NB Centre Console Delete

[Dervish]

Have any NB owners done a centre console delete? The NBFL console is basically useless; and who's idea was it to put cup holders right in line with the gearstick? I've been playing around with the idea of removing it as something to do during the lockdown - it all seems fairly straightforward. I've made up a template and put it into AutoCAD so I can get it lasercut out of 2mm aluminium, I just have to decide on what to do with the dash space. I want to have some decent engine information available as the factory gauges are just about useless, but that's about my only constraint. Does anyone know if the Mx5 Mania console delete carpet fits an NB?

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These are the options as I see it; I could put in provisions for anything up to 5 x 52mm gauges in the space previously taken up by the stereo, anything up to 3 gauges and a single DIN stereo, or a double DIN android headunit and run the Torque app+OBDII reader to have digital gauges (plus everything else that would allow - diagnostics, navigation, etc). I never use the stereo in my cars - my last two cars haven't had one - so I'm not fussed about losing it, but I definitely can't see the need for more than 3 gauges either. So the options are then; separate boost, coolant temp and AFR gauges with a single DIN stereo, or double DIN android HU.

Pros of separate gauges:
- very accurate
- looks better

Cons of separate gauges:
- $$
- lots of work routing pipes and wires through the dash

Pros of OBD-II "gauges":
- cheaper (not certain of this, to do it properly might cost as much)
- easy

Cons:
- perhaps less accurate, certainly higher latency

[Okibi]

I have one of these, pretty happy with it.
https://rev9autosport.com/jet-stream-sh ... tured.html

[ManiacLachy]

I have the Jet Stream shorty as well, it's great. I'll try to find a pic or two later today.

Carbon Miata make one too, but it doesn't come with the OEM texture, just a smooth fibreglass piece (not sure if white or black). But, you could by some vinyl and cover it pretty easily, and it would end up much cheaper.

Personally, I'm not a fan of a mess of gauges in the centre stack, it looks a bit much, they aren't in your line of sight, and if you have too many it will be difficult to digest at a glance. A few people have done a row of 3 in a single dinn pod, which I think looks pretty good, but still not going to be in your line of sight.

[bootz]

I have one of these, pretty happy with it.
https://rev9autosport.com/jet-stream-sh ... tured.html

That's nice, but not 'heading into $500 delivered' nice.

[Tamaiya]

Ouch!

[Dervish]

I did see the shorty consoles. As above; nice, but not for the money. If that's what I was after I'd just get a console from someone who was wrecking an NB and lop it in half, fix up the cut end with fibreglass. I appreciate the look and extra space gained by having the whole console gone.

Further research on the OBD-II gauges has revealed that the baud rate is only good for 1-2 readings per second on the NB with its relatively dumb ECU. That's fine for monitoring temps, but not good enough for boost or AFR. I'm keen on this OBDlink/Android headunit/Torque app option, though, due to the ease and flexibility of it. If I decide to play with the boost I'll just run temporary gauges. If I move to an aftermarket ECU like the Haltech Elite, the OBD port's baud rate will increase to something like 500Hz - good enough for anything.

What are you two with the shorty consoles doing to cover the fuel and boot levers?

[greenMachine]

If I move to an aftermarket ECU like the Haltech Elite, the OBD port's baud rate will increase to something like 500Hz - good enough for anything.

When, not if. The SE's ecu is crap. And when you do, you won't want to mucking around with OBD. /digression

[Dervish]

Well I had some time to throw at this project so I've made some progress. First thing was to mock up the centre dash panel in aluminium, as paper isn't accurate enough to pull measurements off to work into AutoCAD. Not so hard, transfer measurements from paper to very thin Al sheet and cut. The Aluminium also holds bends, so that's helpful.

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Second step is to work out the carpet. Again, not as difficult as I thought it might be. I grabbed a 1m x 1m piece of surprisingly nice auto carpet from Bunnings for $21. I could've only bought 0.5m x 1m, as that's all I used. I cut the gear lever hole out first and then used that as the reference for everything else. Measure twice and cut once, etc. I was thinking I'd need to bind the edges somehow, but this stuff said it will hold together on cut edges and I believe it having worked with the stuff.

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So now I just need to decide on a layout for the dash - probably three gauges across the top, single DIN stereo, HVAC, window switches where the cigarette lighter was, keep the stock plastic tray. Cigarette lighter will go on the very bottom surface of the dash panel. I have put all that into CAD, but I want to triple check everything before I send it off to get cut.

