5th gen Camaro console mods
 

I'm putting a 5th gen console in my 69 Camaro with some direction from Jeff (jwcarguy) Thanks Jeff!

I decided to try my luck at making the mods to put an Auto Meter gauge pod in my 5 gen console. The console was mounted in the car to check the fitment of my B&M Stealth Pro ratchet shifter and so I could see the console cover on in place. I ended up trimming the change tray flush with the bottom where it started to turn in for the tray. I left the part you see with the orange tape for strength.

Make sure you measure there is room for the gauges and the brackets that hold them in. Your brackets to install the console might be in the way of the fitment. you can see my bracket if way forward so it's not in the way.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...923/JkPYKd.jpg

I'm going to show how I did my gauge pod install, I know there are probably better and maybe easier ways but here's what I did.
First I cut out the change tray from the console after measuring how much needed to be removed..

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...924/ti5dUJ.jpg

Then I measured and cut the gauge pod to fit the opening, and glued small tabs to hold it in place which I had to trim later.
You may want to do this step after you close in the hole with the ABS the check what you need to trim.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...923/3D790y.jpg

The tabs ended up being an unnessary step. I used them to hold small pieces I cut for around the gauge pod. I used a piece of ABS (Bought on E Bay) the same thickness as the gauge pod to fill around it to make it flush with the top of the console piece. The pieces on the under side were 1/16".

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...924/mKiEhH.jpg

I filled in the whole opening with 1/8" ABS. I used a heat gun to roll the top to match the console cover then I marked what I needed to remove for the gauge pod and cut it out.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...922/Pruc3U.jpg


I could have just used long pieces of ABS 1/8" which I ended up using for the strips you can see from the bottom. Around the perimeter of the opening.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...922/eaasSk.jpg


I'll post more tomorrow.
, most important thing Measure put witness marks and keep using them.

Then it was time to epoxy the pieces together. I used these epoxy's
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...923/T67aL6.jpg

The main one I used was the Permatex Plastic welder which I used on most of the pieces. The Permatex 5 minute epoxy is thin and what I used to fill in some fine spaces. But you could use body filler later on. The JB plastic weld is a two part stick you knead together and I used to fill some of the larger gaps.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...922/S4xXot.jpg

And here is where I'm at all epoxied up and ready for a thin finish coat of filler to blend all the joints in.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...922/aGVYkP.jpg

That's some nice work there buddy.

Thanks Curtis!

I went by my buddy's shop (He will be painting my car ) to ask him to let me have some filler to finish it up. He says sure as he does with anything I ever need. He takes it fills it we start bull****ting, then he tells me to wait til it hardens, then he sands it down. I told him I'll do it he says it needs another coat put it on and sands that and primes it. He tells me to wait 3-4 day then water sand it with 600. Then he says bring it back and we'll paint it if you want.

Here's how it came out

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/DR0EAr.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/1CLmoV.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/MrWYop.jpg

So I can't say it was all me.

That looks great, cant wait to see finished project. Thanks for sharing.
Kevin

Looks great Wayne...nice work by all. :thumbsup:

That turned out great!

Thanks guys, I appreciate you checking it out. He suggested I do it in a semi gloss black like the 69 console so it would be a throw back to the original gauge pod for 69.

That looks awesome.

Thanks John! I'm trying.