Working out center console shape

[JustJohn]

I had one previously but it is really too small for a full size Impala.

[Appling Prostreet]

Oh crap. I was thinking it was a Camaro. I didn't look close enough. Sorry bought that.

I love being creative/different too but I have enough of that going on with this build so I'm to the point of anything I can utilize that I already have, is going in.

[JustJohn]

So getting the mounting points tacked in and could use some feedback. I decided to mount the parking brake on spacers to give myself room for vertical adjustment, plus I think the brackets will give me the chance to drill another hole if I'm way off or just a tiny bit of slop to line things up. Also, going half way across leaves me room for cup holder clearance. You never really see fabricated parking brake mounts - they're not sexy so I'm pretty much developing my own here. Any thoughts on the mounting? I feel like the spacer and grade 8 hardware will give adequate stability. The spacers and bolts are just cobbled together at the moment to give me an assembly to work with.
This is just the rear bracket tacked in place.



A pair of Eddie's stainless cupholders just showed up. Not really happy with them. They look flimsy. I'll be returning them and looking for something else.

[Vimes]

Your parking brake mount looks OK, but sits low inside that console. Matched up with the height and closeness of the arm rest behind it, it might make for an awkward angle when going for the parking brake. I'd suggest slapping the old carpet with padding under the console, put in the driver's seat and see how well it works. An awkward to reach emergency brake handle is not what you want to be dealing with during an emergency.

So far as the strength of the parking brake handle goes, get a U-bolt that you can use to tie the cable attachment point to the mounting point behind it. The idea for this test is you don't want the brake handle to move when you pull on it. Then, give the handle a good, sharp, hard yank. If it feels flimsy or like something is giving when you pull on it, it will need more work. If it's sturdy and doesn't budge under this test, it won't budge when you have it installed and you're applying the brake. More importantly, it won't break when you're trying to pull the handle out of the floor during an emergency. You'll be able to tell whether it needs any further work when you do this. That handle gives you quite a bit of leverage when you pull on it, so the base has to be really strong.

[JustJohn]

The spacers are what I had on hand to work with, not the finished height. It will end up just a short drop from the shifter.
I had a similar mount minus the spacer posts for the Camaro parking rake and it was solid.

[Perry M]

I am following this thread even though I already finished building my console. I used plywood then covered it in leather. My E brake is mounted in the console like you are doing but haven't connected any cables to the rear wheels yet. I am curious how you will do your connection.

[JustJohn]

Almost where I need to be before paint. All the mounting points tacked in.


Now I can actually mount my mock up like it would be on the finished interior. Looks like there are some adjustments needed for the profile but that can wait. Have a couple of pieces coming this week and I can get underneath and route the new parking brake layout.

[JustJohn]

Ever have one of those days when you can't find parts you know you have? I took off my parking brake cables a couple of weeks ago so they wouldn't just be hanging and now I can't find them. Never left the garage, only have parts from this one car in the garage. Kind of need them to place the last couple of brackets.
Looks like a 2 hour reorganize and clean up on Saturday to find my cables or spend another $150 on new ones.

[Vimes]

I can do a LOT of cleaning for 150 bucks. But I think I'd start under the car, just in case you planned to remove them, decided it was too much effort when you can just tie-wrap them in place, then forgot that you didn't go with the original plan. As an absent-minded person, I can count on the fingers of everybody's hands how many times this particular scenario's happened to me.

[JustJohn]

Getting the cable routing under the car. I finally learned how to use magnets.



I previously had a late Camaro console in here but was never 100% happy with it. The off side cable routed through the body stiffening brace and it worked well to keep everything out of the way. I think this time I'm going with external tubing clips to have more options for positioning and probably less prone to rub through. Also picked up the Control Cables Inc bracket. Their system seems a little cleaner than Lokar's to me, even though I'm reusing some of the Lokar cables. Everything is compatible and I think I'm done welding. The old cable stop is there on the right and will get ground off.
Still have to decide on the lever to union routing and drill a hole. The late Camaro pass through grommet I used last time will be in place again.

[JustJohn]

Lay out is done. I'm going to bolt the underbody bracket to the floor this time with button head socket screws. I think a lot easier than last time and cleaner routing. Still waiting on an answer from Control Cables about the OD of their cable. The Cable Craft one I had made last time for the lever was a larger OD and filled in the pass through grommet. I use this one because it is designed to flex off a 90 pass through.



Top side. if the new cable is this diameter I'll have to wrap it a couple of times to seal against the grommet.

[JustJohn]

Just closing this out. Drilled the holes for the junction bracket today and routed the cables. Only thing left is to measure the front cable length and order it. Having used both the Lokar and Control Cables solutions, I feel like the latter ended up being cleaner and easier to install. The rear cables are still Lokar and it gives me more adjustment than I'll ever need but otherwise appears compatible. The apparently extra cable along the bends is intentional. I learned previously that if you don't set everything up with the suspension loaded (I did this time), the cable housing can be too tight and apply the rear brakes when the suspension moves.

[JustJohn]

In the interest of closing this out, here's the last test fit before I take out parts for paint. I ended up using all of controlcables.com stuff and I have to say I like it better than the Lokar solution having used both. Lokar is a little more "customize and fit at home" than control cables stuff but to my eye it ends up looking better and all the hard mount points are self contained in the brackets. Cables are heavier too and feel more precise when pulling the brake handle up.
Under car:




In car, I will be able to cut spacers to match the height of the console when I get there.

[65 drop top]

Going back to some of the earlier posts on your thread, you can camouflage the height of the console with carpet. Here’s what my interior guy did in my chevelle

[JustJohn]

Thanks - I actually bought extra matching carpet anticipating there might be a future need.

Car is currently at the pain shop so with the console mounts and shape worked out, it's at a stand still for a while.

[Cheveezy]

Going back to some of the earlier posts on your thread, you can camouflage the height of the console with carpet. Here’s what my interior guy did in my chevelle

Not to hijack but where did you get that dash insert? That's exactly what I've been looking for. Nice interior!

[65 drop top]

Not to hijack but where did you get that dash insert? That's exactly what I've been looking for. Nice interior!

Thanks, actually I made it out of an original dash. I shaved everything off, and filled in the radio and cigarette lighter holes. I did reinforce the backside of it where I shaved off the peak that goes from side to side, otherwise there’s very little material left. I used either epoxy or fiberglass to do that, I can’t remember which. It’s held up good so far.

[Cheveezy]

Thanks, actually I made it out of an original dash. I shaved everything off, and filled in the radio and cigarette lighter holes. I did reinforce the backside of it where I shaved off the peak that goes from side to side, otherwise there’s very little material left. I used either epoxy or fiberglass to do that, I can’t remember which. It’s held up good so far.

Nice! Thanks for the idea