Well, I suspect many of you are weary of custom cupholder designs, but allow me to share my creation with you. I have only been on the Forum for a little over a year, so forgive me if someone has already posted this arrangement.
I made a template and then used a jigsaw to cut a rigid plastic plate that would fit in the space behind the insturment panel, like this: It looks a bit like a stretched-out boomerang. It will be fastened down by removing the two screws behind the instrument panel, and replacing them with longer ones. Here is a pic with the plate in position:
Now, the actual cupholders were made from a couple of large plastic glasses that had the proper taper angle for a Tim Hortons cup (I know, I know, only us Canadians know what a Tim Hortons cup is). Anyway, my wife doesn't know this yet, but I sacrificed two of her patio glasses. I drilled a hole in the bottom of the glass, fastened in my drill press, and used a hack saw blade to cut it to the proper height. This was the setup:
Next, I mounted the cups on the end of the plate and used a charcoal-grey spray paint to match the dash color.
Then, fasten the assembly into position
This is what it finally looks like. Canadian forum members will appreciate the perfect fit for a Tim Hortons cup. Actually, the left one has a removable insert, so you can switch between a small or medium cup size.
Finally, an added benefit is that you can use one of the holders for your cell phone.
Yes, that is snow on the ground!! The pic was taken near Amherst, Nova Scotia, while I was delivering my '88GT to jelly2m8, so he could do some work on it for me.
Hope this was of interest to some of you. Any comments?
...Rickker
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09:36 PM
PFF
System Bot
DJRice Member
Posts: 2741 From: Merritt Island, FL USA Registered: Jun 99
------------------ Patrick W. Heinske -- LZeitgeist@aol.com 1988 Red Fiero Formula - 1st Place - Stock Coupe - FOCOSEVA 2000 - 3rd Place - Stock Formula - FOCOA Nat'l 2001 - Class Winner - 1982 to Present - Tarheel Tigers All-Pontiac Show 2001 - Class Winner - Fiero: All Years - Tarheel Tigers All-Pontiac Show 2002
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10:05 PM
Rickker Member
Posts: 268 From: Kingston, ON Canada Registered: Feb 2002
Mike, there is a fair bit of labor involved in making these, and you have to be careful with the jigsaw, or the plate won't fit properly. So, it would be pretty costly to make a handful of these for a few Forum members. If there was a LOT of interest, I could look into some tooling to punch out the plates, and source some holders that might work as is, rather than using up my wife's collection of plastic glasses, heh..heh...
...Rickker
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10:13 PM
jelly2m8 Member
Posts: 6232 From: Nova Scotia, Canada Registered: Jul 2001
Rick, I am amazed at the pic of the snow, it was so nice here yesterday, we could have cruised in the T-Top. I't amazing the difference in weather 100 or so miles away.
------------------ 1988GT T-Tops, 5spd, Loaded
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10:13 PM
MarkJPana Member
Posts: 1926 From: Marlboro, MA, USA Registered: Mar 2003
that is one slick idea, i want to get some cupholders in there myself, but ur idea very easily outclasses mine, i was thinking in the door panel somewhere, like between the crank and the armrest, but u have gotten a huge idea there, very impressive. when i find a way to do my idea ill let ya know for ur judging congrats on the cupholders,
------------------
New UPDATED Picture Coming Soon!
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10:19 PM
RacinRob Member
Posts: 1288 From: Eau Claire, WI Registered: Mar 2001
Sorry for living in New Mexico, USA, but what's a tim horton's cup?
Put it this way! that franchise is so big here in canada there really isint too many other coffee shops.There is literally line ups every morning out the door! (canadians can verify).
Nice work on the holder! mines a bit different but yours is cool.
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10:42 PM
Gridlock Member
Posts: 2874 From: New Westminster, BC Canada Registered: Apr 2002
Put it this way! that franchise is so big here in canada there really isint too many other coffee shops.There is literally line ups every morning out the door! (canadians can verify).
Nice work on the holder! mines a bit different but yours is cool.
You know in Vancouver, Tim Hortens just isn't the "experience" that it is in eastern canada. There are Timmy Ho's here, but everyone craves the starbucks lattes more
Jon, I could supply some dimensions, but it is a lot easier to start with piece of cardboard, 19" by 5",and hold it above the area to sketch in the contours. Then just trim with scissors until you get an approximate fit. Then trace this onto another sheet to make the minor corrections. Actually, I made an interim template out of 1/4" plywood, and carefully filed and sanded until I achieved a near-perfect fit. I then used this final template to trace on the ABS plate, and then very carefully cut the final part out with a jig saw. It took several hours to get the final product. Goood luck!!
...Rickker
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01:05 PM
sspeedstreet Member
Posts: 2306 From: Santa Maria, CA Registered: Dec 2002
That's a good idea. My setup only works if you've installed a 1 DIN stereo.
Cool idea. I like that look. I was going to get cupholders but I think they just ruin our stock Interior. I like that one though. Ill just stay without them though I dont need it nor do I allow drinks from like drivethrus in my car just like quik trip 20oz drinks Later.
------------------
Maroon 1987 GT 5 spd: 2.8L Ferrari Red 1988 Formula 5 spd: 3.4L
I know it's not a very creative solution, but I stick to bottled water when I'm driving, so I don't need a cupholder to keep it upright. My faily driver (ok, my only car at the moment) has cup holders, but with the way canadian roads are in winter... that's not too stable either.
------------------ steve@digitalfusion.on.ca "Whoever said money can't buy happiness.. didn't have much of an imagination." - Steve King, 1997
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08:16 PM
Apr 16th, 2003
Rickker Member
Posts: 268 From: Kingston, ON Canada Registered: Feb 2002
Hey Fierosound, that looks pretty good. Which DIN stero system are you using? And, are those cupholders built into the system, or something you added afterwards? ...Rickker
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08:23 AM
fierosound Member
Posts: 15189 From: Calgary, Canada Registered: Nov 1999
Hey Fierosound, that looks pretty good. Which DIN stero system are you using? And, are those cupholders built into the system, or something you added afterwards? ...Rickker
It's the Denon unit I've had "forever". I built a new mounting plate and moved it lower in the 1.5 DIN hole. I got the cupholder from a 96 Dolt Colt at the wrecker.
[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 04-16-2003).]
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09:21 PM
Apr 17th, 2003
StuGood Member
Posts: 3172 From: Wichita, KS, USA Registered: Jun 2000
Pretty neat, Rickker! It's similar to something I think of doing every once in a while (but never actually do) which is: Install a "depth stop" bracket, that would keep a paper beverage cup from sliding down too far.
Most of the time, a large paper cup wedges nicely into the Fiero's "natural" cupholder. But sometimes, if the cup gets a little soggy, or if I hit one bump too many, the cup slides down just a little too far for comfort! Never gotten cold feet from this (yet ), but it sure would be a rude awakening! So pull the cup back up, and think, "One of these days, I need to put a little bracket in there..." But of course, after I get home, I forget all about it.
Guess it's just one of those "Yeah, I do have a leaky roof on my house, but it only leaks when it rains," things. Anyway, nice job, Rickker, it looks nice and from what you say, it works well, too !
), but it sure would be a rude awakening! So pull the cup back up, and think, "One of these days, I need to put a little bracket in there..." But of course, after I get home, I forget all about it.
