max-ie Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 Hi just started thinking about how i'm going to mount the auto shifter on the gearbox tunnel. Has anyone got any photo's of their motors that i can steal some ideas from. I don't want it to look a bodge and i've kept the centre console from the Range Rover just in case. Cheers Max Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest l90truck Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 by an ashcroft tunnell same as a 50th defender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max-ie Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 I'll mount it on the dash with a bit of 3x2 before spending £325.00 + vat on a bit of plastic. I was thinking of fabricating a mounting system for the Rangie centre console and was wanting advice or some piccies from someone in the know. Cheers Max Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest diesel_jim Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 I'll mount it on the dash with a bit of 3x2 before spending £325.00 + vat on a bit of plastic. I don't want it to look a bodge you get more than "a bit of plastic", i had one (from frogs island, but it's the same as the Ashcroft one) and it's the proper job, i don't hinestly think you'll ever get a rangie one to look like it was meant to be there in a defender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashtrans Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 bit of plastic.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! injected polymer I'll have you know !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes it's expensive but it's also the first thing the customer sees when we have done a conversion so it needs to be right, the early ones were fibreglass, not very neat and quite brittle, they are now injection moulded using more robust materials. The mould cost me £ 2K if you think these were dear the genuine landrover ones were about £ 500 + VAT, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nas90 Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 injected polymer I'll have you know !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes it's expensive but it's also the first thing the customer sees when we have done a conversion so it needs to be right, the early ones were fibreglass, not very neat and quite brittle, they are now injection moulded using more robust materials. The mould cost me £ 2K if you think these were dear the genuine landrover ones were about £ 500 + VAT, True but not quite true When I changed the nas from manual to auto I bought a secondhand RR box and transfer box and had the same problem of deciding what to do about a centre console, this from memory was about 1999. A good friend of mine, Mike Rymer, had an Anniversary 50 and I measured the console with the thought of making my own. Now the 50 was basically a MY97 nas but RHD and LR used the nas centre console still with the cut-out for the handbrake on the LHD side and instead of cutting out the depression in front of the cubby box for the (smaller) Stateside radios they left this intact and 50 vehicles use this for coins etc, with the radio in the bulkhead using an ABS grey moulding. With some lateral thinking I popped into Harwoods at Pulborough and inquired about centre consoles, The Anniversary 50 was best part of £600 incl the Vat but when they dialled in the nas90 centre console part number to the LR computer the price was £170 incl the Vat. Now this was entirely due to LR not wanting UK Defender owners making their vehicles look like 50 vehicles, so LR jacked-up the price but forgot about the nas price guess which part number I ordered With a squeeze I can get a UK radio in the slot in front of the cubby box but it is tight against the selector cable for the auto box. Nowadays finding a LR centre console for the nas or 50 is like finding chickens teeth hence the parts from Ashcroft's etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Here's mine - no fancy plastic consoles here, I wanted to keep my cubbybox and access to the fusebox etc: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Timely post this - just working up ideas myself! At the moment I think I am going to have to make something out of ali plate or ply and cover it with carpet (Range Rover influence!) I did toy with the RR centre console but it wasn't going to look right. The ashcroft offering is tempting if I could afford it, but I am also doing the RR hand brake converison so it wouldn't work for me. I'll post some pics when I get back to it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 I like the Ashcroft one, it looks right and it's SHINEY Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wkw90 Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Have to agree the Ashcroft 1 does look nice . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoSS Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I converted a while ago (with an ashcrofts kit) but decided to make my own console from ply. It doesnt look as swish, but it has all the practical bits i wanted (heater panel, switches, circuit breakers, scanner & CB slots) I will post a picture later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david1701 Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 what about making a glass one in situ, use blocks and cloth then spread the glass over sand and paint it, then you can have it as is required (ive seen this done for speaker mounts and dashboards never a centre console tho, might not like the abuse) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon W Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Ask Tim on here to post pics of the auto box in the hybrid, this had a discovery or defender console in and it fitted pretty well, not sure if it was Jon Staff who made if fit initial or the owner before him. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max-ie Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 injected polymer I'll have you know !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes it's expensive but it's also the first thing the customer sees when we have done a conversion so it needs to be right, the early ones were fibreglass, not very neat and quite brittle, they are now injection moulded using more robust materials. The mould cost me £ 2K if you think these were dear the genuine landrover ones were about £ 500 + VAT, Sorry i didn't mean to sound rude regarding your product. I've spent that much on the restoration i just can't afford one and still have a fair bit of stuff to buy. It does look the job though and something to consider in the future, when funds are better. I am considering building an ally tunnel to mount the changer on and can incorporate the rangie handbrake on it with some of those metal switches. Still thinking though and your ideas and photos are greatly appreciated.