideas?

Hideaway license plates? Opening sail panels lol? A spoiler that tilts as the car goes faster? Im open

This is my car.





Im working on the interior, it would be cool to do more with the inside. So far ive modified the newer cd player to light up blue, I tweaked the hvac controls a bit to my liking. I think I want to glass a new shift bezel.





Its a work in progress.

Ah yes, Mercury.

Some nice ideas you have put in the car.

..If you use short cups,there is room to shift with this set up,,taller cups do interfere when the cup holder is in this area ,I cut a hole in the storage box,,and then cut some material out, so the storage box drops down flat unto the console ,perfect for automatic ,but I have a tall cup & it does interfere with the stock shifter.on my 4 speed..
..this location look,s excellent,it has the cup lower than the storage box ,plus a neat install..as long as you do not use a very tall cup,or have a short shifter ,I like very much ,,.looks factory,,.easier to shift than what I did..
..now in hind sight I wish I had done this, very practical..well thought out !!
..I would imagine you could use a dremal to cut down the edge of many cup holders to duplicate this neato install

[This message has been edited by uhlanstan (edited 01-15-2011).]

Ya know what would be really cool to do but probably a real pain in the keister would be to be able to make the rear window roll up and down.... I think it would be awesome in the summer to have the sunroof off, the windows down and the rear window down too. I think that honda del sol had that feature if I am not mistaken. Hell even a removeable window would be cool.. Maybe a plexiglass one that you can make a nice naugahyde bag for and store it under the sunroof in the front of the car. Also did you machine that plastic stereo bezel with the fiero logo in it? Looks very cool. Love the V8 btw too... some neat ideas and that cupholder I may just have to copy.... You said a mercury villager van right? Peace and nice work. In fact I am gonna try to give you a plus.... If I can figure out how to do it as it will be my first since being on the forum. peace

Pete

Thanks for the kind words guys!

The only reason I did it is because it looks stock, not a hack job with miss colored parts. Im usually by myself when I drive, I can use the cup holder on the passenger side and still rest my hand on the shifter if I like. My first thought was to install it on the top of the console but I don't think I would like to reach all the way back there to get a drink, plus what if i took a sharp corner and some spilled out. I wouldn't want to spill anywhere but up there especially.

When I had the motor out on my other fiero for its 3800 transplant, I considered having a window that opened. I thought of all the options but decided not to have anything open there. The del sol has the motor in the front so heat will escape away from the rear so they can have a window there. The fiero's heat collects in that area behind the window. The aerodynamics and pressure zones of the car just do not make it practical to bad to because i wold love for it to work.

I was thinking about making a "pop down" headlight setup. Like this.

Lets not glance over this engine swap

Do you have a writeup on it? There are very few longitudinal swaps on here.

I wish I could take credit for it. Looks like the most difficult part was the axles. I think the control arms are the tubular ones from fiero addiction. The trunk was cut out, the cradle extended about 4 inches and reinforced, looks like very basic motor mounts. The wiring is simple, the second hardest part im assuming was the exhaust, mainly the manifolds. Its hard to see anything stock fitting in there. The drivers side has alot of room to work with but the passenger side is super tight next to the strut tower metal. People are saying the exhaust used was from a marine application. The exhaust has zero flow lol. It sounds ok but its not doing anything for me performance wise. I got some plans though. Im going to find 180 degree headers and even out the exhaust notes. Im thinking im going to have to cut into the metal on the passenger side so im going to have to find a way to make it stronger without interference.
My setup will be very similar to this..

http://www.youtube.com/watc...o2PI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watc...OtWM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watc...SU9Y&feature=related

I wasn't going to say anything until ive finished it but there ya go.
Ive been searching and searching and have not found much information on this kind of swap. Ive had a few 3800 swaps in the past and its just not the same feel. Its always fun when someone comes up to you at a gas station and says ALL SHOW AND NO GO, or my favorite is
"When I was younger we use to put sbc's in those" oh yea?

Even though its a heavy setup, specially with the boat anchor tranny hangin out the back the car can take 60mph corners like nobodies business. It looks like its still using stock springs. I would love to find a stronger more compact suspension for the rear so the car doesn't squat as bad when launching. Also It would make just enough room to fit my wide tires on.

Lots of options with this setup.

The placement oif that is going to drive you nuts.

They placed the cup holder in pretty much the same place on my solstice and it is horrible. God curse the people who positioned the cup holders and window buttons on the solstice.

Some idiot has put the engine in that car the wrong way round!

------------------
Dave

www.ltlfrari.com

quote Originally posted by ltlfrari: Some idiot has put the engine in that car the wrong way round!

Not only is it in the back but the wrong direction! lol Oh man

Well... the only way to fix the cup holders i installed is, MORE CUP HOLDERS! Time to put in some Bonneville inner door panels.

I might just be using that idea. I'm thinking longways, so I still have a place to sit my arm though. I was wondering if you possibly could tell me how you did that face for the AC controls? I love the blue LED accent. If its a bit complicated, and requires special tools I may not have. Would you be willing to make me one? That of course being I would pay you for your trouble.

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86 2.8 gt

Progress. Mocked up the center console. Got under the shift indicator, sanded off the top of the clear pvc thing and installed two blue LED's. Put together the radio bezel. Installed blue LED in temp gauge. The cup holder does not interfere with my arm or shifter, even when loaded! I think im going to move the gauges on the right to the stock aux pod.

Nic e work matey!

AArrrr, swab me poop deck & Shiver me fingers. Thanks!

quote Originally posted by Chris Hodson: The Idea The measuring The finished product Placed in MG for "simulation" The cup holder came out of the back of a mercury villager van. I basically cut a hole and plastic welded it it. Im very happy I dont have to wedge my drinks in between places to make them stay put. I have to modify the plastic part under the consol just a little bit to make it fit.

i have had this thought from when i got my car that "man i should put a cup holder somewhere in here" such a good idea in my opinion! nice job

Still no issues with the cup holder!

I have a new tool in the shop. PLASMA CUTTER.

Id like to make a metal skeleton that you can take apart in segments.