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Ford thunderbird console swap/build

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amfw

amfw

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Nov 10, 2008
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Ok, I am actually cruising along on this... I swapped out the screws and washers for some sex bolts (nice) because I didn't want to wait for and experiment with the groove rivets. My marine vinyl showed up yesterday and while my brain keeps wandering towards wrapping it there are definitely more steps in between. Im headed out to the Bronco to fully pull the old console and start transferring the fuse panel and amp to the new console. In the meantime if anyone wants to weigh in on anything, im trying to decide on a final color scheme for the body, top panel and sides..
My current idea for that is

Parchment white (dash color) for the top panel


black for the main body and armrest (thats not really changeable, i already have the vinyl)

And im thinking do the front sides (the piece clamped on) in hot ginger (my body color)

Also my chrome is in really bad shape but i want to use it... Getting it rechromed seems expensive, so im thinking about just brushing it, but I dont know. If anyone has opinions about brushing/re plating/chrome painting they are certainly welcome.
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amfw

amfw

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Subscribing to this thread so I can follow how it turns out. From the 1st pic you posted it looks amazing, especially with a stock interior.
I agree! My truck isnt nearly as clean as the one in the photo, but Im doin the best I can on this console :) In the photo he is running thunderbird seats (and door handles?) as well. I love my seats but they sit up higher than stock/thunderbird.

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amfw

amfw

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How is the clearance for your shifter? Is that a 3 speed floor shifter?
Yes its a 3 speed floor unit, and I was worried about that too, but basically its able to exist outside the console. I had to trim off some of the console frame to get clearance for the transfer case shifter, and im still mulling that over. It will work as is, but i think i want to put an extra bend in the lever to move towards the passenger side of the console. Also looking for a good shifter boot to use.

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El Kabong

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Driving stuff Henry built
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Getting it rechromed seems expensive, so im thinking about just brushing it, but I dont know. If anyone has opinions about brushing/re plating/chrome painting they are certainly welcome.
I'd be a fan of brushing it. My wife had a Soltice convertible with bright chrome around the shifter. It was surprising how often the sun hit that chrome wrong & made it tough on the eyes.
2007-pontiac-solstice-gxp-in-yellow-gear-shiftercenter-console-ARDK5Y.jpg
 
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amfw

amfw

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t was surprising how often the sun hit that chrome wrong & made it tough on the eyes.
That did cross my mind.. I went ahead and made a decision to try and use chrome paint It kind of broke my heart a little to do it to those old Ford parts, but I had to level with myself that I was probably never gonna re chrome them, and their best chance to have a life is to get painted. Im mainly curious to see how the paint comes out. If it's terrible, I can strip and brush it, if it's good I can keep it.. I primed them and put a black coat down yesterday, going to try the chrome paint today.
 

mhinchliffe

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Dec 21, 2018
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DOn't know your location but there's usually some pretty good PC'rs out there in most locale. Good luck with it! Nice project and documentation.
 
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amfw

amfw

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DOn't know your location but there's usually some pretty good PC'rs out there in most locale. Good luck with it! Nice project and documentation.
Thanks, there is a decent powder coater around here, I used them before for a bumper on my Cherokee. BUT I already started painting them, so that will be a next time around thing. Today Im trying to wrap it in vinyl...
 

mhinchliffe

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Maybe take it or part of it to him and see what he thinks. Might be quicker and easier than you think.
 
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amfw

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Ok, I couldn't help myself... I wrapped the vinyl today. Im mostly pleased with the results, but did come up a little short on the ashtray frame in the back. I might just 3d print a slightly oversized bezel to cover it. Worst case scenario., i do have enough vinyl left to wrap again. IMG_20220116_180504.jpg
 
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amfw

amfw

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For the vinyl, I took the frame all the way down so nothing extra was left. I did a Template out or paper, one face at a time, trimming each face before I moved to the next and joined each piece with tape. When transferring the paper to the vinyl you almost get a little pyramid. That pyramid is extra fabric that gets cut out. Then I transferred the paper to vinyl. I backed the vinyl with spare headliner fabric that i had around in order to cover up the transition from wood to the old console, and the sex bolt heads. I cut them out separately because I wasnt sure I was going to use the headliner, but after some testing I decided it was the way to go. If I were doing this again, I would stick the headliner fabric to the vinyl first and then cut them out together.
I used a lot of double sided tape to practice different application orders. I ended up starting on the back top and it worked out well.

Paper templating.
IMG_20220116_124308.jpg

Vinyl cutout
IMG_20220116_143041.jpg
 
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amfw

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Well, I'm full commit now, sold my Tuffy console... Started templating the sides, but didn't go too far.
 
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amfw

amfw

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looks great!! can't wait to see next steps!
Thanks! I am trying to think through what those are...

I have the Thunderbird front/side pieces that are missing right now, and have started making a template for that space.I am thinking I will just cut it out of the thunderbird parts, and if they work, then I will install them. If I mess them up, I will just make new ones. I'm open to opinions on color. I am back and forth between hot ginger (body color) or just staying black all the way. I may paint one of each for comparison, but that also seems like more extra work than I want, since it guarantees I will have to paint one of them twice.
I also want/need to move the J shift lever to the passenger side a little. Obviously bending is the best option for that, but I haven't done that before. My concern is with discoloring the chrome. The lower part right above the console deck will be covered by a shift boot, but I would like it to stay pretty for the rest of the length.
 

.94 OR

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If you clamp the J-shifter in a vise right below where you want to heat/bend, warm it up and bend it the color shouldn't travel very far up the chrome and looks like it will be well under the boot height.
Speakers in the front console sides?
 
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