Overhead console

[mofish]

I just stripped an overhead console that I have. Not sure if this cardboard frame can be saved. Is anyone reproducing them?

 

[pschlosser]

I vote repair it. I replied to this on another forum.

 

[FrankenKuda]

Mine wasn't much different than yours. I sent it out to a local guy who did my seats. It looks brand new now. Just hung it back up two weeks ago.
Pending how weak that area is around the overhead lamp, you may want to reinforce it. I'm not aware of anyone making them.

 

[Ronbo73]

I just stripped an overhead console that I have. Not sure if this cardboard frame can be saved. Is anyone reproducing them?

View attachment 151158

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View attachment 151160

Like pschlosser says, repair it. Looks like a fun project to handle. If you have the small steel attaching plates, I would use an adhesive to secure them to the console. JB weld makes quite a few adhesives that will work very well.

For attaching the material for recovering the console, I would use the 3M spray adhesive. I have used gorilla spray glue and 3M spray glue and 3M works better.

Would like to see the progression of the repair and refinishing of the console.

 

[mofish]

I can post my progress. Unfortunately I am missing 2 of the metal squares. I assume those are used for mounting the console?

 

[Ronbo73]

I can post my progress. Unfortunately I am missing 2 of the metal squares. I assume those are used for mounting the console?

The console will probably be ok with the two you are missing but you may be able to find some online. Those plates were used on door panels as well. If you have an old shcool salvage yard near by you could check there also.

I don't have an overhead console but it looks like that is how it is attached to the roof using door panel clips like the image.

 

[mofish]

Thank you for the info!

 

[6PKRTSE]

Good post as I have to recover and restore my overhead console also someday.

 

[EV2RTSE]

The square clip holders can still be found -

Panel Clip Holder Door Overhead Console Cuda Challenger Mopar | eBay

Here's a pic showing how the console attaches to the headliner board - washers & nuts not shown.

 

[mofish]

Wow so they are actually supposed to have 6 clips not 4?

 

[pschlosser]

Wow so they are actually supposed to have 6 clips not 4?

they typically have 4. but there is nothing stopping someone from adding more, if they have the parts laying about, and they are restoring. this type of thing is hidden from view.

 

[EV2RTSE]

I wonder if there were running changes to them? I didn't add any, mine always had 6. @mofish yours originally had 6 as well, the patches where the 2 middle ones came off can be clearly seen in your pic. Do you still have the headliner board?

 

[FrankenKuda]

I can post my progress. Unfortunately I am missing 2 of the metal squares. I assume those are used for mounting the console?

I used the plastic 1" squares you get at HDepot. Took the two sided tape off. Just like Ronbo suggested, I used the slow setting JB Weld. Be sure to let it set for 48hrs. I placed tapered screws (I think 1/4-20) in the center hole of each. When the glue sets the screws will not turn. I bolted them through the fiberglass headliner I got from SEheadliner which only had 4 holes for it. So I did not use the two spaces in the center. I tightened the nuts to get the consolette tight to the headliner - not till they stopped turning. I think it looks pretty good. One thing, make sure the material grain runs in the same direction as the headliner material. Mine was put on 90deg off. I think I'm the only one who'll notice.

 

[gzig5]

I used the plastic 1" squares you get at HDepot. Took the two sided tape off. Just like Ronbo suggested, I used the slow setting JB Weld. Be sure to let it set for 48hrs. I placed tapered screws (I think 1/4-20) in the center hole of each. When the glue sets the screws will not turn. I bolted them through the fiberglass headliner I got from SEheadliner which only had 4 holes for it. So I did not use the two spaces in the center. I tightened the nuts to get the consolette tight to the headliner - not till they stopped turning. I think it looks pretty good. One thing, make sure the material grain runs in the same direction as the headliner material. Mine was put on 90deg off. I think I'm the only one who'll notice.

View attachment 151208

The fiberglass headliner is a new one to me. Was that original on the cars that got the overhead console? I've only ever seen the fabric headliners which stretch across the bows. I've been considering some kind of overhead console for my car (73 Cuda) but wasn't sure how to mount it with the bows and how it would fit evenly to the fabric.

 

[FrankenKuda]

Oh my friend... Contact Claude at seheadliners.com he can hook you up. Much better than the original if you ask me. I'm sure you can find comments about his headliner, all over this site. I can take more pictures of mine if you'd like. It came (actually I picked it up) covered with the black headliner per my order. They were used in Challengers, not sure if only the SE version. The Dodge guys can answer that. As for Plymouth, they were only installed for Gran Coupe Barracuda's (70 & 71).
One more thing on the overhead consolette. I'm using LEDs vs bulbs for the display. The incandescent bulbs get hot and melt the display. If the OEM low fuel relay is used, that lamp needs to remain an incandescent bulb. It appeared to me that relay is dependent on the bulb resistance to work properly. I made a different electrical design using a modern day ISO relay allowing me to use an LED.

MoFish,
I went to his site (it's been a while). It looks like he's also remaking the overhead panel. Maybe something to investigate. I do love the quality of the headliner.

 

[mofish]

Thanks for the info guys. Yes I see where mine did have 6. I don’t have the headliner this is just one of many parts I have around

 

[mrmopar340]

The fiberglass headliner is a new one to me. Was that original on the cars that got the overhead console? I've only ever seen the fabric headliners which stretch across the bows. I've been considering some kind of overhead console for my car (73 Cuda) but wasn't sure how to mount it with the bows and how it would fit evenly to the fabric.

Only SE's got the hard headliner. As far as I know others had the ones with the bows.

 

[gzig5]

Oh my friend... Contact Claude at seheadliners.com he can hook you up. Much better than the original if you ask me. I'm sure you can find comments about his headliner, all over this site. I can take more pictures of mine if you'd like. It came (actually I picked it up) covered with the black headliner per my order. They were used in Challengers, not sure if only the SE version. The Dodge guys can answer that. As for Plymouth, they were only installed for Gran Coupe Barracuda's (70 & 71).
One more thing on the overhead consolette. I'm using LEDs vs bulbs for the display. The incandescent bulbs get hot and melt the display. If the OEM low fuel relay is used, that lamp needs to remain an incandescent bulb. It appeared to me that relay is dependent on the bulb resistance to work properly. I made a different electrical design using a modern day ISO relay allowing me to use an LED.

MoFish,
I went to his site (it's been a while). It looks like he's also remaking the overhead panel. Maybe something to investigate. I do love the quality of the headliner.

Thanks for the information. I doubt I will use an original OH console, but I may cobble one from scratch. It's always been on the list, but so many things are above it that it may not happen. At least now I have an idea of how to make it work.