HI everyone,

I'm fixing up my manual 5spd '89 244 and I was wondering if it is possible - and where would I look - to put a shifter surround and console-like piece to the floor. I like the look that newer cars have with the console piece around the shifter...maybe something with a cup holder...?

I'm a little handy with the basics, but trying to keep it as simple as I can. I am a bit of a novice to major customization so all the detail you can give would be great!

Thanks,
Atlanticgrl

 

anything like that, you're going to be fabricating from scratch, or taking something meant for another car and 'kit bashing' it to fit.

good luck with that.

 

OK, well any thoughts or suggestions where I might begin with that? I've spent hours trying to find info on this and am coming up dry. I'm just don't know enough to get this going on my own.

 

well, I imagine something like this...

measure what you got, and imagine what you want. measure your imagination. visit all your friends newer cars, measure what they got. figure out what might be fittable, visit Pik-n-Pulls and find that model car with the right color interior and gut the console piece you want to hack, then have at it with a saber saw, half-round wood rasp, dremel tool, whatever til its kit bashed to fit, then install with liberal amounts of silicone adhesive and/or epoxy as suitable, then smooth over with bondo and paint.

Some things to be concerned with: width and height of transmission tunnel hump. room between seats. size and location of stock shifter bezel (I'd be trying to mount the bezel on whatever you're doing). size and location of parking brake lever. relation of shifter to parking brake lever.

The alternative would be to fabricate something completely from scratch using fiberglass and/or wood. Meh.

Or, get a 740/940, they have more of a console, even if it doesn't have cup holders. the storage box behind the shift lever is even large enough for 6-8 CD cases, and the lid makes a nice arm rest. There's an aftermarket replacement lid/arm rest thats thicker/taller and has a pull out cup holder.

 

Thank you...that gives me a place to start.