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Old 12-18-2017, 11:55 AM
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MP&C MP&C is offline
MetalShaper of the month Feb.-11, July - 2018, Sept. 2020
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Leonardtown, MD
Posts: 1,707
Default Console Fabrication

Another task for our 55 wagon is making a center console. I could never get wood to weld worth a darn, so let's make one out of 19 GA CRS. After a few cardboard renditions, we nailed down an owner approved design, so here we go..

We need to fabricate our console but also need to design around the shifter inside of it. We have the console that came with the 2002 Monte Carlo interior, but it has far too much plastic that it didn't belong. In looking at other options, we decided on the horse shoe shifter used on the Chevelle. We purchased a reproduction already set up for our 700R4 "4 speed". In conducting a test fit of the cable, we found it's trajectory path was much too straight where it either lifted the front of the shifter, or pulled the bulkhead fitting out of the "tunnel" mockup.





Shifter lift:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9-HXW7oNYg


Our solution was to raise the cable exit from the shifter housing higher in order to have a better arc of the cable for entry through the floor. Here a "relocation bracket" has been added:





Bracket all welded in place, looks like this will work for our shifter, return policy officially void now, but cable path fits much better through the floor:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LySdi8tifvQ


Starting the layout of the console.........





Mike cuts out the side of the console..







All ready for thinning the bend lines..





After trimming out the panel, a tipping die in the Lennox is used to thin the bend lines. This both gives us more crisp bends but also helps to more accurately locate the bend location to the gooseneck die, as it gives you a "feel" rather than strictly visual.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I87VWj-Qetc


Lines all thinned....





Bottom and under dash edges are hemmed, folded flanges will support the filler panel between each side..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV1yiaFoUfQ


Fitting up the corner radius


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NdR3c_S8nE
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