Hi guys... I have an 86, and I'm having a lot of fun with it. I will post pics soon. I have a question about cupholders. I've been looking online, and I've seen what is available. Personally, I really don't like the idea of where the aftermarket cupholder is placed. I did something different. Since I have a 5-speed, I cut two holes in front of the radio. It's not very sophisticated looking, but it has potential. I wonder what people think of this. If I want to adjust the radio, I will drink my coffee. I'd like to get a really good looking top for the holes, I guess I just need the plastic inserts to create what I want. I might contact the makers of that new product. The product I've seen is very sweet looking, but it's really in the way if you have to shift, and actually really in the way of where you put your arm. I will post some pictures soon. Any thoughts? Maybe it's a new idea for the makers of the aftermarket cupholder to consider.
I have an 87 and an 85 that both have the aux gauges. I just take a 24 oz. plastic cup, like a McD's medium, and place it between the instrument panel pod and the aux gauge pod. It has to be stiff enough not to bend in the middle. Then I use the 24 oz. as a support for what I might be drinking. It stays put. Doesn't get in the way, Don't have to drill anything. And if I don't want it, just remove it. The only issue is with anything bigger than a 20 oz. cup. Anything bigger, and you have to wiggle it around to clear the windshield. For the most part, most are 20 oz.
There is a used Fiero cup holder for sale on ebay that replaces the shifter surround and has a raised area off to the right side that holds two cups one behind the other. It looks to be a good solution to keeping the cups out of the way.
I'm still back to my original idea, which it seems nobody has ever tried. Maybe I've got something new. For me, seems there's not even enough room for my right arm to rest as it is and placing a cupholder to the right of the shifter doesn't seem like a good idea either in my five-speed. I have a few modifications to fool with, but when I finish it I'll send post a pic and see what you guys think.
I'm still back to my original idea, which it seems nobody has ever tried. Maybe I've got something new. For me, seems there's not even enough room for my right arm to rest as it is and placing a cupholder to the right of the shifter doesn't seem like a good idea either in my five-speed. I have a few modifications to fool with, but when I finish it I'll send post a pic and see what you guys think.
Just FYI, a lot of the cupholder inserts are one size which may not accomodate larger bottles or cups. You can look on Ebay and buy speaker port tubes starting at 1.5" all the way to 6" diameter. That way you can cut a larger hole yet have a clean, black trim ring around the edge.
If you are careful and measure, it is very easy to install a single cup holder directly in the middle of the center of the radio surround at the bottom in the area between the radio faceplate and the shifter cover plate. This is where some have installed the extra ashtray type storage bin. I just went to a camper store and bought one which would fit the hole I was installing. the final diameter of mine was 2-7/8 inches. I used a 2-3/4 inch hole saw for a clean cut, it moves around a bit and ended up being the correct 2 7/8 inches and fit my cup holder perfectly.The depth of the cup holder is about just about half the height of a normal soda can. Pull off your shifter cover plate and you will see that the throttle cable and various wires are nearer the sides of the center skeleton assembly and go around this type of installation. It's not perfect but it worked for me and was a clean factory looking cup holder. The only problem is there is only room for one cup holder in this configuration. Curtis
[This message has been edited by Curtisk1060 (edited 04-12-2015).]
I put my large bladder busters in the space behind the gauge pod. with a little bit of ingenuity you could create a small wood/plastic insert to place back there so smaller/thinner items would not slide right through.
Thanks guys this is terrific! Tons of ideas. I had not seen that pullout cupholder in the half din space. That's a fantastic idea. How do you get one of those cupholder things?
