aftermarket shift console surround - any interest? Not a scam...just wondering (Page 1/2)
lou_dias JUL 11, 12:58 PM
I'm making one for myself out of PLA and I'll probably get it vinyl-wrapped. I also may pleather it instead and that's why I left some gaps....



I'll be able to make 1 or 2 a week once I get the design down incase anyone *might* be interested.
tshark JUL 11, 01:17 PM
I'm on board with the idea, but PLA tends to be brittle. I already have brittle. ABS or PET* may be a better choice.
lou_dias JUL 11, 01:24 PM
Well, this is a prototype, so to save costs, I'm going to use PLA first since it may still need some tweaking in order to accept the stock shift plate.
ABS will cost $20 more in material costs roughly...but trivial to pick one material vs. another.
tshark JUL 11, 03:30 PM
Are you 3D printing it, vacuum forming,...?

Yeah, don't want to break the bank on the prototype. I had no idea PLA was that much less. I know TPU and PVA are expensive, along with TPE.

Actually, those flexible materials may be a better fit. ABS has a but of give. Mix it a bit for TPU or TPE, and no wrapping would be needed, but probably an additional $40. I'm just not sure about the effect of UV. Still, if I were going to make it, I'd make it with an aluminum frame, and mold something like TPU over it. No corrosion, not brittle, and no cover needed. But I know little of such things.
doublec4 JUL 11, 06:52 PM
PLA will warp in the hot interior of a car. I've prototyped a few things for the interior with PLA and over time the PLA continues to "flow"

I would recommend ABS even if it costs more.
lorennerol JUL 11, 07:17 PM

quote
Originally posted by doublec4:

I would recommend ABS even if it costs more.



Isn't the skeleton ABS? My experience with ABS is that it is brittle. The last thing the Fiero interior needs is more brittle parts. Polyethylene would be tougher, I think.
lou_dias JUL 11, 11:49 PM
Well, I'm still prototyping in PLA. Hopefully the next one is perfect, but it may require 1 more. I have to wait about a week to get it shipped to me. The thing about those more exotic materials is the cost.
Also looking into console trays.

Down the road, I'd probably want to make a replacement vent/heater/stereo section that angles from the end of the shift surround to the top of the stock location and make it handle a double-din stereo and use the stock vents and climate controls ... but that's real far down the road.
lou_dias JUL 12, 09:17 AM
kevin DEC 23, 04:19 PM
Any updates?
I’ll purchase one👍! Please provide us the current status.
Cordially,
kevin
Dennis LaGrua JAN 06, 08:55 PM

quote
Originally posted by lou_dias:



I don't know if you should bother with the add on console tray. The Fiero Store already sells them painted and finished for $29.95. As for the console itself I would believe that there will be buyers for that part.

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