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Last and hardest job will be to cover the horns either side of the base of the dash. I was going to design something to be 3D printed, and I may still go that route, but it will be hard during the COVID lockdown. Part of me just wants to knock something up out of aluminium and call it done.

[Dervish]

I got the laser cutting back today; it’s absolutely perfect. As soon as I had it home I started bending it to fit.

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The only question now is how to cover it - it would be too shiny left as is. My brother suggested getting it flocked, which I'll have to look into; for all I know flocking won't stick to aluminium. Left to my own devices, I might make a mold of it in silicone and cast a carbon fibre one. On one hand it's completely unnecessary, but it's also a good learning opportunity...

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The eagle-eyed will also notice the half-fitted 3D printed caps I made for the base of the dash; they aren't a perfect fit yet - v2.0 will be - although in the photo the cap is just on loose.

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[The American]

That is pretty neat!

[bruce]

Nice work!

[Lokiel]

Nice work, now "sex it up":

1. Add chrome ring trim to the base of the boot.
2. Give the plate a brushed-finish and anodise it black
3. Get a normal NB HVAC fascia (they're black) or vinyl-dye black the silver SE HVAC fascia

Also:

1. How much did it cost to get laser-cut?
2. What filament did you use for the end-caps?

These days I like PETG for this type of application, it wont break down in the sun as quick as PLA and is not as brittle as PLA.
It you use fine wet/dry sandpaper you can get a nice smooth finish (sometimes you end up with fine sandings embedded on the surface that look white - I just give it a spay with a few coats of black vinyl dye to give it a uniform black colour).

[Dervish]

Nice work, now "sex it up":

1. Add chrome ring trim to the base of the boot.
2. Give the plate a brushed-finish and anodise it black
3. Get a normal NB HVAC fascia (they're black) or vinyl-dye black the silver SE HVAC fascia

Besides making the aluminium dull somehow - and yeah, anodising is tempting but a hassle; seemingly the only anodiser in Canberra focusses on jewellery and vases and things like that - the next thing on my list is replacing the gear knob, which is not in great shape and looks awful without the boot. I actually have two bits of wood ready to turn to make a gear knob and handbrake handle that I cut out of a tree branch that fell down a few months ago. Yes, I am a compulsive thing-maker.

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What I really want is a MiataRoadster shifter like the one on the far left here to replace the fat black stick that's there now, but at $400US ++, it's not going to happen. Still, that with a nice turned Porsche 917 style knob would be perfect.

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I'll look into costs for anodising and flocking, that will probably determine the route I take.

1. How much did it cost to get laser-cut?
2. What filament did you use for the end-caps?

I'm lucky enough to have access to AutoCAD, which exports a file that imports straight onto the laser cutting equipment - that saves a lot of fees. If they have to take a hand-drawn picture or non-compatible file and remake it, it'll cost. The cutting was quite reasonable.

The end caps are PLA; it's what was there and I suspected there might be changes that needed to be made before the finals are printed. I'm no expert at 3D printing (this is my first attempt) so I was aware that a better material would be required from the little reading I've done, but which one would require some research; if you reckon PETG is the best bet - PETG it is. I'll probably need to source that myself though (and check the machine at the makerspace can print it).

[smy0003]

Love the 3D printed caps, very neat

[Lokiel]

Another alternative to DIY anodising (I've done this on my radiator overflow tank, Cold Air Box, centre console plate around gear shifter and GM CNPS bracket) is hydrodipping (aka wet transfers):
This looks easy enough to DIY and there are a LOT of different transfer patterns to choose from (including carbon fibre if you like that look).
Apart from painting your part in the base colour, you just need a large enough water container, the transfer sheet and a spray can of the transfer's activating agent.
Supposedly the piece won't suffer chipping as badly as paint alone does, the transfer is a film over top of the base colour (I hate painting aluminium, once the paint starts chipping/flaking it looks crap and just gets worse).

Regarding the MR SSK: They were expensive when I bought mine years ago and the Aussie$ was doing great. I love mine and suggest you treat yourself to it when you can, screw the cost. My SE's OEM 6-speed shifter made it hard to find reverse and easy to miss gear shifts on the track (accidentally dropping into 2nd when you wanted 4th makes you overthink every gear change after that).