# cheers max Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashtrans Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Sorry i didn't mean to sound rude regarding your product. I've spent that much on the restoration i just can't afford one and still have a fair bit of stuff to buy. It does look the job though and something to consider in the future, when funds are better.I am considering building an ally tunnel to mount the changer on and can incorporate the rangie handbrake on it with some of those metal switches. Still thinking though and your ideas and photos are greatly appreciated.# cheers max No offence taken Max, I agree it's an expensive 'bit of plastic' ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Well, to save Dave from panicking about lost sales, I decided to do mine like this: First, take a piece of steel plate and cut it to fit the hole in the seatbox. Then position the shifter where you are comfortable and cut a hole for that. Then do the same for the handbrake (RR item) and drill the three holes required for that: As there will be quite a bit of force going throught the handbrake lever, I decided to stiffen the plate: Back on top, I knocked up a piece of ply with an upstand to house the shifter and a cut out for the handbrake: Stick the gear indicator wotsit to another piece of ply and drop the hand brake into position abd bob's your uncle: This will all be painted to keep moisture out and then covered in carpet. There's still plenty of room for a half decent cubby box too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max-ie Posted July 27, 2008 Author Share Posted July 27, 2008 Well, to save Dave from panicking about lost sales, I decided to do mine like this: First, take a piece of steel plate and cut it to fit the hole in the seatbox. Then position the shifter where you are comfortable and cut a hole for that. Then do the same for the handbrake (RR item) and drill the three holes required for that: As there will be quite a bit of force going throught the handbrake lever, I decided to stiffen the plate: Back on top, I knocked up a piece of ply with an upstand to house the shifter and a cut out for the handbrake: Stick the gear indicator wotsit to another piece of ply and drop the hand brake into position abd bob's your uncle: This will all be painted to keep moisture out and then covered in carpet. There's still plenty of room for a half decent cubby box too hi.have you got any pictures of it fitted in the motor.Looks good..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_pete Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I bought the mounting bracket from Ashcroft and bolted it to the center floor panel and then cut the front off my chubby box and bolted that to the back. I'll try and get some pictures although at the moment it is more functional than beautiful. I was tempted by the full tunnel but my winch spool control is located next to the drivers seat and I don't want to move that or cut holes in £300 of injection polymer. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 hi.have you got any pictures of it fitted in the motor.Looks good..... Give us a chance, those pics were hot off the press!! Paint tonight (hopefully) and carpet later in the week.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_pending Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 A Couple of Pictures Of Mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max-ie Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 A Couple of Pictures Of Mine. Is that out of a discovery, fitted into a 110. Looks just the job,, more info please. Come on bishbosh is it in yet!!! I got my motor started yesterday.... revved twice and died.... now no spark at plugs. Trying new dizzy and rotor in morning. Max Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_pending Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 The only part that's Discovery is the selector plinth. Started off with a base to mount the selector unit similar to bish, but folded up out of steel. I then mounted a Disco plinth on top. Took an 07 Defender cubby tray and cut out an aperture for the plinth to poke through with the Disco surround to finish it off. I then fitted a wooden box made to the same shape as the cubby tray and trimmed with black vinyl and dropped the tray back over. The tray is held down with M6 screws into riv-nuts in the steel base, this holds the wooden box down which is also a snug fit around the base. Finished off with a net pocket on the front face. It sounds simple enough but it took a lot of hours working out sizes, dimensions etc. I also had to modify the R/R selector to take the Disco "T" shifter. I'm pleased with the result and the whole thing comes apart in minutes to service any of the components. Total cost in s/h bits, about £30, took about a year to source it all though. If you want to copy it, there is of course a.....Pat Pending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Right, some progress this week. One coat of primer and two of gloss to try and seal the wood for a while. At one coat per night that took most of the week! Apologies for the leary red paint - it was to hand and needed using up! Besides, once it is finished no one is going to see it! Dragged out a roll of el cheapo carpet last used to trim the fuel tank in the bobtail (it's not stained, just shaddows): Removed the mouse nest and the wafer thin foam backing and set about trimming the centre console. Loctite spray contact adhesive does a good job of holding things in place and a few well placed staples makes sure it stays there until the glue has properly set. Quite pleased with the results even if I do say so myself! Next job is to convince my neighbour to make a bling cover for the hole in brushed stainless...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ101 Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Ask Tim on here to post pics of the auto box in the hybrid, this had a discovery or defender console in and it fitted pretty well, Jon As per Jon post,, actually a RR LSE console Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 The only part that's Discovery is the selector plinth.Started off with a base to mount the selector unit similar to bish, but folded up out of steel. I then mounted a Disco plinth on top. Took an 07 Defender cubby tray and cut out an aperture for the plinth to poke through with the Disco surround to finish it off. I then fitted a wooden box made to the same shape as the cubby tray and trimmed with black vinyl and dropped the tray back over. The tray is held down with M6 screws into riv-nuts in the steel base, this holds the wooden box down which is also a snug fit around the base. Finished off with a net pocket on the front face. It sounds simple enough but it took a lot of hours working out sizes, dimensions etc. I also had to modify the R/R selector to take the Disco "T" shifter. I'm pleased with the result and the whole thing comes apart in minutes to service any of the components. Total cost in s/h bits, about £30, took about a year to source it all though. If you want to copy it, there is of course a.....Pat Pending. That's probably the tidiest home made auto console I've seen, superb job ! Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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